If you like fettuccine alfredo or creamy pesto pasta then you will love this spicy Mexican Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce). This creamy, dreamy pasta is made in one pot and is ready in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight wonder meal!

vintage platter filled with green spaghetti loaded with poblano cream sauce.

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This espagueti verde recipe was shared by my friend Alba, who loves making this dish for parties because it’s an inexpensive crowd-pleaser. My family loves pasta dishes so I couldn’t wait to taste it. Y’all? It’s totally worth the hype.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Pasta Recipe 

My Grandma and Mom rarely made pasta dishes while I was growing up. Aside from the occasional sopa de fideo, macaroni salad, or my mom’s famous Mexican macaroni and cheese, we didn’t really eat many noodles. So when Alba was telling me about her Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti), my interest was immediately piqued!

First of all, this delicious pasta is made with layers of flavor. Rather than just boiling the noodles in water, it is also cooked with onion, garlic, and bouillon. YUM!

Next, the poblano cream sauce base is made with a mixture of both milk and crema Salvadoreña, which is like an extra thick, extra tangy sour cream. Adding fire roasted poblanos gives the dish the perfect amount of heat, which plays beautifully against the creamy dairy.

Bright cilantro helps to bolster the green hue of this creamy pasta dish, adding lots of herbaceous freshness. Even more onion and garlic is added to the sauce, along with a healthy knob of butter, resulting in a gorgeous vegetarian supper that I can’t get enough of.

Best of all? This delicious meal can be on your table in just about 30 minutes. I can’t even tell you how many times it has come to my rescue when I’m tired, hungry, and don’t know what to make. Do yourself a favor and memorize this amazingly easy meal!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Whether you call this Espagueti Verde, spaghetti verde, or green spaghetti, the ingredients are easy to find in your local grocery store.

If you are lactose intolerant or on a diet, look away! This pasta dish is loaded with comforting, naughty goodness that is oh so delicious.

  • Poblano Chiles – Poblanos are readily available year-round. This heart-shaped chile is wide and dark and is generally pretty mild. However, be warned! Occasionally a fiery hot one sneaks in for a special surprise. Learn How to Roast Chile Peppers  here. To make this even more of a “pantry pasta,” you can roast and freeze your peppers ahead of time.
  • Cilantro – Bright, fresh cilantro is one of my favorite flavors in the world! If you aren’t a fan, try swapping in parsley instead.
  • Chicken Bouillon – This can easily be substituted for veggie bouillon if you are vegetarian.
  • Onion – Either white or yellow onions will work here!
  • Garlic – Fresh garlic is always best, but in a pinch you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove.
  • Crema Salvadoreña – If you can get your hands on some of this Latin magic, DO IT! If not, you can easily swap in sour cream or crema Mexicana. 
  • Milk – Whole milk works great for this recipe, but your choice of milk will be fine.
  • Spaghetti – I recommend La Moderna, but any kind will do! You can also feel free to swap in any long thin pasta here — fettucini or angel hair will also work well. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time according to package directions.
  • Butter – Butter makes everything better! Reach for unsalted so you have the greatest control over seasoning.
  • Parmesan cheese or queso cotija – Freshly grated cheese has the best flavor and will melt better, as the pre-grated stuff is usually coated in anti-caking agents. 

How to Make Espagueti Verde

Once you see how easy it is to make this creamy Espagueti Verde with creamy poblano sauce, I have a feeling you’ll be making it on repeat. Here’s how it’s done:

Roast Peppers: Turn the broiler to high. Set poblano chiles on a baking sheet, and then place the sheet underneath the broiler. Cook, flipping the chiles occasionally with a pair of tongs, until blackened on all sides.

roasting poblanos for Espagueti Verde.

Steam & Peel: Turn off the broiler, and transfer chiles to a plastic bag. Let steam for five to ten minutes. 

peeling roasted poblanos after steaming.

Peel the blackened skins off the chiles…

removing stems and seeds from poblanos.

