Espagueti Verde
Roasted poblano peppers, jalapeño, Mexican crema, and queso fresco come together to create creamy, flavorful pasta perfection.
Serves6
Prep30 minutes
Cook35 minutes
I’ve always loved pasta — although we rarely had it when I was growing up. In our house, Mexican food was what was on the table. Which is why espagueti verde was the best of both worlds, and it quickly became a family favorite (my dad is a big fan). It’s inspired by the flavors of rajas poblanas con crema (roasted poblanos with cream), and it’s one of my all-time favorite dinners.
Rajas poblanas are strips of roasted poblano peppers cooked in a rich cream sauce and garnished with queso fresco (a soft, mild, slightly salty cheese commonly used in Latin America), and are often served with tortillas and rice. Rajas poblanas have been around much longer than espagueti verde, which makes them the true inspiration for this dish. They originate from Puebla and are popular across central and southern Mexico, including Mexico City and Oaxaca. This pasta captures all those flavors and blends them into a vibrant, creamy sauce that is as flavorful and tangy as it is beautiful.
Poblano peppers are perfect here because they give the sauce a smoky depth without making it too spicy. It’s an easy, velvety pasta dish that even kids will love (my daughter Charlie can’t get enough), and the addition of cream cheese makes it irresistibly creamy. It’s a recent Mexican staple (within the last century or so) that is ideal for weeknight dinners, as it brings bold flavor and comfort to your table with minimal effort. Pair it with steak or chicken, or enjoy it on its own. Trust me — once you try this, you’ll never look at any other pasta sauce the same way.
Why You’ll Love It
- Easy yet impressive. Simple ingredients come together to make a visually stunning, easy weeknight pasta at home.
- The sauce is so flavorful. Smoky roasted poblanos, a hint of spice, and fresh cilantro make every bite exciting.
- Versatile and customizable. This recipe is easy to adjust the spice, creaminess, or toppings to suit your taste.
Key Ingredients in Espagueti Verde
- Poblano peppers: Give the sauce its signature smoky, mildly spicy flavor while providing the vibrant green color that makes the dish visually stunning.
- Cream cheese: Adds creaminess, richness, and a delightfully tangy note to the poblano sauce.
- Spaghetti: These noodles are hardy and act as the base; they soak up and carry the flavorful sauce.
- Queso fresco: Adds a fresh, slightly salty finish along with a creamy texture on top as a garnish.
- Onions: Enhance the smoky flavor of the peppers while adding sweetness and depth to the sauce.
How to Make Espagueti Verde
- Prepare peppers. Preheat broiler and place poblano peppers and jalapeño on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and broil until blistered and tender.
- Blend sauce. Sauté sliced onion in olive oil until softened and lightly browned; transfer to a blender. Steam roasted peppers, then peel and add to the blender with cream cheese, Mexican crema, cilantro, garlic, salt, and chicken bouillon. Blend until smooth.
- Simmer sauce. Simmer the sauce in the reserved skillet until slightly thickened.
- Cook pasta. Cook spaghetti until al dente, reserving some pasta water.
- Finish and serve. Toss pasta with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency. Garnish with chopped cilantro and crumbled queso fresco.
Helpful Swaps
If Mexican crema is hard to find, sour cream makes a great substitute. When you combine it with the cream cheese, it gives the pasta its signature creamy, tangy flavor.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Peppers can be broiled and peeled ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reserve leftovers and any remaining pasta water in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days. Use the pasta water to loosen up the sauce when reheating over low heat.
What to Serve with Espaguetti Verde
Espagueti Verde Recipe
Roasted poblano peppers, jalapeño, Mexican crema, and queso fresco come together to create creamy, flavorful pasta perfection.
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 35 minutes
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 8 ounces
cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4
medium poblano peppers (about 1 pound total), halved and seeded
- 1
medium jalapeño or serrano pepper, halved and seeded
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
- 1/2
medium yellow onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 pound
dried spaghetti noodles
- 1 cup
Mexican crema
- 1/2 cup
fresh cilantro stems and leaves (from 5 to 6 sprigs), plus more for garnish
- 2 cloves
garlic, peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon
chicken bouillon powder or 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
Crumbled queso fresco cheese, for garnish
Instructions
Arrange an oven rack in the top position and heat the broiler on high. Meanwhile, place 4 halved and seeded medium poblano peppers and 1 halved and seeded medium jalapeño pepper skin-side up in a single layer. Drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and use your hands to coat the peppers evenly.
Broil, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the peppers are tender and the skin is mostly blistered and blackened, 10 to 12 minutes total.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1/2 sliced medium yellow onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Scrape into a blender. Reserve the skillet; no need to clean.
Transfer the peppers to a medium heatproof bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 minutes so the peppers steam and become easy to peel.
Meanwhile, bring a Dutch oven or large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound dried spaghetti and cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
Peel and discard the skins from the peppers. Add the peppers, 8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 1 cup Mexican crema, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 2 peeled garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder to the blender. Blend on high speed until well-combined, about 2 minutes. It will look speckled and a little lumpy.
Transfer the sauce to the reserved skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until the sauce changes in color and slightly thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
When the pasta is ready, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta.
Add pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce. Cook over low heat until the sauce thickens more and clings to the pasta, about 2 minutes. Toss in more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time if needed if the pasta is dry.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and crumbled queso fresco cheese if desired. Serve immediately, reserving the remaining pasta water to loosen the sauce up as needed.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions: Mexican crema can be substituted with sour cream.
Make ahead: The peppers can be broiled, peeled, and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days ahead.
Storage: Reserve leftovers and any remaining pasta water in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days. Use the pasta water to loosen up the sauce when reheating over low heat.