Espagueti Rojo, or Mexican red spaghetti, is so easy and so tasty.
I was not a fan of this dish growing up. I still ate it because you eat your food if you have a Mexican mom. Lol.
Nowadays, I crave it along with espagueti verde, espagueti a la crema, and anything pasta.
Those velvety, creamy noodles with salty cotija are the best!
Ingredients
- Spaghetti
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic clove
- tomatoes
- oregano
- granulated chicken bouillon
- Salt (for the water)
Since the sauce is very simple, that’s why you need to use red, ripe tomatoes. They should have a little push when squeezed. Hard tomatoes need a day or two to ripen.
For oil, use good extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil.
Toppings
Crema Mexicana or sour cream whatever you have on hand will work for this recipe.
Cotija Cheese (preferred) is salty and also provides texture. Substitute with feta or queso fresco.
For a melting cheese, shred the cheese and add 1 minute before taking the dish off the stove.
Fresh Parsley adds freshness to the dish. A little goes a long way.
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot with boiling water and salt.
- Cook according to the package instructions until it is al dente.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
Drain and cover it with oil or butter so it won’t stick together.
Don’t overcook the pasta. It will continue cooking in the sauce.
How to Make the Sauce
- To make the tomato sauce, add water, tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a boil in a large pot.
- Cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the tomatoes from the water.
- Place the tomatoes, garlic, and onion in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and cook.
Be very careful when adding to the skillet. It can splatter. Use a deeper pan to prevent the sauce from splatter on you.
Spicy lover? Add 1 chipotle in adobo sauce to the blender for a little kick.
- Cook for about two minutes at medium-high heat.
- Stir in the oregano and chicken bouillon.
Taste for good measure and adjust as needed.
You’ll see the sauce get thicker as it continues to cook.
Chicken bouillon will add depth to the sauce. Use vegetable bouillon to substitute.
- Add the pasta to the skillet with the tomato sauce.
- Reduce the heat and keep cooking for 2 more minutes.
Toss the spaghetti with the sauce and coat well.
If you want to use a melting cheese like monterey jack or mozzarella, add it to the skillet here. Mix well.
To serve the pasta, top it with crema mexicana, crumbled cotija, and garnish it with some parsley.
Add more or less crema mexicana (or sour cream) depending on how you like it.
The more cream you add, the creamier it will be.
Make it a complete meal and serve with milanesa de pollo or milanesa de res.
Storing Instructions
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store for up to 3 days. It’s best to store leftover spaghetti separate from the sauce.
Freezing Instructions
Put any leftover spaghetti with or without the sauce in a sealable bag. Remove as much air as possible and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Mexican Pasta Recipes:
Espagueti Rojo is what weeknight meals should be. Easy, delicious, and kid-friendly. I like to serve it with a simple salad. So good!
Hungry for More
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter for my latest recipes and videos.
Espagueti Rojo
Ingredients
- water (to cook the spaghetti)
- 1 teaspoon salt (to cook spaghetti)
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 lbs tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- water (to cook sauce ingredients)
- 1 ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon
For Toppings:
- Sour Cream (or crema mexicana)
- cotija cheese crumbled
- chopped parsley
Instructions
- Boil water in a large pot. Add salt and spaghetti.
- Cook the pasta according the package instructions.
- Do no overcook the pasta.
- It will continue cooking in the sauce.
- To make the sauce, add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and water in a stock pot.
- Add enough water to cover the ingredients.
- Cook for about 7-8 minutes, or until the tomatoes are cooked.
- Remove the ingredients from the pot and add them to a blender. Discard the water.
- Blend until smooth.
- Heat oil in a large, deep skillet.
- Pour the sauce into the pan and stand back.
- The sauce will splatter when added to the skillet.
- Cook for 1 minute and add the oregano and chicken bouillon.
- Continue cooking.
- Add the cooked pasta to the tomato sauce.
- Toss and mix well.
- Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Serve the pasta and top with a 1 tablespoon of sour cream cream, crumbled cotija, and parsley.
Her recipes are easy to read and understand.
Makes me feel confident when doing one of her dishes.
Thank you!! I appreciate your words. I try to make it easy for people to understand.