Main dishes · Peruvian cuisine
Peruvian Tallarines Verdes (Green Spaghetti) | Easy, Creamy Recipe with Spinach, Basil and Chicken
- Total time30 min
- Servings4
- DifficultyEasy
A quick, homemade recipe full of flavor
Peruvian tallarines verdes (green spaghetti) are one of the most loved dishes of Peruvian home cooking. This creamy, colorful version combines spinach, basil, milk and Parmesan cheese into an intense, aromatic and delicious green sauce. And like any good Peruvian classic, it comes with its star companion: juicy chicken with a pollada marinade (recipe in Spanish).
Perfect for the whole family, this recipe is not only tasty but also very nutritious, thanks to its fresh vegetables and that homemade touch you'll love from the first bite.
🌿 A dish with history and fusion
Although it is inspired by traditional Italian pesto, Peruvian tallarines verdes have an identity of their own. The recipe arrived in Peru with Italian immigrants and was adapted with local ingredients such as spinach, queso fresco or Parmesan, milk, and the technique of sautéing in a pan with butter.
Over time it became an essential family recipe at lunches and on Creole set menus, where it is almost always served with fried or golden pollada-style chicken, along with white rice or golden potatoes.
Today, this dish is a symbol of fusion and creativity, and it keeps winning the hearts of Peruvians and foreigners alike.
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Recipe video
The video is in Spanish.
Peruvian Tallarines Verdes (Green Spaghetti with Spinach, Basil and Chicken)
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Best season: All year round
Ingredients for Peruvian Tallarines Verdes with Pollada-Style Chicken
🥬 For the tallarines verdes:
🍗 To serve:
How to Make Peruvian Tallarines Verdes
Cook the pasta
Bring salted water to a boil. When it is boiling, add 300 g of spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions (in this case, 5 minutes).
Blanch the greens
Put the 80 g of spinach and the 20–25 g of basil in a dry pan without adding anything. Heat gently until the leaves turn a more intense green.
Drain the pasta
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it. If you like, add a splash of olive oil so it doesn't stick.
Blend the green sauce
In a blender, put the blanched spinach and basil, ¼ onion, 1 garlic clove, 300 ml of milk and 10 g of Parmesan. Blend until smooth, with no bits of leaf or green specks.
Cook the sauce
In a pan, melt 20 g of butter. Once melted, pour in the blended mixture. Add salt, pepper and cumin to taste. Cook over medium heat until it thickens.
Combine with the pasta
Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and mix well until everything is perfectly combined.
Serve
Serve the tallarines verdes on a plate. Garnish with Parmesan, pecans and basil leaves. Serve with a piece of chicken on the side, ideally with pollada marinade.
Note
💡 Practical tips
- Don't overcook the greens: blanch them only until they change color. This helps keep their flavor and vibrant color.
- The milk can be evaporated or fresh, but don't let it boil once mixed into the sauce, so it stays creamy.
- You can replace the Parmesan with grated queso fresco, although the flavor will be milder.
- Add walnuts or pecans to the blender if you want a thicker sauce with more texture.
- Serve with white rice or golden potatoes for an even heartier, more Creole-style meal.
🍽️ Variations and serving ideas
- Vegetarian version: leave out the chicken and add sautéed mushrooms or golden tofu.
- Tallarines verdes with beef: you can also serve them with a steak, lomo saltado or even a homemade burger.
- For kids: you can use short pasta and a more lightly spiced sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions about Peruvian Tallarines Verdes
Can I use only spinach without basil?
Yes, although basil gives it its characteristic aroma. You can increase the amount of spinach and add a little dried oregano as an alternative.
What are Peruvian tallarines verdes?
Tallarines verdes are Peruvian pasta coated in a creamy green sauce made from fresh basil, spinach, queso fresco, milk and garlic. It is a Peruvian version of Italian pesto, but CREAMIER and with spinach (not just basil). It is served with breaded steak or chicken and golden potatoes. The dish was born in Lima in the 1940s, when Italian immigrants adapted their pesto to the Peruvian ingredients available. The flavor is unique: herbal from the basil + creamy from the cheese + a touch of garlic. It is THE favorite dish of Peruvian kids.
What is the secret to a creamy green sauce?
The secret: (1) BLEND well until completely smooth (no lumps); (2) plenty of QUESO FRESCO (at least 200 g per 500 g of pasta), which is what makes it creamy; (3) EVAPORATED MILK or cream (not regular milk, which is too thin). Simply stir over low heat until you can see the bottom of the pan.
What are Peruvian tallarines verdes traditionally served with?
Traditionally they are served with: (1) BREADED STEAK (beef milanesa), THE Peruvian classic; (2) BAKED or breaded CHICKEN; (3) GOLDEN POTATOES on the side. IMPORTANT: EVERYTHING is served together on one plate: tallarines + protein + potatoes. In Peru, tallarines verdes are NEVER eaten on their own (without meat). The contrast of juicy meat + creamy pasta + crispy potatoes = perfection. You can add a fresh salad on the side. To drink: chicha morada or Inca Kola.