…and then remove stems and seeds.

roasted poblano sliced in half to remove seeds.

Blend Poblano Cream Sauce: Place roasted poblanos in a blender along with the cilantro, 1 bouillon cube, half of the onion, 2 garlic cloves, crema, and milk. Purée mixture until smooth.

blending poblano cream sauce mixture for spaghetti verde.

Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 bouillon cube, the other half of the onion, and 1 garlic clove. Cook the pasta for 10 minutes. When done, drain pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water and discard onion and garlic.

boiling spaghetti with onions and garlic for espagueti verde.

Cook Sauce: Meanwhile, add butter to large pot set over medium heat. When it foams, pour in the creamy chile mixture. Cook, for about 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally. And season with salt and pepper.

poblano cream sauce mixture being cooked with butter for making spaghetti verde.

Toss: Add the pasta to the pot and toss well for about 5 minutes or until heated through.

tossing cooked creamy poblano sauce with spaghetti.
Add Cheese & Enjoy! Top each serving with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
serving of Espagueti Verde (Spaghetti with Creamy Poblano Sauce) on a white plate with a piece of bread.

Watch this video to see how quickly this Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce) comes together.

Serving Suggestions

  • This dish is great served as an entrée or a side dish served with baked chicken.
  • This pasta dish also tastes great at room temperature and would make a great addition to serve at a party.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can green spaghetti be made in advance?

You can make the poblano cream sauce ahead of time. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To serve, simply heat and toss with freshly cooked pasta!

Can this dish be frozen?

Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing this pasta.

What can I substitute for the poblano peppers?

You can try using Anaheim peppers or green bell peppers instead, but poblanos are traditional for Mexican espagueti verde.

Can I make this vegan?

You can easily trade out the chicken bouillon for vegetable bouillon. However, when it comes to the dairy piece, you will need to do some experimenting on your own. Try swapping in a vegan sour cream substitute, plant-based butter, and creamy non-dairy milk like unsweetened oat milk.

vintage platter and silver tongs with creamy and spicy green spaghetti with poblano cream sauce.

More of my Favorite Pasta Recipes

Did you make this Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce)? Rate the recipe and leave me a comment to let me know how it turned out!

Espagueti Verde served on a cute plate with a metal spoon on top.

Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce)

4.67 (18 ratings)
This pasta gets its nice green hue thanks to the poblanos and cilantro. This one-pot pasta dish is rich and very simple to make.
Print Pin Rate
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

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, recommend La Moderna, cut in three parts
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • salt and pepper and salt to taste
  • Parmesan cheese or queso cotija, shredded

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Instructions 

  • Turn the broiler to high. Set poblano chiles on a baking sheet, and then place the sheet underneath the broiler. Cook, flipping the chiles occasionally with a pair of tongs, until blackened on all sides. Turn off the broiler, and transfer chiles to a plastic bag. Let steam for five to ten minutes. Peel the blackened skins off the chiles, and then remove stems and seeds.
  • Place roasted poblanos in a blender along with the cilantro, 1 bouillon cube, half of the onion, 2 garlic cloves, crema, and milk. Puree mixture until smooth.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 bouillon cube, the other half of the onion, and 1 garlic clove. Cook the pasta for 10 minutes. When done, drain pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water and discard onion and garlic.
  • Meanwhile, add butter to large pot set over medium heat. When it foams, pour in the creamy chile mixture. Cook, for about 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally. And season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the pasta to the pot and toss well for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
  • Top each serving with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Video

Notes

  • This dish is great served as an entrée or a side dish served with baked chicken.
  • This pasta dish also tastes great at room temperature and would make a great addition to serve at a party.
  • You can make the creamy sauce ahead of time. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 
  • I do not recommend freezing this pasta.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 406kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 343mg, Potassium: 427mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 900IU, Vitamin C: 50mg, Calcium: 158mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Yvette Marquez
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: October 2018