Green spaghetti is spaghetti tossed in a smooth, pale green sauce made from charred poblano peppers, cream cheese, sour cream and cilantro. It tastes gently smoky and tangy rather than hot, and the sauce clings to every strand. This version is sized for two: two poblanos, a small piece of cream cheese and enough pasta for two generous plates, ready in about 40 minutes. I kept it to one blender and one skillet, so the cleanup stays as small as the batch.
Why you’ll like this green spaghetti
- Made for two: two plates of pasta with no half-empty pot of sauce left over.
- Big flavor from few ingredients: the smoky depth comes from charring the peppers, not from a long list of spices.
- Mild and creamy: poblanos have a gentle warmth, so the sauce suits people who do not love heat.
- Meatless as written: with vegetable broth it is a vegetarian main dish, and it is easy to add chicken or beans.
- Weeknight friendly: most of the time is hands-off while the peppers broil and steam.
What green spaghetti is
Green spaghetti, or espagueti verde, is a Mexican pasta dish that is also a fixture in South Texas, where it shows up as a main dish and as a side at family dinners and potlucks. The idea is simple: poblano peppers are roasted until the skins blacken, peeled, and blended with a creamy dairy base and fresh cilantro. The sauce is then warmed and tossed with plain spaghetti.
Recipes differ in the details. Some blend the onion and garlic raw, some soften them first, some add spinach for color or a jalapeño for heat. What they share is the poblano and the cream, and that is what this version keeps front and center.
What makes it work
Properly charred peppers. The blackened skin is what gives the sauce its smoky flavor, and a full char also loosens the skin so it rubs off cleanly after steaming. Turning the peppers every few minutes under the broiler blackens them evenly without overcooking one side.
Softened onion and garlic. Cooking the onion and garlic in butter for a few minutes takes away their raw bite, so the sauce tastes round and mellow. The butter goes into the blender too, which adds richness without extra cream.
Two-person proportions. One poblano for every few ounces of pasta gives a sauce that coats the spaghetti generously and stays clearly green. The broth keeps a small batch moving in the blender, so it purées smooth instead of sticking to the sides.
Pasta water at the end. The starchy cooking water loosens the sauce and helps it cling, so you can adjust the texture in the pan instead of guessing in the blender.
Ingredients for green spaghetti for two
The full amounts are in the recipe card below. These are the choices that make a difference:
- Poblano peppers: choose large, glossy, dark green peppers with smooth skin and few deep folds, because flat sides char and peel more easily. Poblanos are mild, though now and then one runs a little warmer.
- Cream cheese: regular cream cheese gives the sauce its body. Cut it into cubes so it blends quickly.
- Sour cream or Mexican crema: both work. Crema is slightly thinner and tangier and is traditional; sour cream is easier to find and makes a thicker sauce.
- Broth: low-sodium vegetable broth keeps the dish meatless; chicken broth gives a slightly savory note. Low-sodium lets you control the salt.
- Cilantro: use the leaves and tender stems. It brightens the color and adds a fresh, grassy flavor.
- Lime juice: a small squeeze balances the richness of the dairy.
- Cotija or queso fresco: cotija is salty and crumbly, queso fresco is milder and softer. Either finishes the dish.
How to make green spaghetti
- Broil the poblanos for about 15 minutes, turning them, until blackened all over.
- Steam them in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel and seed them.
- Soften the onion in butter for 4 minutes and the garlic for 1 minute.
- Blend the peppers, onion and garlic with the cream cheese, sour cream, broth, cilantro, lime, salt and pepper.
- Cook the spaghetti and save some pasta water.
- Warm the sauce for 3 minutes, toss in the pasta and loosen with pasta water.
- Top with cotija and cilantro and serve.
Charring and peeling the poblanos
How black is black enough: the skin should be blistered and charred over most of the surface, and the peppers should look slumped and soft. Small green patches are fine, but large unblistered areas will not peel, so give those sides another turn under the broiler.
Steaming: the trapped steam separates the skin from the flesh. After 10 minutes under a plate, the skin should slide off when you rub it with your fingers or a paper towel. Pull out the stem, and the seeds come away with it; scrape out any that stay behind with a spoon.
Skip the rinse: it is tempting to peel the peppers under running water, but that washes off the charred flavor you just built. A few dark flecks left on the flesh only add to the smoky taste.
Tips for the best green spaghetti
- Start the pasta water while the peppers steam. The water comes to a boil while you peel the peppers and blend the sauce, so everything finishes together.
- Blend longer than you think. Let the blender run until the sauce is completely smooth and no flecks of skin or cilantro remain.
