Tallarines Verdes

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks – About Tallarines Verdes

Tallarines verdes is a hallmark of Peru’s cultural diversity. This dish is a result of the influence of Italian immigrants who arrived in Peru in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They brought their culinary traditions, including pasta with sauce – pasta with pesto in this case – and wood oven pizzas.

Traditional Italian pesto is made with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, parmagiano reggiano, and olive oil. Some of these ingredients were not available, and if they were, they were expensive. Peruvian cooks adapted their own versions with ingredients more readily available.

My version of the sauce replaces pine nuts with pecans (very common in Peru), some of the basil with spinach, and a combination of queso fresco and parmesan. While Peruvian cooks are likely to use evaporated milk, I don’t care for it. I specify milk, and usually use Califia Farms plant-based creamer. It captures the texture of evaporated milk with fewer calories and better taste IMHO.

Having traveled extensively in the Peruvian Andes, I have taken a little creative license and added a little huacatay paste (Peruvian black mint). I’m sure it was an ingredient in the tallarines verdes I had in little family-owned restaurants, and we love it! It is an essential part of my Peruvian ají verde sauce.

Lastly, no Peruvian sauce is complete without a little ají pepper. Ají amarillo paste brings a hint of fruity heat to my sauce. If you don’t want to buy jars of Peruvian pastes, you can omit these optional ingredients. You will still have a very flavorful sauce!

📋 Ingredients Notes

Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.

• olive oil
• onion – Peruvians use a LOT of red onions in their cooking, and it is my preference here. I also like shallots. If you substitute sweet or yellow onions, you’ll be fine.
• pecans – I like to use pecan pieces for this verde sauce (they’re less expensive). Walnuts are also a traditional choice.
• garlic
• spinach – I prefer baby spinach leaves. If you use mature spinach, you’ll want to remove the stems as they can be bitter.
• fresh basil
• queso fresco – In Peru, they will probably use queso Andino, another fresh cheese. Fresh mozzarella is a good substitute
• ají amarillo paste – This ingredient is optional, but one we love. I always have a jar of ají amarillo paste on hand. It has a fruity brightness, and adds a hint of heat.
• huacatay paste – Huacatay is Peruvian black mint. Huacatay paste has a robust, earthy, aromatic flavor that is unique. Like the ají amarillo paste, this is an optional ingredient.
• milk or cream – As I’ve said in many other posts, evaporated milk is ubiquitous in Peruvian cooking. I don’t care for it. My choice is usually this plant-based creamer (far fewer calories). I have been known to use half and half.😁 Whole milk is fine as well.
• butter
• parmesan – Parmesan, asiago, and pecorino are all good choices!
• pasta – I prefer a long, thin pasta like spaghetti, linguini, or fettucine. However, you can use whatever pasta you prefer.

🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions

• Mis en place – Prepare all ingredients according to the recipe card Ingredients. Bring a pasta pot to a boil with a palm full of kosher salt.

• Sauté the aromatics – Start with a drizzle of olive oil and the onion over medium-high heat. Add the pecan pieces (or walnuts). Sauté for 1-2 minutes before adding the minced garlic.

• Wilt the spinach – Add the spinach to the skillet. Wilt it, but don’t cook it. NOTE: Wilting the spinach boosts the color. You don’t want to cook it. Remove from the heat.

• Cook the pasta – Following package instructions, cook your pasta to al dente.

• Process – Add the contents of the skillet, basil, queso fresco, ají amarillo and huacatay pastes (if using), milk or cream, and remaining olive oil. Pulse until smooth and thoroughly combined.

• Finish the tallarines verdes sauce – Scrape the contents of the blender back into the skillet over medium heat. Gently warm it, then add the butter and parmesan. Stir to incorporate. NOTE: If the sauce is too thick, add additional milk or cream, or broth if you prefer.

• Finish the tallarines verdes – Stir the al dente pasta into the sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve.

• To serve – After thoroughly combining the pasta with the sauce, garnish with fresh basil, additional parmesan, and an egg or other protein as desired.

❓FAQ

💭 Tips

On photo day, I chose to top our tallarines verdes with poached eggs. Poached eggs continue to cook atop hot pasta, so they lost their runny yolks. Basted eggs are easier, but not as pretty.

Peruvians love to top tallarines verdes with bistek or pollo milanesa (which is how I’ve had it!). We don’t do much beef, but I plan to do a milanesa chicken breast because I think it’s a useful skill.

Not long ago, I published a recipe for pasta a la huancaína. It’s similar to this Peruvian pasta recipe, but it features my salsa a la huancaína (Peruvian yellow sauce). If pasta is your jam, you’ll want to check it out as well.

🥘Peruvian Pairings

Add meatballs or roasted chicken, along with Peruvian salsa criolla to complete the menu!

Cheese Stuffed Bison Meatballs

Peruvian Salsa Criolla

Peruvian Roasted Chicken with Spicy Cilantro Sauce

Baked Peruvian Meatballs