Recipes

Chile 101

Chile – both Red and Green – is an essential ingredient in New Mexican cuisine.

Sure, you can buy them already prepped and ready to go but the real chef knows they taste much better when bought in season and doing it yourself is so much more economical. This article will give you everything you need to become a chile pro so you can take your cooking to the next level.

Prepared Green Chile

This sauce is an essential ingredient in many New Mexican recipes. Green sauces may have been less common in the days predating freezers, but now New Mexico might be more Green than Red. 

Red Chile Sauce

This is another staple in New Mexican cooking.

Use the sauce in enchiladas, burritos, tamales, or smothered on top of basically anything. This sauce will keep up to 6 days refrigerated and freezes well.

Green Chile Stew

This dish is hearty enough to warm you on a cold winter night.

Be warned: it’s not your average stew. This dish will bring the unique and bold flavors of New Mexico right to your kitchen table. Serve it with a warmed stack of flour tortillas or homemade cornbread.

The ultimate New Mexico enchilada.

This molten melding of chile, cheese, and corn tortillas is not your ordinary meal.  These enchiladas are filling enough to stand on their own – unlike in most places, in New Mexico the tortillas are generally stacked rather than rolled which makes the dish more substantial.

Posole is about as traditional New Mexican as you can get. 

This savory New Mexican stew is almost always served on Saint’s Day feasts at the pueblos and at Christmas and New Year’s gatherings of families and friends. You can also enjoy it for dinner as a side for enchiladas.

Chile Rellenos

New Mexico boasts two distinct styles of chiles rellenos.

Many visitors probably wouldn’t notice the difference—it mostly boils down to the batter—but in the state it can get contentious. 

Sopa de Albondigas

This meatball soup specialty has roots that go back to Spain.

While very popular as a home dish, often for holidays or homecomings, it is rarely seen on restaurant menus.

Green Chile Lamb Burger

In New Mexico, a cheeseburger isn't complete until it's topped with green chile. Enjoy a delicious twist on a classic green chile cheeseburger with these Green Chile Lamb Burgers

Calabacitas

The go-to fresh vegetable preparation in New Mexico.

It always contains summer squash, usually with corn and green chile for extra flavor and texture. Preparing calabacitas is fast, easy, and forgiving so feel free to make it your own.

Smothered Breakfast Burritos

A true breakfast staple in New Mexico!

This is not your typical breakfast burrito; the green chile sauce takes it to a whole new level. After eating this, you will never be able to go back.

Biscochitos are New Mexico’s official state cookie.

They have simple yet rich flavors – cinnamon, sugar and anise – that melt in your mouth. These cookies are essential to weddings, graduations, and anniversaries and of course the Holidays.  

Sopaipillas

AKA warm and toasty deep-fried poofs of hot dough. Need we say more?

Sopaipillas have a place at every New Mexican table. Whether they’re served as a side to the entre or with the dessert course makes no matter. When it comes to Sopaipillas you can’t go wrong. Follow this authentic recipe, pour some honey on em and eat them whenever you like.

Flan

This creamy, silky flan makes a cooling finish to a spicy New Mexican meal.

It’s only 6 ingredients and gets its light yet firm texture from egg yolks rather than gelatin. So it’s easy and vegetarian friendly! Enjoy.

Chef David’s Tewa Taco

Executive chef at Pueblo Harvest Cafe in Albuquerque, is pioneering the next generation of New Mexican cuisine “new Native American.” New Mexico’s native communities inspire him to bring local history and traditional ingredients to life on the plate.

Chef Joseph's New Mexican Green Chile Relleno

This recipe comes to us from Joseph's Santa Fe prepared by Joe Wrede.

Asadero & Cotija Stuffed Chile Relleno with Red Chile & Green Rice