Espagueti Verde (Creamy Roasted Poblano Pasta)
Updated March 10, 2025
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 6medium poblano chiles (about 1¼ pounds), see Tip
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- 1cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus parsley leaves for garnish
- ⅓cup crema Mexicana or sour cream
- ¼cup heavy cream
- 1pound bucatini, spaghetti or other long pasta
- 1lemon, halved
- 4ounces queso fresco (or other soft but firm cheese, such as ricotta salata), thinly sliced
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
496 calories; 19 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 570 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Using tongs, set each poblano directly on the grates of a gas stovetop over a medium flame. Cook, turning occasionally, until skin is blackened on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (Alternatively, broil the poblanos on a baking sheet about 5 inches from the heat until charred, 6 to 8 minutes per side.)
- Step 2
Place charred poblanos in a large bowl; cover with a plate and let steam for 10 minutes to loosen skins. On a work surface, run the dull side of a paring knife across each chile to scrape off the blackened, papery skin. (It’s OK if a bit of the skin remains.) Discard skins, stems and seeds. Return poblanos to the bowl and rinse under cold running water. Any remaining seeds and papery skins will float to the surface. (This rinsing step, while unusual for charred chiles, helps remove almost all the bitter skin that would stand out against the creamy sauce.) Drain chiles well. Cut poblanos in half, then slice lengthwise into very thin strips.
- Step 3
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low. Add poblanos and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until poblanos soften and break down, about 15 minutes. Add chopped parsley, crema and heavy cream, and stir to combine. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm if needed.
- Step 4
While poblanos cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the pasta, give it a stir and cook until just al dente. Just before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- Step 5
Drain the pasta and transfer it to the Dutch oven with the poblano mixture, along with ½ cup reserved pasta water. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta evenly. If needed, add a little more of the pasta water.
- Step 6
Squeeze in juice from ½ lemon, taste and squeeze in the juice of the other half, if you like. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss one more time before serving, coating pasta with the sauce at the bottom of the pot. Serve topped with queso fresco and parsley leaves.
- When fully ripened and dried, poblano chiles are called anchos, but they’re not what you want for this recipe. Get the fresh, dark green chiles instead. If you can’t find them, substitute fresh green Hatch chiles.
Private Notes
Comments
I learned at the Santa Fe School of Cooking to never rinse peppers after removing the skins. It takes most of the flavors of the chili. Just use your fingers to wipe off what the back of the knife may have left behind, and having a bit of char is not going to hurt/bother anyone.
I grew up in Durango, northern state in México, we actually blend the roasted poblano peppers, along cilantro and some garlic and a little piece of onion with the crema (LALA, best mexican cream by far) , then you pour this blend unto the pasta. Some of the poblanos get cut in strips and cooked like this recipe. If you can get a hold of some chihuahua or Chester cheese (turkish cheeses that melt go great!) Then just shred some on top, it is amazing.... same sauce goes great with chicken !
More than a bit puzzled by the directive to rinse the peppers. This will basically render them flavorless. You’re also losing all the smoky flavor gained by caramelizing the skin. I’d say just take the tops off and the seeds and interior pith out, and skip the skinning and washing. Poblanos are already such a mild pepper, there’s no need for the extra work!
I really appreciated the recipe and commenters notes about not rinsing the poblanos and about using cilantro. The smokiness of the poblanos, accented with the cilantro and lime juice, made a lovely complex-flavored pasta dish. Using queso fresco was the perfect accompaniment.
I am Mexican and I am a chef. I have seen dozens of Mexicans roast poblanos and have never seen anyone rinse the chiles. The way we proceed to remove the skin is by roasting them, either open flame, oven or comal, and once the skin is charred, place the poblanos in a plastic bag, close it, then wrap it in cloth and wait at least 20 minutes. It´s then easy to remove the skins. We never rinse them. Our hands yes, never the poblanos.
Peppers roast and blister in the air fryer very well and you can do several at once.