This Creamy Vegan Spinach Pasta is a total comfort food and is a gentle twist to the classic pesto pasta by swapping cheese with coconut milk. Flavored with oregano, fresh garlic, fresh lemon juice, and black pepper, this creamy spinach sauce is addictive and these leafy greens impart a vibrant color to this pasta! Top it with olive oil for a hearty meal!
This Vegan Creamy Spinach Pasta Sauce is packed with flavor and protein. Made by blanching fresh spinach leaves, and blending them with garlic, the creamy sauce gets creaminess from coconut milk and olive oil. And all this can be made without cashews and cheese in just 15 minutes!! Such min prepping and simple ingredients. I loved the garlicky flavor with the combination of spinach. Not that I don't like cheese, but I am always looking for ways to create healthy recipes. Trust me, this recipe of creamy vegan pasta is amazing and is going to be your favorite pasta!
Drizzle it with olive oil or team it with a side salad for a perfect weeknight dinner!
Another vegan pasta sauce made using raw cashews and capsicum from the blog is Cashew Cream Vegan Pasta and if you love tomatoes, you might like Spicy Vegan Arrabiata Pasta.
More Healthy Vegan Recipes: Roasted Tomato Garlic Soup, Air Fryer Broccoli Potatoes, Air Fryer Cucumber Chips, and Cilantro Lime Brown Rice.
Why Would You Love This Recipe?
- Healthy Pasta Sauce that is Bursting with rich and savory flavors of Spinach and garlic
- A Healthy and Easy Recipe for last-minute dinner!
- Perfect recipe for a low-calorie Diet.
- Healthy meal for the whole family.
- Can be made ahead of time
- Kids Friendly.
- Simple Ingredients.
- The Best Creamy Vegan Spinach Pasta Ever!
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Spaghetti- I love pesto made with spaghetti. Feel free to use any type of pasta. This recipe of pasta works well with any shape. Make sure to boil spaghetti till it's almost done or else it would be too mushy. I have used Del Monte brand available locally. You may use any good quality brand of your choice. If you wish to make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
- Olive Oil- Olive oil adds depth and perfect aroma to the flavor of this pasta. I would recommend using a good quality brand for extra virgin olive oil.
- Garlic- Freshly minced or grounded garlic works best for this recipe. You may use garlic powder/ paste as well. But I highly recommend using fresh garlic cloves.
- Spinach- Spinach is the star ingredient of this pesto pasta. Pesto made using spinach adds a savory and umami flavor. The same recipe would work with fresh basil leaves. I have used fresh and sorted spinach leaves. You may use frozen or baby spinach as well. Blanched them only for a few minutes and cool off to blend.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk- I have used a local brand Dabur for the coconut milk. You may use any good brand. If you wish to add cheese, feel free to use vegan cream cheese or vegan Parmesan cheese. You may use any dairy-free milk. While one may use vegetable stock, coconut milk adds the best creamy consistency.
- Black Pepper- adds a spicy kick to this otherwise bland pasta. Feel free to adjust the heat. I have used whole black pepper. You may use black pepper powder or red pepper flakes as well.
- Oregano- Dried oregano adds perfect savory flavor.
- Lemon Juice- Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a tangy flavor and balances the overall flavor of the vegan sauce.
- Red Chili Powder- Adds a perfect spicy kick! Adjust the heat.
- Salt- Normal table salt works well.
Variations
- Add Vegetables- You may add chopped onion, broccoli and tomato. I have skipped any veggies as I wished to enjoy the unique flavor that spinach pesto adds to the pasta.
- Add Nuts- You may top this pasta by adding nuts of your choice.
- Fresh Herbs- Add parsley or basil as a topping.
- Make It Cheesy- If you love cheese, feel free to add the vegan/ dairy cheese of your choice.
- Baked Pasta- As much as I love stove-top pasta, I relish the baked casserole pasta dish too. To make this pasta more creamy, you may add vegan cream and bake it.
How To Make Creamy Vegan Spinach Pasta Sauce
Step 1. Blanch Spinach Leaves
Take the Bunch of Spinach and chop it in large uneven chunks. Wash them under tap thoroughly. Blanch sorted spinach fresh leaves for 2-3 minutes and cool off to blend with black pepper and garlic. Any more than that time might give a dark tone to our pesto sauce which we don't wish.
Step 2. Boil Spaghetti Pasta
While spinach is blanching, you may boil the pasta in another pan.
Step 3. Make Creamy Vegan Sauce
In a blender, add blanched and cooled off spinach leaves and garlic. Blend it to make a smooth paste. If you have mortar pestle, you may try your hand on it.
