Rajas con Queso Tacos

4.67 from 3 votes

If you’ve never had the pleasure of eating Rajas con Queso (especially in taco form) you need to remedy that immediately! Rajas con Queso Tacos are about to be your new favorite indulgence.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Resting Time20

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

6 large poblano peppers
2 tablespoons butter
½ white onion thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
kosher salt to taste
⅔ cup whole milk
½ cup crema
½ cup monterey jack cheese shredded
street taco sized tortillas about 4.5" in diameter
lime wedges to serve

Instructions

On a BBQ or on the stove top, turn the burners on high and roast the poblanos until charred, about 4 mins per side.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam. Remove charred skin after 20 minutes and cut into 1⁄2 inch wide strips.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and salt and saute for 6-8 minutes.
Add the poblano strips, milk, crema and stir to combine. Reduce heat and let cook for 10 minutes until thickened.
Add the monterey jack cheese and stir.
Transfer large spoonfuls into small street taco sized tortillas and serve alongside some quartered limes and a few beers.

Notes

Char the poblanos directly over an open flame. A gas burner or grill grate gets you the blackened, blistered skin you need. The oven won't get hot enough to char the skin properly.
Steam in a covered bowl, not a plastic bag. A big metal bowl with plastic wrap on top traps the steam without sweating off flavor. The goal is loosened skin, not soggy chiles.
Resist the urge to rinse the chiles. Peeling under running water washes away the smoky char that gives this dish its soul. Use your fingers or a paper towel to rub the skin off.
Slice into ½-inch strips, not chunks. Thin strips fold into the cheese and ribbon with the cheese pull. Chunks weigh the queso down.
Cook the onions low and slow until just past translucent. You want them sweet, not browned. About 6 to 8 minutes on medium-low. Caramelization adds a sweetness that fights with the smoky poblano.
Use whole milk, not skim. Skim splits when it hits the cheese. Whole milk emulsifies into a silky base.
Add the cheese off the heat. Pull the pan from the burner before stirring in the monterey jack. Direct heat causes the cheese to break and turn grainy or oily.
Warm the tortillas right on the burner. Ten seconds per side over a gas flame, or in a dry skillet over medium-high. Soft, slightly charred tortillas hold up to the wet filling.
Build tacos at the table, not in advance. The queso filling makes tortillas soggy fast. Set out the components and let everyone assemble.
Hit each taco with a fresh squeeze of lime. The acid is what cuts through all that cheese and brings the whole thing into balance. Don't skip it.

Nutrition