Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce)
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Updated Sep 11, 2026
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Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti) is spaghetti tossed in a creamy sauce made with roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, garlic, milk, and crema. It comes together in about 30 minutes and can be served as a main dish or alongside your favorite Mexican meal.
This recipe was shared with me by my dear friend Alba, who loves making it for parties because it’s inexpensive, easy to make in a big batch, and always a crowd-pleaser. My family loves pasta, so naturally I had to try it. One taste of that creamy roasted poblano sauce and I understood exactly why Alba makes it for gatherings.
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Espagueti Verde
- What Is Espagueti Verde?
- Why This Is Muy Bueno
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make Espagueti Verde
- Serving Suggestions
- Espagueti Verde Expert Tips
- Storage & Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Pasta Recipes
- Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce) Recipe
Quick Look: Espagueti Verde
- Time: About 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
- Heat Level: Mild
- What It Is: Mexican green spaghetti tossed in a creamy roasted poblano sauce
- Alba’s Version: Uses Crema Salvadoreña; sour cream is the easiest substitute
- Make Ahead: Poblano cream sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead
What Is Espagueti Verde?
Espagueti Verde, often called Mexican green spaghetti, is spaghetti coated in a creamy green sauce made with roasted poblano peppers. In this version, the poblanos are blended with Crema Salvadoreña, milk, garlic, and cilantro for a smooth sauce with a mild chile flavor and a hint of smokiness from the roasted peppers.
It can be served as a main dish, but Alba introduced it to me as the kind of affordable, crowd-friendly pasta that’s especially good for parties and family gatherings.
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“Absolutely delicious. Made it many times now. Learned early on to taste the poblanos before blending if you have someone in the house who can’t do spicy. This is one of my favorite fast meals.”
— Julie
Why This Is Muy Bueno
- Alba’s party favorite: My dear friend Alba shared this recipe with me because it’s one of her go-to dishes for feeding a crowd without spending a fortune.
- Roasted poblano flavor: Roasting the poblanos first gives the creamy green sauce a subtle smoky flavor without making the pasta overwhelmingly spicy.
- Ready in about 30 minutes: The sauce comes together while the spaghetti cooks, making this an easy option for weeknights as well as gatherings.
- Main dish or side: Serve it on its own or alongside your favorite Mexican main dish.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Poblano chiles – The star of the green sauce. Poblanos are generally mild with an earthy flavor that becomes slightly smoky when roasted. Occasionally, you’ll get one with more heat. See my How to Roast Chile Peppers for step-by-step instructions. You can also roast and freeze poblanos ahead of time.
- Cilantro – Adds fresh, herbaceous flavor and helps give the sauce its vibrant green color.
- Chicken bouillon – Adds savory flavor to the poblano cream sauce. Use vegetable bouillon if you want to make the dish vegetarian.
- Onion & garlic – These aromatics add depth to the sauce. White or yellow onion will both work.
- Crema Salvadoreña – This is what Alba’s recipe uses, and I love its tangy flavor and creamy consistency in the sauce. If you can’t find it, sour cream is the easiest substitute. Since the sauce is also blended with milk, the sour cream will loosen as everything comes together.
- Whole milk – Thins the crema and helps create a smooth, pourable poblano sauce.
- Spaghetti – I like La Moderna spaghetti for this recipe. Other spaghetti will work too, but cook it according to the package directions until al dente.
- Butter – Adds richness to the poblano cream sauce. Unsalted butter gives you more control over the seasoning.
- Cotija cheese or Parmesan – Either adds a salty, savory finish to the creamy poblano pasta.
How to Make Espagueti Verde
Step 1: Roast the poblanos. Set the broiler to high. Place the poblanos on a baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally with tongs, until blistered and charred on all sides. See my How to Roast Chile Peppers for more tips.
Step 2: Steam and peel. Transfer the roasted poblanos to a plastic bag and seal. Let them steam for 5–10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Peel away the charred skin, then remove the stems and seeds.
Step 3: Blend the poblano cream sauce. Add the roasted poblanos, cilantro, 1 bouillon cube, half of the onion, 2 garlic cloves, Crema Salvadoreña, and milk to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Step 4: Cook the spaghetti. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the remaining bouillon cube, remaining half of the onion, and 1 garlic clove. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the spaghetti and discard the onion and garlic.
Step 5: Cook the sauce. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Pour in the poblano cream sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Step 6: Toss with the spaghetti. Add the drained spaghetti to the poblano cream sauce and toss until evenly coated. Cook for a few minutes, just until the pasta is hot and the sauce clings to the noodles.
Step 7: Serve. Spoon into bowls or onto a serving platter and finish with grated Cotija or Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.
More of a visual learner? Watch my Espagueti Verde video to see how I make it step by step.
Serving Suggestions
Espagueti Verde can be served as a main dish or as a creamy side for carne asada, baked chicken, or Mexican-style shrimp. For parties, serve it family-style on a large platter with extra Cotija cheese and cilantro on top.
