Mexican Spaghetti

This is what happens when spaghetti takes a quick trip across the border. The sauce is built around the smoky-sweet warmth of chipotle peppers folded into crushed and herbed canned tomatoes, while diced avocado scattered on top brings cool creaminess to balance the heat.

The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which makes this a dinner you can actually pull off after work. Soften the onion in olive oil first, just two minutes until translucent. Garlic goes in for a quick 30 seconds, never longer or it turns bitter, then the chipotle-spiked tomatoes simmer for 8 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly and meld the flavors.

Don’t toss the avocado into the sauce, that’s where most cooks go wrong. The dice goes on top of the finished pasta as a fresh, almost guacamole-like garnish. Mixed in, it warms and turns muddy. On top, it stays cool and creamy, a contrast to the smoky tomato underneath.

Serve with warm flour tortillas and a green salad to round out the plate.

Pro Tips

• Cook the pasta to al dente, not soft. The directions say tender but not soft, and they mean it. The sauce coats firm pasta better.
• Toss the pasta with the sauce in two stages: half first, then the rest. This guarantees every strand gets coated.
• Use chipotle in adobo, finely chopped, for the best heat-to-smoke ratio. A small can goes a long way and freezes beautifully.
• Pick a ripe but firm avocado. Mushy avocado breaks down in the bowl and the dish loses its texture contrast.
• Squeeze fresh lime juice over the avocado before scattering. It keeps the green bright and adds zing.

Variations

• Add a handful of crumbled queso fresco or feta for a salty, tangy finish.
• Stir in cooked chorizo or shredded chicken for a heartier version.
• Top with chopped fresh cilantro and a drizzle of Mexican crema for restaurant-style presentation.