Savory, lemony, and zippy green pasta sauce is not only a fantastic way to eat your greens, but dare I say a more delicious alternative to pesto or marinara sauce. Packed with vibrant spinach, cheesy Parmesan, and aromatic basil & garlic, it's a light and healthy dinner that you can have on the table in less than 30 minutes.
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Until recently, I thought pesto was my all-time favorite sauce/condiment. However, this green pasta sauce packed with leafy greens has taken the lead.
Somehow, it's even tastier than pesto (despite being very similar) but lighter and healthier. It's an easy and budget-friendly alternative to store-bought sauce, and it can easily be made dairy-free/vegan.
For more vegetarian pasta recipes, try my pasta with garlic butter sauce, vegetarian tortellini salad, and vegetarian lasagna.
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⭐️ Why You'll Love It
- Creamy, lemony, zippy, and savory green sauce for pasta that is not only a fantastic way to eat your greens, but dare I say a more delicious alternative to pesto or marinara sauce
- Quick & easy recipe that's ready in less than 30 minutes and is just 7 simple ingredients. It's great for busy weeknights but also works for meal prep!
- Budget-friendly recipe that doesn't need any fancy ingredients and is an easy alternative to store-bought sauce
- Healthy vegetarian recipe that's soy-free, keto-friendly, high in fiber, packed with iron, vitamin K, and full of antioxidants
- Versatile sauce that can be used on top of salads, grain bowls, eggs, or as a sandwich condiment
🌿 Ingredient Notes
- Pasta - I recommend using your favorite type of long pasta (e.g. spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, etc.), as they work well with this vibrant sauce.
- Garlic - I highly recommend using fresh garlic for the best flavor, but jarred garlic will work as well.
- Spinach - You can use fresh baby spinach OR frozen spinach, but if you use frozen, be sure to squeeze out any excess water before using. The nutritional benefits of spinach are endless: it's packed with fiber, is a great source of iron, vitamin K, and full of antioxidants.
- Parmesan cheese - Adds rich umami flavor, and also adds saltiness
- Basil - Provides fresh aromatics
- Lemon juice and zest - Nothing brightens up a pasta dish like adding fresh lemon juice and zest. It adds so much bright citrus flavor, so don't skip this step.
- Red pepper flakes - This is an optional garnish, but I love the subtle heat and pop of color it gives this pasta dish.
📝 Diet & Ingredient Variations & Substitutions
- Make it gluten-free: Substitute gluten-free pasta or use zoodles (zucchini noodles)!
- Kale sauce: Substitute equal amounts of fresh kale for the spinach for a similarly flavored sauce.
- Make it dairy-free/vegan: You can omit the Parmesan cheese or replace it with nutritional yeast, which has a deliciously cheesy and nutty flavor.
- Cream cheese: For an extra rich and creamy green sauce, add 2 ounces of room temperature cream cheese into the food processor with the other ingredients.
- Add vegetables: Stir in ½ cup steamed peas, sauteed (chopped) broccoli, or asparagus with pasta for extra nutrition and texture.
- Add protein: For a protein-rich meal, add your favorite protein, like chicken, beans, tofu, or seafood.
🔪 How to Make Green Sauce for Pasta
Cook the pasta:
Over high heat, bring a large pot of (generously salted) water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. After pasta is cooked, set aside ½ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
Make green sauce:
While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, using tongs to toss frequently, until spinach has wilted.
Transfer spinach mixture to a food processor or blender. Add the Parmesan cheese, basil, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper, and blend until mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping once to scrape down the sides.
Assemble pasta:
After draining the pasta, return it to the previously used large skillet or a large mixing bowl. Pour pasta sauce over noodles, along with 2 tablespoons of pasta water, and toss well with tongs so that noodles are well-coated with the sauce. Add more pasta water as needed, continuing to toss noodles, until you have a silky sauce.
Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper if necessary. Garnish with red pepper flakes (if using) and serve immediately.