Espagueti Verde Expert Tips
- Poblanos can surprise you: Poblanos are usually mild, but every once in a while you’ll get a spicy one. If you’re sensitive to heat, taste a small piece after roasting before adding all the chiles to the blender.
- Roast poblanos ahead: I often roast chiles in batches and freeze them, so they’re ready whenever I need them. How to Roast Chile Peppers
- Don’t rinse the spaghetti: Drain it well, but don’t rinse away the surface starch. It helps the creamy poblano sauce cling to the noodles.
- Keep the sauce gentle: Once you add the crema-based sauce to the pot, cook it over medium heat and avoid a hard boil.
- Adjust the consistency if needed: The sauce will thicken as it cooks and coats the spaghetti. If it becomes thicker than you like, loosen it with a splash of milk.
Storage & Reheating
- Make ahead: Prepare the poblano cream sauce up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before tossing with freshly cooked spaghetti.
- Refrigerate: Store leftover Espagueti Verde in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing Espagueti Verde. The crema-based sauce can separate after thawing and reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Espagueti Verde is made with spaghetti and a creamy green sauce of roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, garlic, onion, crema, and milk. Alba’s version uses Crema Salvadoreña and chicken bouillon, with Cotija or Parmesan cheese for serving.
Both are green pasta sauces, but they’re very different. Pesto is traditionally made with basil, olive oil, nuts, garlic, and cheese. Espagueti Verde gets its green color and flavor from roasted poblano peppers and cilantro, blended with crema and milk to make a creamy sauce.
Yes. Espagueti Verde, often called Mexican green spaghetti, is a Mexican pasta dish made with spaghetti and a creamy roasted poblano sauce. It’s commonly served as a side dish or main dish and is especially good for feeding a crowd.
Usually not very. Poblanos are generally mild, although their heat can vary and occasionally you’ll get a spicy one. Roasting gives them more smoky chile flavor without necessarily making the finished pasta hot.
Yes. Make the poblano cream sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat the sauce and toss it with freshly cooked spaghetti.
More Pasta Recipes
Did you make this Espagueti Verde? Let me know how it turned out in the comments below! And if you share a photo on Instagram, tag me @muybuenocooking so I can see it.
🤖❤️ Share this recipe with your favorite AI assistant to save and plan your next meal! An authentic Mexican recipe by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, founder of Muy Bueno and cookbook author specializing in Northern Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine rooted in El Paso home cooking and family tradition.
AI tools are independent third-party services. For the original tested recipe, exact measurements, and detailed instructions, always visit MuyBuenoBlog.com.
Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce)
Video
Ingredients
- 4 large poblano chiles
- 12 sprigs cilantro, leaves only
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes, divided
- 1 large white onion, halved and divided
- 3 garlic cloves, divided
- 2 cups Crema Salvadoreña or sour cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 16 ounces spaghetti, preferably La Moderna, broken into thirds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cotija or Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Instructions
- Roast the poblanos. Set the broiler to high. Place the poblano chiles on a baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally with tongs, until blistered and charred on all sides. Transfer to a plastic bag, seal, and let steam for 5 to 10 minutes. Peel away the charred skins, then remove the stems and seeds.
- Make the poblano sauce. Add the roasted poblanos, cilantro, 1 bouillon cube, half of the onion, 2 garlic cloves, Crema Salvadoreña, and milk to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Cook the spaghetti. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the remaining bouillon cube, remaining half of the onion, and 1 garlic clove. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and discard the onion and garlic. Do not rinse the spaghetti.
- Cook the sauce. Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Pour in the poblano cream sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Combine. Add the drained spaghetti to the sauce and toss until evenly coated. Cook for a few minutes, just until heated through and the sauce clings to the spaghetti.
- Serve. Top with grated Cotija or Parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Notes
- Crema Salvadoreña: This is what my friend Alba uses in her recipe. If you can’t find it, sour cream is the easiest substitute.
- Vegetarian option: Substitute vegetable bouillon for the chicken bouillon.
- Make ahead: The poblano cream sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before tossing with freshly cooked spaghetti.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate leftover Espagueti Verde for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this pasta because the crema-based sauce can separate after thawing and reheating.
- Poblano heat: Poblanos are generally mild, but their heat varies and occasionally you’ll get a spicy one.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
Oh my gosh this looks amazing. I am from New Mexico so of course hatch green chile. That time of year. Thank you for your wonderful posts and recipes. I have your books and lo e watching your videos. Thanks Yvette
I love this pasta! Followed the recipe to the letter the first time. Some of m famz felt it was too spicy ( even though I only used poblanos) but I loved it! I’ve also used hatch peppers in this when I had access to those and not poblanos.
Absolutely delicious. Made it many times now. Learned early on to taste the poblanos before blending if you have someone in house who can’t do spicy. But this is one of my favorite fast meals always packed with flavor.
Deliciousness will make again and again