Description
Mexican Green Spaghetti is a flavorful and creamy pasta dish featuring roasted poblano peppers blended into a rich, green sauce. This easy recipe captures the smoky and mildly spicy essence of the peppers combined with creamy heavy cream and fresh queso fresco, making for a comforting and vibrant meal in just 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 4 poblano peppers
- 1 small red onion, halved
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 oz. spaghetti
- 1 cup queso fresco, crumbled
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Broiler: Set your oven broiler to preheat to ensure it is hot and ready for roasting the vegetables.
- Prepare Vegetables: Place the poblano peppers, halved red onion, and garlic cloves on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush them lightly with olive oil to aid in charring and roasting.
- Broil Vegetables: Broil the vegetables for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally so that all sides of the peppers become blistered and charred for a smoky flavor.
- Steam Poblano Peppers: Transfer the roasted peppers to a zip-top bag or covered bowl to steam for 10 minutes. This steaming step helps loosen the skin for easy peeling.
- Peel and Chop Peppers: Peel off the charred skin from the poblanos, remove the seeds, and roughly chop the peppers into manageable pieces for blending.
- Make the Sauce: Add the roasted poblano peppers, red onion, garlic, and heavy cream to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. This creates a luscious green sauce.
- Season Sauce: Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed to enhance flavor.
- Cook Spaghetti: Boil a pot of salted water and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain Pasta: Drain the spaghetti thoroughly and return it to the pot for mixing.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Pour the blended poblano cream sauce over the spaghetti, tossing gently until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Serve: Plate the sauced spaghetti and top with crumbled queso fresco and chopped fresh cilantro for a bright finish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To easily peel poblano peppers, steaming them in a covered container after roasting is essential as it loosens the skin.
- You can substitute heavy cream with a lighter cream or even full-fat coconut milk for a slightly different flavor and texture.
- If queso fresco is unavailable, substitutions like feta or ricotta salata can provide a similar salty and crumbly topping.
- For a spicier kick, consider adding a small jalapeño or increasing the number of garlic cloves.
- This dish pairs well with a simple green salad or black beans for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
