Easy Creamy Green Pasta Sauce

Preparation time: 30 minutes | Serves: 2-4 people

A pasta dish can sometimes feel like a godsend. Easy to whip up after a long day when you just need a bowl of comfort and carbs - whether it’s a rich and saucy ragu, or oodles of olive oil or fresh herbs for a summery salad, a packet of pasta goes a long way.

This easy, creamy green pasta sauce is essentially a fridge clean out recipe, taking just 10 minutes to assemble. Your blender does most of the hard work, which means no tedious prep or chopping is required.

Paired with a short pasta (I prefer rigatoni or mafalde) that catches the sauce perfectly, it’s delicious, healthy and packed with your daily dose of green veggies. This vegetarian pasta sauce is ideal for busy weeknights when you want something nutritious without the fuss.

How To Make This Green Pasta Sauce -

When I say this is a fridge clean out recipe, I mean you can use any leafy greens in your fridge that need using up. I’ve found that blending any sort of vegetable into a puree prolongs its life, especially when you add flavourings like garlic, ginger, chilli and spices.

I blanch the greens to retain their vibrant green colour and help puree them easily, but also re-use the blanching liquid to boil the pasta, ensuring that none of the green goodness goes to waste. To quicken the process further, I simply run the veggies under cold water instead of bothering with an ice bath.

For a creamy texture, I blended ricotta cheese with the greens puree which also adds a richness to the sauce, then emulsify it further with the starchy pasta water. To make this a more well-rounded dish, you can always add a source of protein like grilled or shredded chicken - pork and fennel sausages are particularly delicious with the greens.

This easy pasta recipe serves 2-3 people and is also perfect for meal prep, with the sauce developing in flavour over a few days in the refrigerator.

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Ingredients

• 100-150 gms leafy greens (including stems)

• 1 large zucchini, quartered

• 1/2 bunch parsley (including stems)

• 4-5 spring onions

• 1/2 cup creamy ricotta

• 4-5 garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp miso (optional)

• 1/2 packet pasta of your choice (I prefer something thicker like mafalde or rigatoni)

• Salt & pepper, according to taste

• Squeeze of lemon juice, according to taste

Method

1. Wash the greens thoroughly. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

2. Blanch the greens for 40-50 seconds until wilted (1-2 minutes for kale or cavolo nero), then rinse under cold water.

3. In the same water, boil the zucchini until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside to cool and reserve the cooking water.

4. Blend the cooled greens and zucchini with spring onions, parsley, garlic, ricotta, miso (if using) and a splash of water until smooth.

5. Pour the green sauce into a pan large enough to toss the pasta. Bring to a gentle simmer.

6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the blanching liquid, 2 minutes less than packet instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

7. Add the pasta water to the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened, then tip in the pasta and finish cooking until al dente.

8. Season to taste and serve with cracked pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

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Check out my other healthy recipes -

One Pan Roasted Za'atar Chicken

Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Fennel Slaw

Middle Eastern Glazed Salmon

Grilled Fish With Lemon Chimichurri

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RECIPE NOTES

Swaps, Serves & Storage

1. What greens can I use for this pasta sauce?
   I like using baby spinach for this recipe, however you can use any mild greens in your fridge - kale or cavolo nero. Apart from this, feel free to also add vegetables like peas, edamame, broccoli, broccolini or asparagus. Essentially any ingredient that has a mild taste that isn’t too bitter and will blend easily. You can also use frozen greens for this recipe.

2. What can I use instead of ricotta?
   I prefer the mild taste and creamy texture of smooth ricotta for this recipe, but you can swap with goats cheese, cottage cheese, crumbled paneer (blend with more water to make a smooth sauce), and even silken tofu or soaked cashews for a vegan version.

3. What pasta can I use for this recipe?
   Use short pasta like rigatoni, penne, fusilli or orecchiette - a short pasta holds the creamy sauce really well.

4. How long can I store this sauce?
   You can store the sauce for up to 4 days in the fridge and 4 months in the freezer. Once cooked with pasta/ protein - store in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
   

Did you try this recipe? Let me know which greens you used in the comments below.

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