Creamy Spinach Walnut Pasta (Printable format)

A velvety, vibrant green pasta dish blending fresh spinach and toasted walnuts into a creamy plant-based sauce.

# List of ingredients:

→ Pasta

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

→ 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 (about 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)

# How to make it:

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 the pasta.
02 - While pasta cooks, toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and golden. Remove from heat and let 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 down sides as needed.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Add more milk for a thinner sauce or more nutritional yeast for enhanced savory depth.
05 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour spinach walnut sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like something from a fancy Italian restaurant
  • Its packed with spinach but nobody will guess theyre eating something so nutritious
  • The walnuts create this incredible velvety texture that makes you forget its completely plant based
02 -
  • That reserved pasta water is pure gold, dont skip it, it's what transforms the sauce from merely good to restaurant creamy
  • Blending hot sauce can create pressure, either let it cool slightly or vent your blender carefully
  • The sauce thickens as it sits, so have that extra plant milk ready if you're reheating leftovers
03 -
  • Don't skip toasting the walnuts, it's what takes the flavor from merely good to absolutely incredible
  • If the sauce tastes too grassy, blend in another tablespoon of nutritional yeast to mellow it out
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