- Keep the heat low once the sauce is in the pan. Warm it gently and stir; a hard boil can make the dairy separate.
- Add pasta water a splash at a time. Stop when the sauce coats each strand and nothing pools in the pan.
- Taste before serving. Cotija is salty, so taste the pasta first and add more salt only if it needs it.
Swaps and variations
- More heat: broil half a jalapeño alongside the poblanos, peel and seed it, and blend it into the sauce.
- Brighter color: add a handful of baby spinach to the blender. The flavor barely changes, but the sauce turns a deeper green.
- Crema or sour cream: use whichever you have. Crema makes a slightly looser, tangier sauce.
- Add protein: toss in sliced cooked chicken or drained black beans with the pasta for a heartier dinner.
- Other pasta: spaghetti is traditional, but linguine works the same way.
What to serve with green spaghetti
Green spaghetti is rich enough to stand alone as a meatless dinner. To round it out, serve it with something crisp and fresh: a simple green salad with lime dressing, sliced cucumbers and radishes, or a quick tomato and avocado salad. It also works as a side dish, the way it is often served in South Texas, next to grilled chicken, steak or a pan of roasted vegetables. A few lime wedges at the table let each person brighten their plate. It is a cozy, low-effort dinner to share at the end of a long day.
Storing and reheating leftovers
Green spaghetti is best right after tossing, while the sauce is silky. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them within 2 hours in a covered container and eat them within 3 days. The pasta absorbs some sauce as it sits, so add a splash of water when you reheat it in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave, stirring until it is hot all the way through, to 165°F. The cream sauce can turn grainy after freezing, so this dish is best kept in the fridge. Wrap the rest of the cream cheese tightly and refrigerate it for another recipe.
Once you have charred a couple of poblanos, this sauce comes together in minutes, and it might become your favorite way to dress up a box of spaghetti. Enjoy it with someone you love sharing a quiet dinner with.
Frequently asked questions
Is green spaghetti spicy?
Usually not. Poblanos are mild peppers with more smoky warmth than heat, and the cream cheese and sour cream soften them further. For a spicier sauce, blend in part of a roasted jalapeño.
Do I have to peel the poblanos?
Yes. The charred skin is tough and papery and leaves dark flecks in the sauce. After steaming the peppers for 10 minutes, the skin rubs off easily.
Can I use sour cream instead of crema?
Yes. Sour cream makes a slightly thicker, milder sauce than Mexican crema. Use a little extra pasta water to loosen it if needed.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. Blend the sauce, refrigerate it in a covered container for up to 3 days, and warm it gently in the skillet before tossing it with freshly cooked spaghetti and pasta water.
Print
Green Spaghetti for Two (Creamy Roasted Poblano Espagueti Verde)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
Spaghetti for two tossed in a smooth, smoky sauce of charred poblano peppers, cream cheese, sour cream and cilantro, finished with cotija.
Ingredients
- 2 large poblano peppers
- 6 ounces dry spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup chopped white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco, for serving
Instructions
- Set an oven rack about 4 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler. Put the poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for about 15 minutes, turning them every few minutes, until the skins are blackened and blistered on all sides.
- Move the hot poblanos to a heatproof bowl, cover it with a plate and let them steam for 10 minutes. Rub off the skins, then pull out the stems and seeds.
- While the peppers steam, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Scrape the onion, garlic and butter into a blender. Add the peeled poblanos, cream cheese, sour cream, broth, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper and blend until completely smooth.
- Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to the package directions. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and warm it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, stirring, without letting it boil. Add the spaghetti and toss with tongs, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats every strand.
- Taste for salt, then serve topped with the cotija and a few cilantro leaves.
Notes
Equipment: rimmed baking sheet, aluminum foil, heatproof bowl and plate, blender, 10-inch skillet, large pot, tongs
- Poblanos are mild; for more heat, broil half a jalapeno alongside them, peel and seed it, and blend it into the sauce.
- Do not rinse the poblanos under water to peel them; rinsing washes away the smoky flavor.
- Mexican crema makes a slightly thinner, tangier sauce than sour cream; both work.
- Add a handful of baby spinach to the blender for a brighter green color.
- Turn it into a heartier dinner with sliced cooked chicken or black beans tossed in with the pasta.
- Wrap the rest of the cream cheese well and refrigerate it for another use.
- Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave with a splash of water, stirring until hot.
- The cream sauce can separate after freezing, so this dish is best kept in the fridge.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking (FoodSafety.gov).
- Reheat leftovers to 165°F (FoodSafety.gov).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Broiled and stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
