Empanadas de Rajas y Queso Oaxaca (Poblano and Cheese Empanadas)
Baked empanadas filled with roasted poblano strips, sweetcorn and stringy melting cheese, served with tangy salsa verde.
Made with Salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa) and Shortcrust pastry. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 20
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.95 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Char the peppers directly over a gas flame or under a hot grill for 10 minutes, turning, until blackened all over. Put in a bowl, cover and leave for 10 minutes. Peel, deseed and cut into thin strips.
10 min - 2
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 6 minutes. Add the pepper strips, sweetcorn and 4 tablespoons of your ready made salsa verde (see the base recipe) and cook for 3 minutes until thick. Cool completely.
6 min - 3
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Roll out your ready made shortcrust pastry (see the base recipe) and cut 8 circles about 12 cm across.
- 4
Stir the cheese into the cooled filling and spoon onto each circle. Brush the edges with egg, fold over and crimp.
- 5
Brush with egg, cut a slit and bake on a lined tray for 22 to 25 minutes until golden.
23 min 20 s - 6
Serve with the rest of the salsa verde for dipping.
Tips
- Poblanos are mild and rich. If you cannot find them, use green peppers plus one chopped jalapeno.
- Cool the filling before sealing the empanadas, or the cheese melts out.
- Oaxaca cheese is a stringy melting cheese. Mozzarella is the best UK swap.
Storing and freezing
Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat at 180C (fan 160C) for 12 minutes until hot through. Unbaked sealed empanadas freeze for 1 month.
Questions
What is rajas?
Rajas are strips of roasted poblano pepper, usually cooked with onion and cream or cheese. They are a staple of Mexican home cooking.
Are they spicy?
Mild. Poblanos have a gentle heat. The salsa verde adds a sharper, tangy heat which you can adjust.
Can I make them vegan?
Not with butter pastry. Use dairy free baking block in the pastry and a dairy free melting cheese, then brush with plant milk.
More made with salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa)
Tacos de Carnitas con Cebolla Encurtida (Carnitas Tacos)
DFEFNFTamales de Rajas en Salsa Verde con Queso (Poblano Strip and Cheese Tamales)
GFEFNFCamarones en Salsa Verde (Prawns in Green Salsa)
GFDFEFGringas de Carnitas (Flour Tortilla Pork and Cheese Quesadillas)
EFNFHPSee every dish made with salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.