Creamy Mexican Green Spaghetti
Spaghetti coated in a roasted poblano, spinach, cilantro, and cream cheese sauce. The full timing begins with raw peppers and includes peeling.
Ingredients
Pasta and sauce
- 4 pieces poblano peppers Raw; roast, peel, and seed as instructed, or use equivalent prepared peppers
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion White or yellow; volume clarifies the small onion amount
- 1 piece jalapeño pepper or serrano pepper (stemmed, seeded, and chopped) Adjust based on desired spiciness.
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup spinach leaves
- 1 small bunch cilantro Washed; reserve 2 tablespoons chopped for optional garnish if desired
- 8 ounces sour cream or crema Mexicana
- 1 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon granules OR one cube only if its label gives equivalent seasoning strength; do not add both
- 2/3 to 1 cup milk or half and half Begin with ⅔ cup; use the remainder only if needed
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened and cut into small cubes)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- as needed water For pasta boiling; reserve 1 cup before draining
Optional toppings
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco Optional topping
- 2 tablespoons Pepitas Optional topping
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Roast whole poblanos on a foil-lined tray about 35–40 minutes, turning occasionally, until skins are blistered and dark. Put in a covered heatproof bowl for 10–12 minutes, then peel, remove stems and seeds, and cool until comfortable to handle.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet. Soften the measured chopped onion and jalapeno or serrano about 3 minutes, then add garlic and spinach for 2 minutes. Take off heat and cool until lukewarm.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro from the listed bunch if desired. Blend the remaining cilantro with prepared poblanos, cooled skillet mixture, sour cream, bouillon, and ⅔ cup milk. Add some of the remaining milk only if needed. Use the blender within its temperature and fill limits.
- Cook spaghetti in water according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup cooking water.
- Warm the blended sauce over medium-low heat. Add half the cream cheese cubes and stir until melted, then add the rest. Heat gently about 4 minutes and season to taste.
- Toss drained spaghetti into the sauce. Loosen with small additions of reserved pasta water if needed. Serve as 8 side portions with optional reserved cilantro, ¼ cup crumbled cheese, and 2 tablespoons pepitas.
Notes
Timing starts with raw poblanos and includes roughly 15 minutes steaming/cooling, extending if necessary before blending. Onion is measured as ¼ cup chopped. Bouillon granules and an equivalent cube are alternatives. Start with ⅔ cup milk and use reserved pasta water only as needed. Divide into 8 sides, or 4 unusually generous main bowls. Dietary claims require appropriate ingredient choices and label checks.