Red Salsa Spaghetti With Queso Fresco

By Octavio Peña

Updated November 20, 2025

Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Ready In
30 min
Rating
5(33)
Comments
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This pasta is inspired by the spicy, smoky flavor of chilaquiles. The sauce comes together in less time than it takes for the pasta to boil, making it a great weeknight dinner. Instead of tediously minced, here the garlic is simply smashed and gently cooked in butter to mellow and infuse the sauce. Then, warm spices and whole chiles are briefly toasted to wake up their flavor. It’s all blended together with canned fire-roasted tomatoes, which contribute smokiness and acidity. Using chiles de árbol, rather than generic crushed red pepper, gives the sauce a dose of heat with nutty and smoky notes. The heat level of the dish is cooled by curds of queso fresco that crumble into the pasta without melting. If you’re a spice lover, you can drop in a couple more chiles to kick up the heat.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 pound spaghetti 

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 

  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 3 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

  • 1 (14½-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

  • 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or mild feta, for serving (see Tip)

  • Cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

61 grams carbs; 53 milligrams cholesterol; 466 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 436 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

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

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add chiles, cumin and oregano. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer.

  3. Step 3

    Transfer to a blender, add the tomatoes and blend until smooth. Return the sauce to the skillet, warm through over medium heat and season to taste with salt. 

  4. Step 4

    When the pasta is done cooking, use tongs to transfer it to the skillet. Toss to coat thoroughly. Divide among shallow bowls and top with queso fresco and cilantro.

Tip

  • Look for queso fresco labeled as cremoso, which is a richer and creamier variety. 

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Ratings

5 out of 5
33 user ratings
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Comments

Lex

Isn't this pasta crying out for a fried egg stop each serving?

West of wierd

You had me at queso fresco. All the ingredients are pantry staples in our house. Can't wait to make this for dinner tomorrow!

Lucy

@West of wierd it’s the chilaquiles that grabbed me. There’s a potful growing under my kitchen window; how can I resist?

ekelly

This was nicely spicy. I wanted to add chorizo but I didn’t have any so I added 1 spicy Italian sausage and it was very good.

Trill

I made this as written. The holy trinity of fast, easy and delicious. The ingredients are staples in my household, so I’ll definitely make this again. Next time I will top with fried eggs, some pinto beans and diced avocado and a little sautéed onion and jalapeño cuz while it is delicious and feels surprisingly complete as written, I like to tinker.

Rimbaud1poet

I made this last night, but didn't have Chile de arbol. I substituted 4 chipotle peppers and browned some fresh chorizo to put into the salsa. It was the perfect balance of smoky and spicy. This was even better for lunch the next day.

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