How to Make Rojo Espagueti: A Delicious and Easy Mexican Plate

In Mexican cooking, espagueti rojo is a classic and well-liked dish. It is well-known for its flavorful, delicious, and delicate preparation. It is frequently served as a main course, as an accompaniment to meats, or as an ensalada. What makes this dish unique is its salsa made with jitomates and chiles secos, which gives it its distinctive red color and a savory, somewhat spicy flavor.

If you’re looking for a simple and delicious recipe to make at home, the espagueti rojo is the ideal choice. This blog will teach you how to accomplish it step-by-step and provide you with tips and variations so you can customize it to your liking.

What is the Rojo Espagueti?

The simple pasta dish espagueti rojo is accompanied by a salsa made mostly with jitomates, chiles secos (usually chile de árbol or chile guajillo), ajo, and aceite, among other ingredients. Unlike other types of spinach that are served with white or cremosa salsas, the red spinach has a light and savory salsa that goes well with meats, poultry, or even as a vegetarian dish.

A dish that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes, it is rather versatile and suitable for both novices and seasoned cooks.

Ingredients for Rojo Espagueti

The recipe for espagueti rojo is really simple, and best of all, its ingredients are easy to get. The list of ingredients needed to make a delicious red spagueti is provided here:

Components:

• 400 grams of spaghetti (or any long pasta)
  Two large jitomates (or one taza of pure jitomate)
  2-3 chiles secos (guajillo or árbol chili)
  1/4 de cebolla (optional, to give it a savorier taste)
  1 diente de ajo (recommended, but optional)
  **1 cucharada de *oliva* o aceite vegetal
  A half-taza of either agua or pollo caldo
• Pimienta y sal al gusto
  1/4 cucharadita de azúcar (to balance the jitomates’ acidity)
• 1 hoja de laurel (optional, to give the sabor more depth)
  Queso rallado (not required, for service)

Optional Ingredients: 1/4 taza of agria crema or leche crema (to give it a cremoso touch if desired)

Jalapeño or Chile serrano (I prefer a more colorful touch)
Additional vegetables (such as chicharos, ralladas, or spinacas) to provide more nutrients

How to Prepare Rojo Espagueti: Step by Step

Now that you have all the ingredients listed, let’s make this delicious espagueti rojo. To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Preparing Espagueti

1. Place salted water in a large olla (about 3 liters of water for 400 grams of spaguetis).
2. When the water is hirviendo, add the espaguetis and cook according to the package’s instructions, which are typically 8 to 10 minutes. The spagueti must be al dente (that is, firm but known).
3. Once cooked, escúrrelos and set aside a small amount of the cooking water (about 1/4 of the taza). If necessary, this will be used to thin the salsa. Continue with the salsa preparation in the meantime.

Step 2: Get the salsa roja ready

Hidratar los chiles: If you’re using second-second chilies (like the árbol or guajillo), soak the semillas and tallos in a small bowl with hot water for 5 minutes to hydrate them.

2. List the ingredients: Put the hydrated chilies, the jitomates (they are frescos or córtalos in large frozen trozos), the diente de ajo, the cebolla, and the caldo de pollo or water in a licuadora. To obtain a delicious salsa, Licúa must. Add more hot water or pollo if you want your salsa to be more liquid.
3. Preparing the salsa: Calienta el aceite a fuego medium en una sartén grande. Add the salsa you like and cook for 5–7 minutes. Continues to ensure that it doesn’t fall. The salsa should have a slight taste, and the flavors should blend well.

Sazonar la salsa: To balance the acidity of the jitomates, add sal, pimienta, and ana pizca de azúcar to the salsa. If desired, add a hoja de laurel to give it an extra savorful touch. Cook for a few more minutes.

Step 3: Using the Roja Salsa to Mezclar Espagueti

Añadir los espaguetis: After the salsa is ready, add the espaguetis escurridos to the sartén with the red salsa. Mix well so that the salsa covers all of the spaguetis.

2. Cocinar todo junto: Cook over low heat for two to three minutes, making sure the spaguetis fully soak the salsa.
3. If the salsa is too thick, add a small amount of the cocción of the reconstituted pasta until the desired consistency is reached.

Paso 4: Disfrutar y Servir

Serve the espagueti rojo in individual platos. You can add a little crema agria to give it a more cremoso touch, or you can eat a little queso rallado encima.

2. To make a whole meal, you can pair this delicious sandwich with a fresh salad or pollo a la parrilla, carne de res, or frijoles refritos.

Espagueti Rojo Variaciones

The espagueti rojo is very versatile and may be tailored to suit a variety of tastes. We’ve included a few variations here:

1. Espagueti Rojo with Pollo

To add a touch of protein, you can add pollo desmenuzado or pollo a la parrilla to the salsa. Just mix the salsa and the pollo al sartén together and let it mix properly.

2. Rojo Espagueti with Verduras

To make the red salsa more nutritious, add vegetables like espinacas, zanahorias ralladas, or chicharos to the salsa. All you have to do is combine them with salsa and cook them until they are done.

3. Vegano Espagueti Rojo

Make the red spagueti entirely vegan by using caldo de verduras instead of caldo de pollo and removing the crema agria. If you prefer to avoid gluten, you can use pasta sin gluten instead of a vegan pasta.

4. Espagueti Rojo Picante

If you enjoy spicy food, you can add chile serrano or jalapeño fresh to the salsa, or even a small amount of salsa picante to taste to enhance the flavor.

Why Will You Love the Rojo Espagueti?

The espagueti rojo is a delicious, colorful, and easy-to-make plate. Its salsa of jitomates and chiles secos has a rich, somewhat spicy flavor, and the pasta absorbs all of these flavors to create an incredible combination. Additionally, it’s a versatile plate that can be customized with various ingredients like pollo, vegetables, or even veganism. It’s a great option for sharing with family and friends or enjoying as a quick and comforting meal.

Conclusion

If you haven’t tried the espagueti rojo yet, now is the ideal time to do it! It’s simple, flavorful, and full of hues and textures that will make your meal a delicious one. With this recipe, you can make a traditional, cremoso, or even a picante espagueti rojo according to your preferences. Allow me to cook it and enjoy a comforting, savory dish!