Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce)
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.](https://muybuenoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/espagueti-verde.jpg)
This espagueti verde recipe was shared by my friend Alba, who loves making this dish for parties because itโs an inexpensive crowd-pleaser. My family loves pasta dishes so I couldnโt 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 momโs 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 Salvadoreรฑa, 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 Peppersย here. To make this even more of a “pantry pasta,” you can roast and freeze your peppers ahead of time.
- Cilantroย – Bright, fresh cilantro is one of my favorite flavors in the world! If you aren’t a fan, try swapping in parsley instead.
- Chicken Bouillonย – This can easily be substituted for veggie bouillon if you are vegetarian.
- Onionย – Either white or yellow onions will work here!
- Garlicย – Fresh garlic is always best, but in a pinch you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove.
- Crema Salvadoreรฑaย – 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.ย
- Milk – Whole milk works great for this recipe, but your choice of milk will be fine.
- Spaghetti โ I recommend La Moderna, but any kind will do! You can also feel free to swap in any long thin pasta here โ 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 โ Freshly grated cheese has the best flavor and will melt better, as the pre-grated stuff is usually coated in anti-caking agents.ย
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.
Steam & Peel: 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.
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. Purรฉe mixture until smooth.
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.
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.
Toss: Add the pasta to the pot and toss well for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
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 entrรฉe 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
You can make the poblano cream sauce ahead of time. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.ย To serve, simply heat and toss with freshly cooked pasta!
Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing this pasta.
You can try using Anaheim peppers or green bell peppers instead, but poblanos are traditional for Mexican espagueti verde.
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.
More of my Favorite Pasta Recipes
- Sopa de Fideo
- Green Chile and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese
- Fideo Seco
- Spicy Shrimp in Cream Sauce
- Vangieโs Famous Macaroni Salad
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 (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce)
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 Salvadoreรฑaย 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
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 entrรฉe 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.ย
- I do not recommend freezing this pasta.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: October 2018
11 Comments on “Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce)”
Deliciousness will make again and again
This is a new favorite recipe. It is SOOOOO good. I always make 1.5x the sauce and ladle some over shredded chicken to coat it and keep it tasting fresh, since I eat it as leftovers too. I store the chicken separately and put plastic wrap in the container touching the chicken to keep air out, which also helps keep it tasting fresh. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Thus recipe is amazing and is now on regular rotation in my kitchen. I love sharing food with friends and neighbors and everyone has absolutely loved this. I always times the sauce by 1.5 and add shredded rotisserie chicken. Having the sauce coating it keeps it fresh for having leftovers. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!
Everyone in my family loves this! It is so delicious. So very deliciousย
Looks amazing! Canโt wait to try it this weekend. I love that silver serving utensil! Where can I get one like it?
I recall years ago a coworker brought this to work for pot luck, it was so good I asked her for the recipe and she refused! ย I eventually found brought it work and handed out copies of the recipe to everyone. ย Itโs delicious. I make it at least twice a month itโs easy and not to time consuming. ย We always have it with chicken, either pan fried or breaded. ย Everyone has to make this dish. ย Especially for a get together. ย
going to try tonight with the Hatch chiles I just roasted!! looks easy cheesy and delicious
Looks delitous and different, I’m trying it really soon.
Was supposed too be poblano sauce. My kindle changes my word’s. I didn’t proof read before hitting post.
This sounds awesome. I’M going to get all the ingredients and prepare for my sister and I. WE both love poblanos, garlic and spaghetti. And the Milbank sauce sounds great. Thank you for posting your great recipes. I look forward to seeing your daily post. Keep up the great recipes.
Looks really good, something different. I’d like to try it for the next potluck. Thanks for the recipe.