Ingredients
Roasted Poblano Peppers
- 4 poblano peppers (roasted as per instructions)
Pasta
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 jalapeño pepper or serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup spinach leaves
- 1 small bunch of cilantro
- 8 ounces sour cream or crema Mexicana
- 1 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon granules or 1 bouillon cube
- 2/3 to 1 cup milk or half and half
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into small cubes
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Garnish
- Chopped cilantro
- Crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco
- Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dry spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Then drain the pasta thoroughly.
- Sauté Aromatics and Spinach: While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and jalapeño (or serrano pepper), sautéing until the onion becomes translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and spinach leaves, tossing with tongs until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Prepare the Green Sauce: Transfer the spinach mixture to a blender. Add the roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, sour cream, chicken or vegetable bouillon, and 2/3 cup milk or half and half. Blend until the sauce is smooth and creamy, adding more milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Heat the Sauce Base: Pour the blended pepper sauce back into the pot used for cooking pasta and warm over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Melt the Cream Cheese: Add half of the cream cheese cubes to the sauce, stirring until melted. Repeat with the remaining cream cheese. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer gently for about 4 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the drained spaghetti to the sauce and toss well to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water a little at a time until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta evenly.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve the creamy Mexican green spaghetti garnished with chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco, and pepitas for added texture and flavor.
- Roast the Poblano Peppers: Choose one preferred method – dry skillet, open flame, broiler, or oven roasting. For dry skillet, heat a cast iron pan over high heat and char peppers on all sides until blackened. For open flame, hold peppers with tongs over flame turning until evenly blackened. Under the broiler, place peppers 6 inches from heat on foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning until blackened. In the oven, roast peppers at 425ºF on foil-lined baking sheet for about 40 minutes, turning occasionally until skins blacken. Remove from heat.
- Peel and Seed Peppers: Place roasted peppers in a paper bag, resealable plastic bag, or covered bowl to steam for 10–12 minutes. After steaming, peel off the skins with the help of a paper towel; the skin should come off easily. Slice peppers open from top to bottom, remove stems, and wipe away seeds with a paper towel. Use these peeled and seeded peppers in the sauce preparation.
Notes
- Roasting the poblano peppers is key to developing the rich, smoky flavor of the sauce. Choose the roasting method that suits your kitchen setup.
- Adjust the amount of milk or half and half in the sauce to achieve your preferred creaminess.
- For a spicier dish, leave some seeds in the jalapeño or serrano pepper or add more peppers.
- Use vegetarian bouillon to make this dish vegetarian-friendly.
- This pasta is best served immediately but can be gently reheated with a splash of milk to restore creaminess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
