5 from 78 votes
Tallarines Verdes Recipe
Tallarines Verdes is a pasta dish with a bright green sauce made from spinach, basil, queso blanco cheese, shallot, walnuts, olive oil, and evaporated milk. The sauce is blended smooth and tossed with cooked pasta, offering a creamy, herbaceous texture and flavor. It is commonly garnished with queso fresco and black pepper for contrast and served with steak or on its own.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings:
4
Calories:
614 kcal
Course:
Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine:
South American, Peruvian
Ingredients
- 2 cups spinach packed leaves
- 1 cup basil packed leaves
- 5 ounces queso blanco plus more for garnish, or queso fresco, cubed
- 2 garlic peeled, cloves
- 1/2 shallot peeled
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- Pinch kosher salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1 pound pasta of choice
Instructions
To Make the Green Sauce:
- To a blender, add the spinach leaves, basil, queso blanco, garlic cloves, shallot, walnuts, olive oil, evaporated milk and a pinch of salt and a few turns of freshly cracked pepper. Blend for 30 seconds to a minute, scraping down the sides as needed. Give the green sauce a taste and adjust the salt accordingly (this type of cheese tends to be quite salty so you may only need a pinch or two extra).
Cup of Yum
To Make the Pasta and Assemble:
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the pasta in the water and cook according to package’s directions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add the pasta back to the pot and pour in the green sauce. Toss the pasta until it's thoroughly coated. Feel free to add a splash or two of pasta water to the pasta to thin the sauce out a bit. Divide between bowls and garnish with some queso fresco crumbles and freshly cracked pepper.
Notes
- The traditional serving is with pan-fried steak slices, though this recipe works well without meat.
- Store green sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months in a labeled container.
- Thaw frozen sauce in the refrigerator before reheating and mixing with pasta.
- Use a high-powered blender to achieve a smooth, creamy sauce texture.
Nutrition Information
Serving
4g
Calories
614kcal
(31%)
Carbohydrates
88g
(29%)
Protein
17g
(34%)
Fat
21g
(32%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Cholesterol
5mg
(2%)
Sodium
25mg
(1%)
Potassium
344mg
(7%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
38IU
(1%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
75mg
(8%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 614
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 4g | |
| Calories | 614kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 88g | 29% |
| Protein | 17g | 34% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 5mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 25mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 344mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 38IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 75mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.