👩🏼🍳 Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to freeze: After sauce has completely cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
- How to reheat: Place leftovers in a medium skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of water to help rehydrate, and heat on medium-low for 5-7 minutes, until heated through.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Thicken it up. If your sauce turns out too watery, read my post on how to thicken pasta sauce.
- Salt pasta water. Be generous when you salt your pasta water. As the water is absorbed into the noodles, the salt is absorbed along with it, giving it flavor. So, be generous with the salt!
- Reserve pasta water. Be sure to reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining your pasta. It contains starch, which helps to thicken the sauce and ensures that it sticks to the pasta.
- Cook pasta al dente. Nobody likes overcooked pasta, so be sure to cook your pasta according to package instructions. It should be firm-tender and chewy when you bite into it.
🍽 How to Serve Green Sauce Pasta
Serve your noodles as a creamy side dish to salmon, chicken, or shrimp
Top with healthy baked meatballs for a meatless version of spaghetti and meatballs
Serve with homemade bread, like sourdough focaccia
Pair with a delicious side salad, like fennel salad
Accompany your pasta with vegetables, like broccoli, asparagus, or my roasted green beans and carrots
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Green pasta sauce is a type of sauce that is typically green in color and is used to dress pasta. There are many variations of green pasta sauce, but most of them are made with herbs or vegetables that give them their characteristic green color. Some examples are pesto sauce, or similar sauces made with spinach, peas, or avocado.
Similar to pesto but lighter and healthier due to the leafy greens, this pasta sauce recipe includes fresh spinach, nutty Parmesan, garlic, and aromatic basil leaves. It's a versatile sauce that can be used on top of salads, grain bowls, eggs, or as a sandwich condiment.
3 common types of pasta sauce include marinara, which is a classic tomato-based sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs such as oregano and basil. Another common pasta sauce is Alfredo sauce, which is a rich, creamy sauce made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Finally, bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce that typically includes ground beef or pork, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. It is seasoned with herbs such as thyme and bay leaves, and some variations may also include carrots, celery, and red wine.
🍝 Related Recipes
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Creamy Green Pasta Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (I prefer spaghetti or linguine noodles)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
- zest and juice from 1 lemon (about 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon of lemon zest)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional garnish)
Instructions
Cook the pasta:
- Over high heat, bring a large pot of (generously salted) water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. After pasta is cooked, set aside ½ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
Make green sauce:
- While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, using tongs to toss frequently, until spinach has wilted.
- Transfer spinach mixture to a food processor or blender. Add the Parmesan cheese, basil, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper, and blend until mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping once to scrape down the sides.
Assemble pasta:
- After draining the pasta, return it to the previously used large skillet or a large mixing bowl. Pour pasta sauce over noodles, along with 2 tablespoons of pasta water, and toss well with tongs so that noodles are well-coated with the sauce. Add more pasta water as needed, continuing to toss noodles, until you have a silky sauce.
- Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper if necessary. Garnish with red pepper flakes (if using) and serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to freeze: After sauce has completely cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
- How to reheat: Place leftovers in a medium skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of water, and heat on medium-low for 5-7 minutes, until heated through.
- Salt pasta water. Be generous when you salt your pasta water. As the water is absorbed into the noodles, the salt is absorbed along with it, giving it flavor. So, be generous with the salt!
- Reserve pasta water. Be sure to reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining your pasta. It contains starch, which helps to thicken the sauce and ensures that it sticks to the pasta.
- Cook pasta al dente. Nobody likes overcooked pasta, so be sure to cook your pasta according to package instructions. It should be firm-tender and chewy when you bite into it.
Nora
How genius to add spinach to a pesto-like sauce for extra nutrition and flavor! It was much more flavorful than I initially thought it would be, so I'm glad I tried it. I've been eating this for the last few days, and am sad that it will be gone tomorrow. But it will be added to my dinner rotation!
MaryAnne
Thanks so much, Nora! I always love to hear when a recipe makes it into someone's dinner rotation! 😍