Espagueti Verde

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Espagueti verde (or green spaghetti) is a rich, creamy, and slightly spicy Italo-Mexican fusion. While traditionally made with dairy, it’s time to twirl your fork in this plant-based version.

Sit back and enjoy the flavors!

📖 About

If you love Mexican and Italian food (who doesn’t), this recipe will satisfy both cravings. It comes together in under an hour and is full of irresistible deliciousness!

What is espagueti verde?

Espagueti verde (translated to green spaghetti) highlights the influence of Italian food in Mexico.

Typically, this style of Mexican spaghetti is tossed in a roasted poblano sauce. Recipes vary, but you will often find cream cheese, milk, Mexican crema, or butter incorporated to create an ultra-rich and comforting meal.

For a slight change to the usual recipes, we use cashews, lemon juice, and plant milk to emulate a similar consistency (trust us, your guts will thank you).

History

The exact origins of this creamy green poblano sauce are largely unknown, but we have a bit of background for you.

Although not as large an influence as Spain, Italian dishes did make their way into Mexican cuisine around the late 19th century — including pasta!

The addition of poblano and other non-tomato-based sauces began not too long ago. However, you can now find many different variations of pasta dishes all over Mexico.

The main ingredient in this sauce is chile poblano, which comes from the state of Puebla, Mexico (where the inhabitants are referred to as “Poblanos”).

Is espagueti verde vegan?

As we said above, espagueti verde is not traditionally vegan. But, rest assured that we’ve adapted our green spaghetti recipe to be 100% plant-based.

Serving

Serve this dish right after it’s made with your favorite glass of white wine. If you’re not a wine drinker, it also goes extremely well with a glass of agua de piña.

We always garnish ours with cilantro and Mexican cheese like cotija or queso fresco. The saltiness of the cheese goes perfectly with the creaminess of the pasta sauce!

🍲 Key ingredients

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

Poblano

Taste: the star of this dish and the main reason for its color — roasted poblano peppers. With a taste similar to green bell peppers (with a spicy kick), poblanos turn slightly sweet when they’re cooked.

Health: rich in vitamin C and A, poblano peppers provide our bodies with these powerful antioxidants to help fight off free radicals that can lead to disease.

Cashews

Taste: we use cashews for their slightly sweet, buttery taste, which is the perfect replacement for dairy in this recipe. If you’ve never tried making a creamy sauce with raw, soaked cashews, your life is about to change.

Health: the rich flavor comes from the unsaturated fat found in this nut. Don’t be afraid of fat! This particular type helps lower bad cholesterol, which may lower your risk of heart disease!

Lemon

Taste: the light, refreshing, and tart flavor of lemon adds a touch of acidity to this dish. We use the combination of sweet, creamy cashews with zesty lemon to emulate the flavor and texture of Mexican crema or cream cheese (both typical ingredients of espagueti verde).

Health: as we know, citrus fruits contain high amounts of vitamin C, and lemons are no different. Vitamin C is not only great for reducing the duration of colds, but it’s actually been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke!

Spaghetti

Taste: to help absorb the creamy and delicious sauce, spaghetti is the perfect base. But, don’t feel the need to only use spaghetti in this recipe. It’s easy to sub with other varieties like linguine, fettuccine, or gluten-free noodles.

Health: although many people demonize pasta and carbohydrates, there are ways to increase the health benefits. Look for enriched pasta, which means nutrients lost during processing are added back in. Also, measure out your portions to avoid accidentally over-indulging!

🔪 Instructions

If you have questions about this espagueti verde recipe, don’t forget to check out our FAQ section at the bottom of this post.

Step 1: soak your cashews overnight or for at least a few hours. When the cashews are ready, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and preheat your oven. Roast the poblanos until the skins are blackened, making sure to turn the peppers a couple of times throughout.

Step 2: once they are done, transfer the poblanos to a Ziplock bag or bowl with plastic wrap over top to help loosen the skins. Leave them to steam for 8-10 minutes, then peel the skins off. Cut them open, de-seed, and de-vein the peppers (wash your hands well afterward or wear gloves).

Step 3: in the meantime, heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium-low. Sauté the onions for a few minutes, then add in the garlic and cook until fragrant.

Step 4: add the cooked vegetables, drained cashews, plant milk, cilantro, lemon juice, and salt to a blender. Mix everything on high until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add lemon for more tang, cilantro for more herbaceous flavor, etc.

Step 5: bring a large pot of salted water to boil, then cook your pasta according to the package instructions until al dente (ours takes 12 minutes). Save about a half cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and toss it with a little olive oil.

Step 6: add the pasta back to your pot and toss it with the poblano sauce. Season it with more salt & pepper to taste, then serve your delicious Mexican spaghetti with a garnish of cilantro and cotija cheese or queso fresco. Happy eating!

🌡️ Storage

We love making a big batch of espagueti verde at the beginning of the week for great leftovers. Here are the best ways to keep it fresh:

Fridge

The poblano sauce will store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Once cold, the sauce thickens up a little so you can add water to reach your desired consistency when you reheat it.

Store the noodles separately in the fridge and they will last for up to 4-5 days as well. Or, just quickly boil a fresh pot of pasta when you are ready to eat.

Freezer

If you want to keep the poblano sauce for a longer time period, ensure it’s in a freezer-safe container or bag and it will last up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before using it again.

Reheat

When you want to eat your leftovers, just throw the noodles and poblano sauce in a pan and cook on medium-low until warm.

💭 Pro tips

Time to share our tips and tricks we learned while experimenting with this green spaghetti:

• Peel the poblanos. To eliminate the chewy exterior, peel the poblano chiles after roasting them.
• Soak your cashews. To ensure your sauce is completely smooth, make sure you soak your cashews overnight (especially without a high-speed blender).
• Don’t forget the cheese. Using queso fresco or cotija cheese to garnish this pasta makes a huge difference in overall taste.
• Add more spice. If you prefer more heat, try adding a jalapeño or serrano pepper to your poblano sauce.
• Change the color: Swap out the poblano peppers for chipotles in adobo and tomatoes to make espagueti rojo.

💬 FAQ

♻️ Similar recipes

For more tasty lunches and dinners, check out these recipes:

• Espagueti blanco for a similar creamy pasta dish without the addition of poblano peppers.
• Lemon garlic pasta to try a simple, light, and summery Italian meal turned plant-based.
• Enchiladas verdes for fresh corn tortillas wrapped around creamy refried bayo beans and melty cheese.
• Crispy black bean tacos for a comforting meal drizzled with an avocado cream sauce that you’re going to love!
• Sopa de fideo to understand how simple ingredients can turn into the most delicious meal.
• Tacos al pastor for a quick, 30-minute recipe that takes meat alternatives to a new level.
• Rasta pasta for a creamy pasta dish infused with Jamaican-inspired flavors.

🍴 Tasting notes

Espagueti verde is one of our favorite comfort foods to eat on both special occasions or during the week. It’s:

• Rich
• Creamy
• Filling
• Spicy

If you try this green spaghetti recipe, please rate it and leave us a comment below! Want to stay up-to-date with new recipes? Subscribe to our newsletter or connect with Broke Bank Vegan on social media. Happy eating!