Tired of your same old dinner routine of spaghetti with red sauce? If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy pasta, meet espagueti verde, or green spaghetti. Just swap in poblanos for the tomatoes and Cotija for the Parmesan. This creamy Mexican dish is sure to become a staple in your dinner rotation.
What is green spaghetti?
Green spaghetti is a traditional Mexican pasta dish consisting of tender spaghetti enveloped in a rich poblano pepper sauce. When poblano peppers are roasted, they take on a deep, smoky flavor—the signature of this sauce. Once the peppers are cooled and peeled, they’re blended with cream cheese, sour cream, onion and garlic. Finally, the creamy sauce is tossed with hot spaghetti.
Green Spaghetti Ingredients
- Poblano peppers
- Uncooked spaghetti
- Cream cheese
- Onion
- Sour cream
- Chicken stock
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Garlic cloves
- Salt
- Pepper
- Butter
- Crumbled Cotija cheese or queso fresco, for serving
Directions
Step 1: Broil the peppers
Set your oven rack about 4 inches from the broiler and turn on the broiler. Place the peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until the skins char and blister, about five minutes. Using tongs, rotate the peppers a quarter turn and continue broiling until all the sides are blistered and blackened.
Step 2: Cool the peppers
Immediately transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover the bowl tightly with storage wrap. Let the bowl stand covered until the peppers are cool enough to handle, at least 20 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: A resealable plastic bag would also work in place of the covered bowl. Trapping the peppers with steam will make them “sweat,” making the skins easier to peel later.
Step 3: Cook the spaghetti
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente.
Step 4: Make the sauce
Peel the charred skin from the peppers and discard the skin. Split the peppers open and pull out the ribs and seeds; discard the ribs and seeds. Roughly chop the peppers and add the pieces to a blender. Add the cream cheese, onion, sour cream, stock, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and blend until smooth.
Step 5: Add the pasta and serve
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the sauce. Cook until warmed through, stirring occasionally, about three minutes. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir to coat in the sauce. Serve sprinkled with Cotija cheese and cilantro.
Recipe Variations
- Make it spicier: If you can handle more heat, we recommend adding charred jalapeno or serrano chili to the mix.
- Add a protein: Espagueti verde makes a lovely main course on its own. However, if you prefer to add protein for a more filling meal, green spaghetti is wonderful with grilled shrimp or steak.
Green Spaghetti Tips
How do you blacken or roast poblano peppers?
Poblano peppers are easiest to blacken under the broiler; be sure to keep them about 4 inches away from the flame. If you don’t want to bother with the oven, blacken them directly on the grate of a gas stove. If you have an electric stove, you can achieve similar results by charring the peppers in a cast-iron skillet over high heat.
Where do you find poblanos?
Fresh poblano peppers are available in many supermarkets and in Mexican/Latin food markets. If you can’t find them, we recommend substituting them with green bell peppers and adding a charred jalapeno for a little heat.
