Creamy Spinach Walnut Pasta (Printable Version)

Plant-based pasta with velvety spinach-walnut sauce. Ready in 25 minutes. Nutritious, dairy-free, and naturally creamy.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, penne, or preferred shape)

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup raw walnuts
03 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach, packed
04 - 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (oat, soy, or almond)
05 - 2 garlic cloves
06 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
07 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

12 - Extra toasted walnuts, chopped
13 - Freshly ground black pepper
14 - Lemon zest (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
02 - While pasta cooks, toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine toasted walnuts (reserve some for garnish), spinach, plant-based milk, garlic, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping sides as needed.
04 - Taste sauce and adjust seasoning as necessary. Add more milk for a thinner consistency or more nutritional yeast for enhanced richness.
05 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour spinach walnut sauce over pasta and toss thoroughly to coat. Add reserved pasta water gradually as needed to achieve a silky, creamy consistency.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra chopped walnuts, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like something from a restaurant
  • It is secretly packed with spinach but tastes indulgent, not healthy
  • The walnuts create this incredible velvety texture that coats every single strand of pasta perfectly
02 -
  • The sauce thickens as it sits, so do not worry if it looks thinner than you expect right after blending
  • Reserving that pasta water is not optional, it is what transforms the sauce from separate components into a cohesive, silky coating
  • If your blender struggles with the walnuts, add the liquid ingredients first to help things move smoothly
03 -
  • Let the toasted walnuts cool for at least five minutes before blending, otherwise they can make the sauce taste strangely bitter
  • If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak the walnuts in hot water for an hour and drain well before toasting for a smoother result
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