How to Make Peruvian Green Spaghetti (You Must Try)
Looking for an easy South American dish that the whole family will love? How about… GREEN spaghetti? One thing I love about Peruvian green spaghetti is how incredibly EASY it is to make and it tastes so good, too. You can serve it as a main dish or side dish. In fact, it’s easily paired with beef, chicken, or fish. Anyway, what I have for you today are several recipes for how to make Peruvian green spaghetti that I KNOW you and your family will enjoy! I mean, what kid does not like green food recipes, am I right? Keep reading to learn more!
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What Is Peruvian Green Spaghetti?
The common name for this Peruvian pasta recipe is tallarines verdes. It’s basically a classic Peruvian dish made of pasta with green sauce. This green sauce is made primarily of spinach and basil leaves. You can think of it as Peruvian pesto pasta.
Oh, and as mentioned above, Peruvians normally serve it with a nice, juicy grilled skirt steak (or breaded steak).
Some people prefer chicken… or fish.
Either way… yum!
So, if you’re thinking this Peruvian pesto pasta dish is inspired by the Italian pesto pasta, you are CORRECT!
In fact, Peruvian cuisine has a lot of Italian influence. Actually, according to a Peruvian chef who was interviewed on WISN, a local news channel in Milwaukee, Peruvian cuisine is influenced by Japanese, Chinese, French, Spanish, and African cuisines, too.
FYI, the Peruvian pesto sauce may not be what you would typically think of when you read the word pesto.
The pesto sauce recipe from Peru is made primarily with queso fresco or queso blanco, which are SUPER common cheeses that MANY Latin American countries use.
Also, instead of pine nuts, Peruvians use walnuts or pecans.
Interesting, right?
Where To Find Queso Fresco or Queso Blanco
When I lived in California, I was able to find queso fresco or queso blanco at any grocery store in the refrigerated food section where they sell cheese. However, that’s not the case with me anymore now that I live in an area where there aren’t very many Latinos.
If you live in an area where it’s very difficult to find Latin American food, as I do, you might be able to find some queso fresco at ALDI, of all places! That’s where I find mine!
You can also check your local Walmart store. Although it may be a hit or miss depending on where you live. I personally have to drive out 30 minutes or so when I need to buy an ingredient for some of my favorite Latin American dishes.
Ingredients for Peruvian Green Spaghetti
These are some of the most basic ingredients that many green spaghetti from Peru recipes require:
- Spaghetti noodles
- Fresh spinach leaves
- Fresh basil leaves
- Queso blanco or queso fresco cheese
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Walnuts
- Olive oil
- Evaporated milk
- Salt & pepper
How to Make Peruvian Green Spaghetti
Although each family makes this recipe differently, these are the basic steps for making some amazing easy Peruvian pesto pasta.
- Cook the spaghetti pasta according to package directions.
- In a food processor or blender, add cheese, spinach, basil, garlic, shallot, walnuts, olive oil, and evaporated milk.
- Process or blend the ingredients until they are smooth.
- Add the pesto sauce to the spaghetti.
- Toss them together.
- Taste to see if you need to add salt and pepper.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with grilled skirt steak (optional… but it’s common).
- Eat and enjoy!
Peruvian Green Pasta Recipe #1
So, the first Peruvian green pasta recipe I have for you is actually a YouTube video by Cravings Journal.
What makes this recipe different from some other pesto recipes is that she uses evaporated milk INSTEAD of olive oil. Oh, and she adds crackers to her recipe, too.
Interesting, right?
Ah, and she also cooks her garlic and spinach before processing them, too.
Watch the video below to learn more:
If you’re interested, here is the link to her recipe page.
Green Noodle Pasta Recipe #2
Ok, so what if you are having the HARDEST time finding queso fresco or queso blanco? Well, if that’s the case, then here is a green spaghetti Peruvian recipe that uses feta cheese instead.
This tallarines verde recipe only takes about 10 minutes of prep time.
Also, they DO NOT use evaporated milk. Actually, they don’t use any kind of milk at all.
These are the main ingredients you’ll need for this Peruvian green spaghetti recipe:
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Basil leaves
- Salt
- Pepper
- Feta cheese
- Spaghetti pasta
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Check out this recipe by The Genetic Chef to learn more.
Related Articles:
- Aji Amarillo Recipes from Peru
- Papas Rellenas from Peru (Stuffed Potatoes)
- How to Make Empanadas From Peru (DELICIOUS)
- Peruvian Quinoa Recipes
Peruvian Green Noodles Pasta Recipe #3
This Peruvian green noodles recipe is similar to the ones above, except it’s a spicier version.
Also, what I like about this video by Tupac Amaru is that he literally shows you step-by-step how to make his version of Peruvian tallarines verde.
Lastly, he also shows you how to season and cook the beef to pair along with the green spaghetti… similar to how many Peruvians do it in Peru!
Take a look at the video below to see what I mean:
Green Pasta Recipe from Peru #4
Lastly, here’s a recipe by Peru Delights. What I enjoy about this blog is that it gives a lot more information regarding the history behind how Italians have influenced Peruvian cuisine, specifically when it comes to Peruvian pesto.
Also, if you’re looking for a way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, this recipe uses cooked green beans 😉
What to Serve With Peruvian Green Spaghetti
Peruvian green spaghetti goes well with the following foods:
- Steak
- Chicken
- Fish
- Boiled potatoes
- Green beans
Final Thoughts
I seriously hope you consider making one of these delicious (and I would say kid-friendly) easy green spaghetti recipes from Peru. Peruvian green spaghetti is packed with a lot of flavors and it’s fun to eat, too. I mean, who doesn’t think eating spaghetti is fun? Ok, some don’t haha.
What are your thoughts on the South American pasta recipe? Have you ever had it? Please let me know in the comments below!
