Last Updated on August 5, 2026 by Tanya
This vibrant vegan Green Pasta recipe is packed with leafy greens and creamy richness, all coming together in under 30 minutes. It’s a go-to for busy weeknights or a fun way to impress guests with something that looks gourmet but is super simple to make!
I love how this sauce transforms a handful of everyday ingredients into something that looks like it took real effort — the vibrant green colour always gets a “wow” from guests before they’ve even tasted it. It’s become one of my favourite recipes when I want to sneak extra greens into dinner, since the spinach flavour is mellow and mostly just adds that gorgeous colour and nutrient boost.
Ingredients
- 🥬 Spinach– The base of the ‘green’ sauce—super healthy and packed with nutrients! Fresh works best, but frozen and lightly cooked can also work. Fresh spinach needs to be ‘wilted’ for a few minutes before adding to sauce and blending (see recipe)
- 🌿Fresh Basil-Adds a fresh, herby, flavour. Can be omitted if you don’t have this.
- 🥛 Plant-Based Milk– Use unsweetened plant-based milk (oat, almond, soy) or my homemade nut milk here (omit date and vanilla to keep it unsweetened).
- 🥜 Cashews– Cashews give the sauce it’s creaminess without the need for dairy. Soak in warm water for 15-30 minutes or overnight before blending.
- 🧄 Garlic– Gives the sauce extra flavour. Minced garlic cloves or garlic paste both work.
- 🍋 Lemon Juice– Lemon juice brings out the flavour of the sauce- without this it can taste quite bland so don’t omit. Fresh is best, but bottled works too.
- ✨ Nutritional Yeast– A.k.a. “nooch.” Gives the sauce a cheesy, umami flavour without the cheese.
- 🍝 Pasta– Any pasta of choice- linguine, penne, spaghetti, fusilli.
- 🧅 Optional Add-Ins– I added chilli oil pine nuts, and fresh basil to mine. You could also add Mushrooms, Green peas, vegan parmesan or any other toppings of choice!
FAQs
Yes — thaw and squeeze out excess water before adding to the sauce, using roughly half the volume since frozen spinach is more concentrated.
Swap the cashews for sunflower seeds (soaked the same way) for a similar creamy texture without the nuts.
Yes — the blended sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce may thicken as it cools — loosen with a splash of pasta water or plant milk when reheating.
Cream-based sauces can change texture after freezing, so this is best enjoyed fresh or as fridge leftovers within a few days
Related
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Ingredients
- 240g (2 large packets) fresh spinach
- Handful fresh basil
- 2 large cloves garlic
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ cup raw cashews soaked and drained
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk
- Salt to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Pasta of choice around ½ pack Cooked according to instructions, drained
- Chilli oil, pine nuts, fresh basil Optional toppings
Instructions
- Wilt spinach by adding to deep pan or pot, adding a splash of water and covering ot for around 3-5mins. When all of the spinach leaves have wilted, remove from pot and drain excess water.
- Add wilted spinach, fresh basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, soaked cashews and non-dairy milk. Blend well until smooth.
- Add salt and lemon juice, blend or stir in.
- Add cooked paste to pot with a splash of olive oil. Stir sauce in pasta. Heat over a medium heat for around 5-8 minutes, stirring well.
- Serve in bowls. Add optional toppings.
