White Spaghetti, or Espagueti Blanco, is a Mexican dish that I learned about from my mother in law. Me and my daughters can’t get enough of these noodles!
It’s a super simple dish that’s very easy to make. I love to eat the spaghetti on it’s own, but it’s also commonly paired with breaded chicken, or pollo empanisado.
My mother in law makes her white spaghetti with lots of bay leaves, that give the noodles SO much delicious flavor. Keep reading for the recipe my husband grew up on!
WHAT YOU NEED
- 16 oz spaghetti noodles (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
- 2 cups of Mexican crema (a Mexican cream you can find at any grocery store)
- 1 cup queso fresco (a white, crumbly cheese with a mild flavor)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 bay leaves
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large pot, boil water and cook the noodles according to the package instructions. I like to use whole wheat pasta whenever possible, since it’s slightly better for you than regular. However, sometimes whole wheat pasta has a gritty texture that I don’t like, but I’ve found that since spaghetti noodles are so thin, you can’t even tell the difference between the regular and the whole wheat ones. That’s why this is a great dish to use whole wheat spaghetti in. It’s your choice though! Regular or whole wheat both work.
Once noodles are done, drain them and leave them in the strainer.
While noodles are draining, turn the stove back on to medium heat and add the butter and garlic to the same pot you used to cook the noodles in. Cook for about a minute or two, until the butter is completely melted.
Next, add the cream and salt to the pot and stir. Cook for another minute or two, just enough to warm up the cream, and then turn off the stove.
Pour the drained noodles into the pot and mix well. Make sure all the noodles are covered in sauce.
Pour the noodles into the 9×13 casserole dish that you prepared earlier, and spread them evenly.
Crumble the queso fresco (cheese) and sprinkle about half on top of the noodles. (Save the rest for topping later.)
Next, lay the bay leaves on top of the cheese.
Gently mix everything and spread the noodles evenly in the dish again. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy! (Make sure to remove the bay leaves as your serving each plate.)
WHAT TO SERVE WITH WHITE SPAGHETTI
Some people make this recipe with chopped ham mixed in. Other people serve it with breaded chicken. Another easier option is to mix in some shredded rotisserie chicken, or my slow cooker Italian chicken. There are lots of things you can add to this, including fresh veggies.
White Spaghetti (Espagueti Blanco)
A simple Mexican dish where spaghetti noodles are tossed in a delicious, tangy white cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 16 oz spaghetti noodles
- 2 cups Mexican cream
- 1 cup queso fresco (Mexican cheese)
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 bay leaves
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
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In a large pot, boil water and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain noodles when done, and leave noodles in strainer.
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While noodles are draining, turn the stove back on to medium heat and add the butter and garlic to the same pot you cooked the noodles in. Cook, stirring often, for about a minute or two, until the butter is melted.
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Add the cream and salt and stir. Cook for another minute or two, just to warm up the cream, and then turn off the stove.
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Pour the drained noodles into the pot and mix well. Make sure all the noodles are covered in sauce, then pour them into the 9×13 dish and spread evenly.
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Crumble the queso fresco and sprinkle about half on top of the noodles. (Save the rest for topping later.)
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Lay about 8-10 bay leaves on top of the cheese, and gently mix everything to combine.
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Once mixed, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and place it in the oven for about 20-25 minute. Enjoy!
If you try this, let me know what you think in the comments!
