This vegan spaghetti Verde or green spaghetti is flavorful, hearty, and a classic Mexican dish. The vibrant green color comes from the roasted poblano; the cashews (affiliate link) give it that creamy texture. This dish is traditionally made with dairy and is usually very heavy.
This is a lighter, healthier, and dairy-free version, but with the same flavors to enjoy.
About this recipe
Mexican Spaghetti Verde is a delicious and healthy dish perfect for any occasion! This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and is full of flavor and texture.
In México, this is a traditional dish that normally is served as a side dish and can be made year-round for some families; this is a Christmas or special occasion dish.
This Mexican dish is perfect for big family or friends gatherings. It is easy to make, and the color looks beautiful on any table.
What is Espagueti Verde?
Espagueti Verde in Spanish or green Mexican spaghetti in English are pasta noodles made with a creamy roasted poblano sauce. Each family has its own recipe.
Some recipes call for Mexican crema, others for cream cheese, milk, or butter. It is usually served with cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, and sometimes diced poblano peppers.
Ingredients
- Poblanos. Roast your poblanos over the stove or in the oven. Remove the stem, veins, and seeds if you don’t want this poblano pasta to be spicy.
- Greens. The authentic recipe does not call for greens, but I like to add them to balance the sweetness of the dairy-free sauce made with cashews (affiliate link). Use kale, spinach, arugula, or a mix of all.
- Cashews. You can easily substitute them with almonds (affiliate link), and macadamias or use any storebought or homemade sour cream.
- Acid. Add lime juice, lemon juice, or a splash of vinegar to bring out the brightness in the poblano crema.
- Liquid. Almond milk, oat milk, water, or vegetable broth (affiliate link).
- Onion and garlic, I like to sautee them in olive oil and butter instead of adding them to the sauce for an extra layer of flavor.
- Pasta, use spaghetti but any pasta works in this recipe.
How to roast poblano peppers in the oven?
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place peppers on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast peppers in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn peppers and roast for 10 minutes or until peppers are slightly charred.
I must confess that I don’t peel the poblano peppers after roasting them. Shocking, I know, but believe me, you won’t even notice the difference in this dish.
How to make mexican green spaghetti
- Soak your cashews for half an hour. Don’t worry if you don’t; blend for a bit longer.
- Roast the bell peppers in the oven or over the stove until completely charred.
- Blend all the ingredients of the creamy poblano sauce, taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.
- Start cooking your noodles.
- Saute the diced white onion and the sliced garlic in olive oil and butter until soft and fragrant. Add a pinch of salt to them to develop more flavor.
- Add the poblano crema to the pan and bring to a simmer—season with salt and pepper. Add the noodles to the pan; there is no need to drain them.
- Make sure that all of the pasta y wholly covered with the sauce. Add pasta water if it is too thick. Finish with vegan feta and chopped cilantro.
Serving suggestions
Have this dish after it’s made with a refreshing jamaica agua fresca or a spicy mezcal cocktail.
If you have the spaghetti verde as a main dish, serve it with a good green salad with a simple vinaigrette or a shaved brussel sprout salad.
Storage
In the fridge: Store in a tightly closed container and reheat in the microwave or a pan over medium-high heat. It will last up to 5 days.
In the freezer: Use a freezer-safe container and thaw before reheating. In the freezer, it will last up to two months. You must adjust the seasoning before serving.
Tips for this mexican green pasta
- If you want this Mexican pasta dish to be spicier, add serranos or jalapeños to the poblano crema.
- You can also roast the poblanos over the stove or on a comal (affiliate link). Just turn and toss until they are completely charred.
- If you can’t find vegan feta cheese, use one with a similar flavor profile; just skip it.
- This poblano pasta is not spicy.
Frequently asked questions
Other vegan Mexican recipes you will enjoy
Vegan Spaghetti verde (espagueti verde)
Equipment
- blender
- Large pot for pasta
- 12 in fry pan
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz spaghetti package
- 4 roasted poblano peppers
- 2 cups greens
- ½ cup dairy-free milk, unsweetened
- ½ cup water or vegetable broth
- ¾ cup raw cashews or almonds
- 3 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbso olive oil
Instructions
- Soak you cashwes for a half an hour. Don’t worry if you don’t, just blend for a bit longer.
- Roast the bell pepers in the oven or over the stove until completely charred.
- Blend the cashews, poblano peppers, milk and water (or vegetable broth if using), greens, lemon or lime juice and salt until creamy.
- Start cooking your noodles.
- Saute the diced white oinion and the sliced garlic in olive oil and butter until soft and fragant. Add a pinch of salt to them to develop more flavor.
- Add the poblano crema to the pan and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the noodles to the pan, there is no need to drain them.
- Make sure that all of the pasta y completely covered with the sauce. Add pasta water if it is too thick. Finish with vegan feta and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- If you did not soak the cashews from the poblano crema, run the blender a bit longer until creamy and smooth.
- Add any kind of green you have; I like arugula or spinach.
- I don’t peel the poblano peppers, but peel them if you want.
- It is best not to drain the pasta and slowly start adding it to the green pasta sauce.
- If the pasta gets very thick, slowly add pasta water until it loosens it up.
- Check your seasoning before serving.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Tengo una Certificación Profesional en la cocina vegana; en el mundo de la cocina basada en vegetales, frutas, granos, leguminosas… en comida limpia, orgánica y vegana.
My cookbook is called Yo Cocino Latino..
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