Spinach Green Pasta Sauce - The Healthful Ideas (2024)

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Baby spinach - I like using baby spinach instead of regular big spinach leaves because I find the flavor to be a little less bitter and it's usually more widely available. This is what gives the sauce its bright green color.
• Milk - I like using cashew milk for this recipe because it doesn't have much flavor which makes it perfect for any savory dishes. I prefer it over almond milk or oat milk because of this but they work as well. If you don't mind dairy you can use regular milk too.
• Pasta - I'm using spaghetti for this recipe but any pasta shape works - gluten-free or regular.
• Garlic, chili flakes, fresh basil, sea salt - This is where all the flavor comes from

Do you have too much baby spinach you need to use up? Check out my Vegan Creamed Spinach or these Spinach and Feta Triangles, they're my favorite savory snack!

• Add shredded pecorino to the sauce, or nutritional yeast to keep it vegan and stir in.
• Cook your spaghetti, or another pasta shape, while the sauce is simmering.
• Save some of the pasta water and drain and rinse the pasta. Add it to the sauce and gently toss in the sauce. Add pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed.
• Add lemon juice, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt if needed. Enjoy!

What makes the sauce green?

Spinach! I add a whole box of baby spinach you find in grocery stores so basically this is spinach sauce but with lots of other flavors so you don't actually taste the spinach much at all.

What pasta can I use?

I like using spaghetti but any pasta shape works. You can use gluten-free if needed.

Is the recipe vegan?

Yes, unless you add the pecorino. To make the sauce cheesy and to add saltiness, I add grated pecorino (or parmesan) cheese to the sauce. You can omit it or add nutritional yeast instead to keep the recipe 100% vegan friendly.

Can you make the sauce ahead?

You can blend up the sauce the night before for lunch or dinner the next day but I don't recommend making it any further in advance. Blending the sauce only takes a minute!

UnitsScale

• 1 cup milk of choice (I like cashew milk here)
• ¼ cup vegetable stock (or water/more milk)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 140g baby spinach (1 box, approx. 4 cups packed)
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• ½ tsp tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• ¼ tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 8 oz spaghetti
• A squeeze of lemon (optional but recommended, approx. 1 tsp)
• ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or parmesan, plus more for serving)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

1. Add the milk, vegetable stock, garlic, baby spinach, fresh basil, tapioca starch, chili flakes, and sea salt to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. The sauce will be thin but will thicken as it cooks later.
2. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the finely chopped onion and sea salt. Cook, stirring often for 5-7 minutes until translucent.
3. Add a splash of vegetable stock or water to the pan before adding the sauce to deglaze so the milk doesn’t burn. Pour in the blended sauce and stir.
4. Let the sauce simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
5. While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
6. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain and rinse the spaghetti.
7. Add them to the sauce along with a squeeze of lemon, and toss gently to combine. Add pasta water as needed.
8. Serve with more Pecorino, black pepper, or more chili flakes if desired.

Saltiness: Pecorino is a very salty cheese so I only add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the sauce. If you’re using parmesan or no cheese at all, I recommend adding a pinch more salt or ½ tsp.

No cheese: To make this sauce completely vegan or vegetarian, you can substitute the pecorino with nutritional yeast. Add 2 tablespoon to the sauce and add more as needed to taste for serving.

Lemon: The lemon is added to bring freshness and a little bit of acidity to the sauce. You can skip it if you don’t have any lemon or substitute it with ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar which is different but really good.

Storing: Store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Add to a large pan with a splash of water to reheat. If it’s regular pasta, it should be ok. If it’s gluten-free, it might fall apart a little when you warm it up.