Mexican Spaghetti con Crema de Chipotle

If you’ve been searching for an easy, creamy, spicy, hearty meal to breathe some life into your weeknight dinner, this creamy Mexican Spaghetti has you covered. Featuring al dente noodles tossed in a delightful crema de chipotle (a.k.a. chipotle cream sauce), this 10-ingredient Mexican pasta recipe will be on the table in just 30 minutes. 

What is Mexican Spaghetti?

From what I can tell, nearly every culture has some kind of popular noodle dish. This espagueti Mexicano transforms traditional red sauce spaghetti into a creamy, spicy, Latin-inspired treat that will titillate your tastebuds with rich, fiery flavor. 

Roasted tomatoes, garlic, and onions are blended with tangy crema Mexicana and canned chipotles in adobo, resulting in a flavorful, tongue-tingling chipotle pasta sauce that’s perfect for any time of year. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you loved my recipes for Fideo Seco and Espagueti Verde, you’re going to flip for this Mexican pasta with chipotle cream sauce. It is a yummy hybrid between the two and it’s become a hands-down favorite in our house! 

Aside from having the perfect balance of creamy, spicy flavors, this espagueti a la mexicana recipe is also:

• Quick & Easy – All you need is about 30 minutes to get this vibrant chipotle cream sauce pasta on the table.
• Made With Only 10 Simple Ingredients – I don’t know about you, but a short grocery list always feels like a win in my book!
• Versatile & Customizable – Top this chipotle pasta with creamy slices of avocado for a delicious vegetarian meal, or bulk it up with baked chicken, carne asada, or some tasty camarones. You can also adjust the heat level to fit your tolerance!

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you only need a few simple ingredients to make this creamy chipotle pasta. Here’s what to grab:

• White Onion – White onions are generally the mildest in the allium bunch, but you’re welcome to use yellow onions here too. Shallots are also great!
• Garlic – This is an instance where you definitely want fresh, whole cloves of garlic so you can roast them to perfection.
• Tomatoes – Opt for a meaty variety like beefsteak or Roma for the best sauce consistency. No need to peel them — we’ll blend the skins right into the chipotle pasta sauce to keep things gloriously unfussy.
• Tomato or Chicken Bouillon – If you haven’t tried it yet, tomato bouillon is a beloved Mexican pantry staple that adds tons of tangy, umami, chicken-y goodness to anything it touches. Of course, traditional chicken bouillon can also be used.
• Spaghetti – Any long pasta shape will work here, including fettucini or bucatini. Cook according to package directions, and don’t forget to save the pasta water!! It’s the secret to getting a perfectly clingy chipotle sauce for pasta.
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce – These little pantry powerhouses pack tons of spicy, smoky flavor in a small container. If you aren’t going to use the whole can freeze the remnants into ice cube trays, then pop into a freezer-safe container for whenever you need to add a little zip and zing to your meals. 
• Crema Mexicana – This traditional, pourable tangy cream is my preference for most applications. Feel free to swap in regular sour cream if needed. 
• Greek Yogurt – Y’all know I like to lighten things up whenever possible, which is why I add tangy yogurt to bolster the flavor and consistency of the crema without as many calories. Mayonnaise can also be used, but note that it doesn’t boast the same “lightening” properties as yogurt.
• Unsalted Butter – For a touch of added richness. You can use salted butter if you need, just be sure to adjust the final seasoning by using a lighter hand with the salt.
• Parmesan Cheese – Is spaghetti even spaghetti without some hard, salty cheese?? Feel free to use queso cotija instead for a more traditional take on Mexican spaghetti.

How To Make Mexican Spaghetti with Chipotle Cream Sauce

This Mexican spaghetti recipe comes together in just a few simple steps. Here’s how:

Step 1: Boil the pasta with 3/4 onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 garlic clove, and bouillon. Cook the pasta for 10 minutes. When done, drain pasta in a colander (making sure to reserve a few cups of pasta water first). Do NOT rinse! Place the boiled onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a blender with 1 cup of pasta water.

Step 2: Dry Roast the remaining onion, garlic, and tomatoes while the pasta boils. 

Step 3: Make Chipotle Alfredo Sauce. Place roasted ingredients in the blender along with chipotle peppers, crema, and Greek yogurt. Purée mixture until smooth.

Step 4: Butter & Sauce. Add butter to a large skillet set over medium heat. When it foams, pour in the spaghetti and combine. Top with creamy chipotle mixture and cook, for about 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally. And season with salt and pepper.

Step 5: Garnish & Serve. Top each serving with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese or queso cotija. Enjoy!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations

As much as I think this chipotle pasta recipe is 🤌🏻 muy bueno, there are plenty of ways you can customize it to your own preferences. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Vegetarian – Knorr’s Caldo de Tomate tomato bouillon has chicken fat in it, so it is not suitable for vegetarians. Feel free to swap in veggie bouillon, and opt for a vegetarian (i.e. animal rennet-free) cheese.
• Vegan/Dairy-Free – Follow the steps to make this chipotle spaghetti vegetarian, then swap in your favorite plant-based sour cream and Greek yogurt/mayo alternatives.
• Gluten-Free – Use your favorite gluten-free noodles to make this Mexican pasta recipe celiac-friendly.
• Adjust The Spice – The chipotle cream sauce for pasta is spicy, but can be customized based on spice tolerance. Feel free to amp up the heat by adding more chipotles, or tamp it down by adding less. Note that the cream in this recipe tames down the spice, so I’d consider it to be a flavorful “medium” heat.
• Add Some Protein – This chipotle pasta recipe is lovely on its own, but it also plays nicely with others. I like to serve it with slices of avocado and some crusty bread to sop up the sauce. It’s so good! For a heartier meal, serve with albondigas, chicken, or grilled shrimp.

Expert Tips

• Salt your pasta water. You only get one chance to season the noodles themselves, so don’t miss it. I suggest adding about 1 tablespoon of kosher or sea salt to a gallon (4 quarts) of water.
• Save your pasta water. Not only will it help you make the perfect chipotle cream sauce for this Mexican spaghetti, but the remainder can also be used to thicken soups and stews or for making bread.
• Grate your own cheese. I know it’s tempting to grab a bag of pre-grated cheese to save on time, but I don’t recommend it. First, bagged cheese is more expensive than block varieties. But, most importantly, pre-grated cheese neither tastes as good nor melts as well as freshly grated. 
• Taste and season as you go. Don’t leave all the salting and seasoning til the end — you should be tasting and salting at each step! This helps to ensure perfectly layered flavors and will give you more of a restaurant-quality meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Mexican Pasta Recipes

• Spicy Cilantro Pesto Pasta
• Pasta con Pollo (Chicken Pasta)
• Ensalada de Coditos (Mexican Macaroni Salad)
• Fideo Seco
• Espagueti Verde (Green Spaghetti with Poblano Cream Sauce)

If you made this Mexican Creamy Chipotle Pasta, please be sure to rate and review it below or tag me in your social posts so I can cheer you on!

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Photography by Jenna Sparks