In a wok, heat the olive oil. Add spinach paste, spices, salt, lemon juice, and coconut milk. Cook it on a slow flame for about 3-4 min.
Step 4. Mix Sauce and Pasta
Put the boiled pasta in a colander. I don't use pasta water.
Add boiled pasta over the sauce and mix well. Cook for half a min to mix everything gently.
Step 4. Serve It.
The mouth-watering Creamy Vegan Spinach Pasta is ready. Top it with olive oil and serve it.
Expert Tips
- While one may use frozen spinach, I recommend using fresh spinach leaves.
- Blanch the spinach leaves carefully. To preserve the vibrant green color of the basil and prevent it from turning brown, blanch the spinach leaves in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Then transfer them to a colander for cooling off.
- I haven't used pasta water in this recipe and trust me the pasta had perfect texture without it.
- Follow the package directions for boiling spaghetti as it may differ.
Storage Suggestions
The leftover pasta can be stored in a dry airtight container with a lid for about 2 days. For reheating, you may use the stovetop method and add a little coconut milk as the spaghetti pasta would absorb the sauce when stored.
I don't recommend freezing the pasta. If you have leftover sauce, you may freeze it in a dry container with a lid for about a week. Thaw it and reheat it to add to boiled pasta.
FAQs
To make pesto spaghetti pasta more creamy, you may add dairy-free milks like-cashew, coconut milk or rice milk.
Well, the classical pesto has the cheese which is not vegan. I haven't used any cheese in this recipe, though you may use Tofu or nutritional yeast as vegan substitutes for cheese.
This pesto pasta is made of spinach leaves, though one may use basil leaves as well.
You May also Like:
More Healthy Vegan Recipes:
- Best Tomato Rice Soup- Quick & Simple
- Easy Potato Onion Soup Recipe
- Easy Coconut Red Lentil Soup Recipe (Creamy Vegan)
- Tomato Soup With Potato (Creamy With No Cream)
- Spinach and Mushroom Soup
- Best Cream of Spinach Soup (Vegan)
- Amla Murabba Recipe- Indian Gooseberry Jam
- Crispy Poori Recipe- Indian Puffed Bread
- Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup
- Air Fryer Crispy Rice Paper Dumplings Recipe
- Beet Salad With Feta and Walnuts {Easy Recipe}
- Beetroot Raita Recipe {Indian Beet Yogurt Dip}
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Creamy Vegan Spinach Pasta Recipe (Easy Pasta Sauce)
Equipment
- 1 saucepan boiling spaghetti
- 1 saucepan for blanching spinach leaves
- 1 large colander
- 1 Blender blending spinach with garlic
- 1 heavy bottomed pan or wok making pasta sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pack spaghetti Del Monte 250 gm
- 2 cloves garlic you may use more
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups Spinach leaves roughly chopped -150 gm
- 2 tablespoon coconut milk Dabur brand
- 2 teaspoon black pepper you may use whole pepper corns as well
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder optional
- 2 teaspoon oregano dried
- 7 cups water or as needed boiling pasta
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Take the Bunch of Spinach and chop it in large uneven chunks. Wash them under tap thoroughly.
- Take a large pan and boil water in it. Add the washed Spinach leaves to boiling water for 2 minutes. Any more than that time might give a dark tone to our pesto sauce which we don't wish.
- In the mean time, boil the spaghetti in another pan with water.
- In a blender, add blanched and cooled off spinach leaves and garlic.
- Blend it to make a smooth paste. If you have mortar pestle, you may try your hand on it.
- Put the boiled pasta in a colander. I don't use pasta water.
- In a wok, heat the olive oil. Add spinach paste, spices, salt, lemon juice and coconut milk. Cook it on a slow flame for about 3-4 min.
- Add boiled pasta over the sauce and mix well. Cook for half a min to mix everything gently.
- Top your vegan creamy spinach pasta with olive oil and enjoy!
Notes
-
- While one may use frozen spinach, I recommend using fresh spinach leaves.
- Blanch the spinach leaves carefully. To preserve the vibrant green color of the basil and prevent it from turning brown, blanch the spinach leaves in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Then transfer them to a colander for cooling off.
- I haven't used pasta water in this recipe and trust me the pasta had perfect texture without it.
- Follow the package directions for boiling spaghetti as it may differ.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 bowl | |
| Servings: 2 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 201 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 17.1g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat 4.3g | 21% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 60mg | 3% |
| Total Carbohydrate 13.7g | 5% |
| Dietary Fiber 3.8g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 4.5g | |
| Protein 6.5g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 87mg | 7% |
| Iron 2mg | 13% |
| Potassium 390mg | 8% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition | |
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