Creamy Poblano Pasta, the Mexican Spaghetti Dish That Went Viral

Poblano pasta, also known as spaghetti verde in Vivi Abeja’s family, is the cheesy-crispy Mexican pasta bake you need in your life.

Although this dish is a labor of love (roasting and peeling the poblanos can take a bit of time), every bit of effort will be rewarded in vibrant flavors, promises the Little Village, Chicago-based cook. 

“This dish uses the simplest ingredients that require time and effort — and you can definitely taste that in this meal,” says Vivi, one of our favorite Familia Kitchen Mexican cooks who runs vivis_table. “Spaghetti verde is one of my favorite pastas in the world, and I have no shame throwing it on just about any type of meal. This salsa is LIQUID GOLD.”

Vivi originally learned how to make this spaghetti verde from her older cousin, who learned it from her mother-in-law, making this poblano pasta a time-honored family favorite. At first, Vivi says she saved this dish for special occasions, since it took her three hours to make. She is quick to assure that the time it takes to make this poblano pasta is completely worth it. “I had never tasted anything like this pasta before my cousin made it and it quickly became my favorite pasta,” says Vivi.

Now that Vivi has the steps down, she says it takes her significantly less time to peel the poblanos and make the dish — and she enjoys its creamy-spicy delicioso-ness whenever she’s craving it. 

Although “pasta bake” may not be what comes to mind when you think of Mexican food, this recipe’s preparation, ingredients and flavors are steeped in her Michoacan-born grandmother’s approach to cooking, says Vivi. Her abuelita, the biggest inspiration in Vivi’s own cooking, loved to make what she called comida de pobre, or poor-people food. These are the simple, essential Mexican dishes that use the smallest possible amount of humble ingredients (in this case: chiles, cheese, Mexican crema) to get big flavors and feed a crowd affordably.

“When I think of poblanos, I think of my favorite Mexican dishes like chiles rellenos and rajas con queso,” Vivi says. “My abuela is the one who taught me how to roast poblanos, which are the star of this meal. There’s something special about fire-roasted poblanos and carefully peeling them reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking.”

Vivi and her family like to top this dish with grilled chicken, but you can add any protein or other toppings to add your own spin on it. 

Ready to Make Vivi’s Viral Poblano Pasta Recipe?

Creamy Poblano Pasta, the Mexican Spaghetti Dish That Went Viral

Recipe by Vivi Abeja

4.4 from 14 votes

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

3

hours 

Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

• 6 poblano chiles

• 1 lb pasta

• 24 oz Mexican crema

• 2 to 3 Tbsp chicken bouillon seasoning

• 1 cup Chihuahua cheese

• 1 serrano chile (optional, for heat)

Directions

• Using tongs, toast the chiles on the stove, holding them over the gas or electric heat until charred. Place the charred chiles in a plastic bag to steam for 15 minutes. This will help loosen the skin for easier peeling.
• Cook the pasta until al dente, following instructions on the box.
• Peel and seed the poblano chiles.
• In a blender, pulse the peeled poblanos, serrano chile, Mexican crema and bouillon seasoning until smooth.
• In a pan, heat the sauce over medium low, until the color slightly changes, deepening to a slightly darker green.
• Add the pasta to the creamy poblano mixture in the pan. Mix well.
• Preheat the oven to 450°
• In a baking dish, add a layer of 1/2 the poblano pasta mixture and ½ the Chihuahua cheese. Add a second layer, using the remainder of the pasta mixture, followed by a top layer of the Chihuahua cheese.
• Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the top row of cheese turns golden.
• Serve while it’s hot and enjoy!

Notes

• This dish is extra delicioso because of the time put into prepping the poblano chiles. It’s worth it: You can definitely taste the effort you put in this meal, says Vivi.