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Pasta with green pasta sauce in a white bowl.

Easy and Nutritious Green Pasta Sauce (Dairy-Free)


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Description

This velvety smooth and flavorful green pasta sauce packs in fresh baby spinach for an easy and delicious way to get your greens. The creaminess comes from blending cashews, resulting in a nutritious dairy-free pasta dish in under 30 minutes!


Ingredients

Units Scale

The Green Pasta Sauce:

  • 1 cup raw cashews (I recommend soaking in advance although not required)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 large clove garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 handfuls fresh baby spinach
  • Optional: a handful of fresh basil (for more flavor) and/or 2-3 tablespoons hemp seeds (for more protein)

The Pasta:

  • 10 ounces any pasta
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large shallots, finely diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes (or more to taste)
  • 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon maple syrup (my kids love when I add this)

Garnish Options/Add-Ins

  • fresh basil
  • vegan parmesan cheese
  • red pepper chili flakes
  • broccoli or peas

Instructions

  1. Prepare the green pasta sauce. Blend all sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender until it transforms into a creamy sauce. Set aside.
  2. Begin cooking the pasta according to package instructions.
  3. Sauté the shallots. While the pasta cooks, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, diced shallot, salt and red pepper chili flakes and sauté for about 5 minutes until the shallots are soft, fragrant and translucent.
  4. Sauté the garlic. Turn the burner to low and add the minced garlic to the skillet. If using maple syrup, add at this time as well. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Put it all together. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and mix in the green pasta sauce. Garnish with basil, hemp seeds, broccoli, peas, vegan parmesan cheese and/or additional red pepper chili flakes.

Notes

  • Save the pasta water. Use reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce if too thick. You can also use the water to rehydrate the dish if reheating leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
  • Feel free to customize! For both the sauce and the pasta, using more or less of any particular ingredient is perfectly fine. Add more chili pepper flakes for more heat or remove it altogether to make it more kid-friendly... this recipe is flexible!
  • Boost the protein content. Use quinoa or chickpea pasta or sprinkle additional hemp seeds on top.
  • Prep Time: 8
  • Cook Time: 12