Bold, Smoky Flavor from Roasted Hatch Chiles that is turned into these delicious Hatch Chile Tacos. This taco casserole is perfect to make during hatch chile season and add to your list of hatch chile recipes.
Every year, when hatch chile season rolls around, I am always anxious and excited to stock up on a big batch. Roasting hatch chiles brings out their natural sweetness a nd gives them a delicious, smoky flavor that will take all of your recipes to the next level. Hatch Chiles are easy to serve with a variety of meals, and even better, you can freeze them to use throughout the entire year!
What are Hatch Chiles?
Hatch Chiles are grown right in Hatch Valley in New Mexico. Hatch Chiles have a mix of sweet, smoky, and earthy flavors with a range of heat levels from mild to extra hot. They are typically harvested in late summer and used in a variety of festivals, roasting events, and tons of seasonal recipes. Hatch Chiles are typically available from the beginning of August into September.
When Hatch Chiles are roasted, they develop their rich and smoky flavor, which is very popular in tacos, salsa, soups, casseroles, burritos, and even burgers. Their flavor profile is more complete than green chiles and has a much better overall taste!
How do you roast Hatch Green Chiles?
Roasting Hatch chiles can be very simple, although a little time-consuming depending on how many you purchase. It’s worth it, though, because that is what brings out the sweet and smoky flavor that they are famous for. We love to spend the afternoon roasting chiles!
Hatch Chiles can be roasted over an open flame on a grill or in the oven. If you choose to use the grill, preheat the grill to medium-high heat and place the chiles directly on the grates. As the chiles roast, turn them occasionally until they are fully blistered on all sides.
Immediately after the chiles have roasted, transfer them to a sealable bag to steam for about 20 minutes. After they are done steaming, WEAR GLOVES and peel and de-seed the peppers. Trust me on this! Following the peeling and de-seeding, the peppers can be used immediately or stored in the freezer until ready to use.
It’s an absolute must to wear gloves and do not touch your eyes, the peppers will have varying degrees of heat but they will cause your eyes to burn and hands if you touch them.
How do you freeze hatch chiles?
After you have roasted, steamed, and peeled the skins, you can freeze them whole or chop them up. It’s best to use freezer-safe storage bags and then add about 1/2 cup of diced chiles per bag or 2-4 whole chiles per bag.
Remove any excess air from the bag, and label and date it. These need to be placed flat in the freezer, which will help you stack them and save space in your freezer. Roasted Hatch Chiles will last for 6-12 months in the freezer as long as they are properly sealed.
When ready to use, put them in the fridge or toss them straight into soups, casseroles, tacos, or meats.
What ingredients do you need for Hatch Chile Tacos?
- Ground Beef
- White Onion
- Beef Broth
- Tomato Sauce
- Taco Seasoning
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour or All-Purpose Flour
- Roasted Hatch Chiles
- White Corn Tortillas
- Toppings – Chopped Cilantro, Salsa, Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese, Black Beans
How do you make Hatch Chile Taco Meat?
I decided to adapt my Enchilada Casserole to create this Hatch Chile Taco Meat. They key here is the hatch chiles of course! This taco meat will layer peeled hatch chiles with taco meat and then another layer of hatch chiles. Once it’s completely baked, then it’s time to serve the meat in a warm tortilla.
We use white corn tortillas that have been slightly warmed for these tacos, but you can also use flour tortillas if you prefer.
- Swap the Protein – These tacos are perfect with ground beef, but you can also use chicken or pork.
- Adjust the heat – If your hatch chiles are too spicy, balance it out with some creamy ingredients like guacamole and sour cream.
- Freshly Roasted Chiles – Use freshly roasted chiles that are not chopped but still intact.
- Best Cheese – Use a Mexican style cheese this can be Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Pepper Jack or the combination of the cheese.
- Lime Juice – Add a sweet and sour mix with fresh-squeezed lime juice.
We also like to have Salsa, Sour Cream, Cilantro, and Tomatoes on hand to stuff our tacos with too. It’s a great meal for dinner served with a side of rice and corn or served as is. This hatch chile recipe will take your summer taco night to new levels!
How do you store leftovers?
Store the leftover chile taco filling once it’s fully cooled in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to reheat, heat in a medium skillet on medium-high heat on the stove or in a microwave-safe dish for 1-2 minutes.
These Hatch Chile Tacos are the perfect choice for dinner and can be garnished with your favorite toppings. If you need more hatch chile recipes, try this Beef Taco Soup with Hatch Chiles, our personal favorite for a quick meal!
Hatch Chile Tacos with Roasted Hatch Chiles
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 Cup White Onion Chopped
- 1 Cup Beef Broth
- 8 oz Can of Tomato Sauce No Salt Added
- 1 Package Taco Seasoning
- 1 1/2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour or Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 8 Roasted & De-Seeded Hatch Chiles
- 1/2 Cup Shredded Mexican Cheese
- Taco Sized White Corn Tortillas
- Chopped Cilantro
- Diced Tomato
- Salsa
- Sour Cream
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 400°F. Be sure the hatch chiles are roasted, or follow the steps in the post to roast the hatch chiles.
- In a medium-sized skillet, brown the ground beef and drain.
- Place the ground beef back in the skillet, add in the onion, broth, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.
- Stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour and let thicken for 1-2 minutes.
- In a cast-iron skillet, add an even layer of roasted hatch chiles.
- Spread 1/2 the meat mixture on top.
- Add the remaining chiles.
- Top with the remaining meat mixture.
- Add cheese on top.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- While the dish is baking, warm up the tortilla if preferred for serving.
- Carefully remove the dish from the oven.
- Fill the tortillas with hatch chile taco meat and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Nancy says
Approximately how much (by weight or volume) of hatch chilies to use that were already roasted and diced?
Thanks
Mommy Hates Cooking says
I used about 1 pound.
Nancy says
This is a terrific recipe! My husband and I both loved it! I baked it in a 9×9” dish instead of the skillet because we knew we’d have leftovers and didn’t want the skillet in the fridge. This was the first time we’ve had hatch chilies. Friends gave us some already prepared to try. I found your easy recipe and knew it would be great! I was right Thanks!!
Mommy Hates Cooking says
So glad you enjoyed it!