Chile Relleno Soup Recipe

Prep: Finely dice the yellow onion to measure 1 cup. Roast, peel and seed fresh Hatch or green chiles if using fresh; otherwise drain chopped canned green chiles and roughly chop so you have about 2 cups.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground pork, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until no pink remains and pork begins to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon dried oregano while cooking.

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour over the cooked pork and vegetables and stir for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste; this will help thicken the soup slightly.

Stir in the chopped roasted green chiles and pour in 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to meld flavors.

Stir in 1 cup half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Warm the soup gently—do not boil—so the dairy does not separate, about 3–4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Prepare Cheese Filling

Combine the shredded Hatch Gouda (2 cups) in a bowl. If you prefer smaller cheese pieces in the soup, cut half into small cubes and keep half shredded for melting.

Make Quick Batter for Cheese Relleno Pieces

In a medium bowl, separate the 2 eggs. Whisk the egg yolks until smooth. In another clean bowl, whip the egg whites (with 0.25 tsp salt) until soft peaks form. Fold the yolks into the whites gently, then fold in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon fine cornmeal (optional) until combined. The batter should be airy but thick enough to coat cheese.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Spoon or dip small portions (about 1 tablespoon) of the cheese or cheese cubes into the batter, then carefully place into the hot oil. Fry 1–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp; work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer fried cheese bites to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Alternatively: For a lighter option, skip frying and instead stir shredded Gouda directly into the hot soup at the end so it melts into ribbons rather than forming fried bites.

If you made fried cheese bites, reserve them to top individual bowls right before serving so they stay crisp.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls (about 1.5–2 cups soup per serving).

If using the melting option: stir shredded Hatch Gouda into the soup in the pot off heat so it melts into the broth and creates silky, cheesy ribbons; ladle immediately.

Top each bowl with 4–6 fried cheese bites if you prepared them, or with additional shredded cheese if desired.

Garnish with chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and tortilla strips or crushed chips to add texture.

Serve immediately while the soup is hot and cheese is melty/cheese bites are crisp.