Global-inspired topped focaccia
Roasted Poblano & Queso Focaccia (Mexican Rajas-Inspired)
Smoky roasted poblano strips and pools of melting queso baked into an airy focaccia — the mild-chile, creamy-cheese comfort of rajas con crema in bread form.
- Total
- 4.4 hr
- Hands-on
- 35 min
- Hydration
- 76%
- Skill
- intermediate
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Roast, peel, and seed poblanos, slice into rajas, then bake them with sautéed onion and a melting cheese like Oaxaca or Monterey Jack into a 76% hydration focaccia at 230°C/450°F for 20-24 minutes.
Why this works
Roasting and peeling the poblanos removes the tough skin and drives off water, so the strips flavor the bread without steaming the crumb. A low-moisture melting cheese (Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella) browns and stretches rather than weeping, and the sautéed onion adds the sweet backbone of classic rajas.
The schedule
~45m hands-on of 4.4h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 45m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 15m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Roast and prep the rajas
Char the poblanos over a flame or under a broiler until blackened all over. Steam covered 10 minutes, then rub off the skins, seed, and slice into strips. Sauté the onion in oil until soft and sweet.
Look for: Skins slip off easily and the strips are floppy and dry-ish, not wet; onions are translucent and golden at the edges.
- 2
Mix
Whisk flour and yeast, add water and most of the oil, then salt. Mix to a shaggy, sticky dough.
Look for: Sticky and slack; it clears the bowl but clings to your hand.
- 3
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 2-3 stretch-and-folds over the first 90 minutes, then rest until bubbly and nearly doubled.
Look for: Domed, blistered surface; airy, jiggly feel.
- 4
Pan, dimple, and top
Oil the pan, transfer and relax the dough, dimple all over, then tuck the poblano strips and onions into the dimples and scatter the melting cheese. Proof until puffy.
Look for: Chiles and cheese sit in the dimples so the cheese pools and browns rather than sliding off.
- 5
Bake
Bake at 230°C/450°F for 20-24 minutes until the crust is deep gold and the cheese is melted and spotty brown.
Look for: Cheese bubbling and browned; base crisp when you lift a corner.
- 6
After baking
Cool 10-15 minutes. Scatter torn cilantro and a little crumbled queso fresco if using.
Look for: The herbs stay green and fresh on the just-warm bread.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Open and tender with strips of soft chile running through.
- Crust: Crisp oiled bottom; edges chewy where cheese browned.
- Height: About 3-4 cm tall.
- Color: Deep gold crust with spotty-brown melted cheese.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Wet, gummy crumb under the chiles | Poblanos not dried after roasting | Peel and seed the chiles and blot the strips before topping. |
| Bitter, papery bits | Chile skins left on | Steam the roasted chiles so the skins rub off cleanly. |
| Cheese greasy and pooled off the bread | High-moisture or too much cheese piled on top | Use a low-moisture melting cheese pressed into the dimples. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best fresh; store airtight up to 2 days.
Freezing: Freeze squares up to 1 month, well wrapped.
Reheating: Reheat in a 200°C/400°F oven 5-6 minutes to re-crisp and re-melt the cheese.
Contains wheat/gluten and dairy.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
Fresh — buy local
- Poblano chiles (opens Amazon) ↗ — A common item; buy fresh or from your pantry.
- Onions (opens Amazon) ↗ — A kitchen staple; buy fresh.
- Cheese (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh from a good cheese counter or deli.
- Fresh herbs (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fresh is best; a windowsill pot works well.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- What are rajas?
- Rajas are strips of roasted poblano chile, often cooked with onion and cream, served as a Mexican side or taco filling. This focaccia borrows that flavor rather than being the dish itself.
- How spicy is this?
- Poblanos are mild with a gentle warmth. Seed them fully for the mildest result, or add a hotter chile if you want more kick.
Keep baking
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Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/roasted-poblano-queso-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.