Espagueti verde (green spaghetti) combines the comfort vibes of a creamy bowl of pasta with fresh salsa vibes from your favorite Mexican dip. The combination is the best of both culinary worlds and makes a delicious meal you can enjoy with or without meat on top.
When I think of comfort food, the first thing that comes to mind is a cozy bowl of pasta coated in a creamy, cheesy sauce. This green spaghetti dish known as espagueti verde does all that, but with Mexican flair.
It’s a fusion dish that anyone who loves both cuisines will adore. The roasted poblano sauce has notes of smoky flavor while tempered with creamy cheese and bright cilantro. I often think of this dish as spaghetti in a Mexican pesto and honestly, I think that might be a more fitting name.
Why You’ll Love It
- No need to choose — espagueti verde gives you two favorite cuisines in one!
- The green poblano sauce has many other great uses so any extra can be saved for later use, just like salsa verde.
- It’s a versatile meal you can enjoy as a lighter option without meat (or as a side dish), but tastes equally delicious with chicken or shrimp on top.
- Easily add spice with the addition of jalapeños in the green sauce.
- Gluten-free friendly by using your favorite GF pasta.
The Main Ingredients
Besides the spaghetti, the ingredients all go into the verde sauce. If you can’t find everything listed, I offer substitutions for most of the more Mexican specific items that might not be in your normal grocery store.
- Spaghetti: Use a regular pasta or gluten-free spaghetti option. I’ve also substituted other pasta shapes for spaghetti and it’s just as good.
- Poblano peppers: These give the sauce its signature green color and slightly smoky flavor. Poblanos aren’t overly spicy but they have a tiny kick to them. If you like more spice in your sauce, add a seeded jalapeño to the recipe.
- Onion: White onion adds some savory depth to the sauce and complements the peppers.
- Cilantro: Brings freshness to the sauce and helps balance the creamy, savory flavors from the cheese, bouillon cube and peppers.
- Mexican crema (crema Mexicana): This is very similar to sour cream but it’s thinner in texture and a bit less sour. If you can’t find this in your store, sour cream is a good substitute. Both will give the sauce the tangy finish that defines it.
- Cream cheese: Gives the sauce its coveted creamy richness.
- Queso fresco: This Mexican cheese is crumbled over the finished dish for a touch of saltiness.
How to Make Espagueti Verde
The full recipe directions and detailed quantities can be found below in the recipe card. This step by step process is meant to help you visualize the steps in making the recipe.
- Begin by broiling the poblano peppers until charred and well roasted. This can also be done on the stovetop over an open flame if you have a gas stove.
- Place the roasted peppers in a covered bowl or bag to steam for 10 minutes then peel off the skin and remove the seeds.
- Place the roasted, peeled peppers in a blender or food processor along with all the other ingredients for the sauce.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the sauce into a skillet and bring to a simmer. Toss cooked spaghetti into the sauce and use reserved pasta water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- Garnish with queso fresco and serve.
My Pro Tips
Tips & Variations
- For a lighter version, Mexican crema can be swapped out with Greek yogurt.
- Finish the pasta with a protein such as chicken, shrimp or carne asada on top for a more complete meal.
- Peeling the peppers helps prevent any bitterness and helps make the sauce smooth. Don’t skip this step.
- The peppers can be roasted, peeled and stored ahead of time to cut down on the prep time of making the sauce and pulling together the meal.
- If storing leftovers, store reserved pasta water too. When reheating the sauce, use the pasta water to help thin it out as it will thicken over time in the refrigerator.
- For a veggie boost, add a handful of baby spinach to the sauce before blending. You can also cut the cream cheese amount in half and replace it with an avocado for a healthier swap.
- Use extra sauce for enchiladas or as a topping to almost any grilled protein. You could swap it out for salsa verde and make this salsa verde chicken recipe with it.
More Dishes Like This To Try
These pesto spaghetti squash noodles offer a lower-carb way to enjoy creamy pesto sauce. You could also serve this poblano sauce with spaghetti squash noodles.
Creamy white bean pasta is a fun way to get the comforting cream sauce in a healthier way by using beans in place of cheese.
Use the poblano verde sauce from this recipe in these Mexican shredded beef bowls as a creamy sauce topping. You can also use the shredded beef from that recipe to top this spaghetti.
Espagueti Verde
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of uncooked spaghetti pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water
- 3-4 large poblano peppers
- ½ white onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves plus extra for garnish
- 1 cup Mexican crema, or sub sour cream
- 1 bouillon chicken cube
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- Queso fresco for topping
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the pasta according to the box directions. Before you strain the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for later. Set the cooked pasta aside.
- Broil the poblano peppers until they are charred and blistered all around.
- Remove the peppers from the oven, carefully place them in a bowl, and cover them for about 10 minutes. This will cause them to sweat and loosen the skins which will help with the peeling process.
- Next, remove the skins of the peppers, along with the stem and seeds.
- In a blender, combine the poblano peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, bouillon cube, Mexican crema, cream cheese and ½ cup of the pasta water. Blend until everything has created a creamy sauce mixture. If the mixture is too thick, add a little bit more of the pasta water until you get the sauce consistency you desire. Salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the sauce and let it sit until it begins to simmer.
- Add the cooked pasta and toss until fully coated.
- Remove from the heat and serve.
- Top with queso fresca crumbles and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
