Creamy Spinach Pasta Sauce

What to expect?

Fresh spinach has a slightly bitter and metallic taste and a soft, chewy texture that some people may not find appealing. The metallic taste is due to its high iron content, which could be off-putting for some individuals. But if you want to incorporate spinach into your diet, this recipe would be just what you were looking for.

If you try our spinach pasta sauce recipe, you will get a creamy and cheesy pasta sauce with a slight hint of spinach. The chopped spinach leaves provide a vibrant green color to the sauce, while the combination of cream and Parmesan cheese makes it rich and indulgent. When it comes to spinach recipes, garlic is a must to add a savory note to the sauce, making it satisfying and delicious that you can whip up in no time.

Ingredients

So what do you need to make this creamy spinach pasta sauce? Whether you’re a vegan or a cheese lover, this recipe is adaptable to your dietary preferences without compromising on flavor. Here are the 5 simple ingredients I was talking about:

• Spinach leaves → Fresh or frozen blended spinach.
• Garlic
• Heavy cream → We used a dairy-free cooking cream
• Parmesan cheese → We used nutritional yeast to make it vegan.
• Olive oil

🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

Preparing the ingredients

• Cook pasta in a large pot of water according to package instructions.
• Peel and mince or finely chop garlic cloves.
• Wash spinach leaves (if you buy them unwashed). Add them to a food processor and chop them into small pieces, but not pure consistency.
• If you use frozen spinach, let it thaw before using them. We buy frozen spinach that looks like little green ice cubes. We toss them right into the wok or frying pan and let them thaw during cooking.

Making spinach pasta sauce

1. Preheat a frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add olive oil and minced garlic. Stir and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add chopped spinach leaves. Stir and cook for another minute.

3. Add heavy cream (we used a dairy-free version) and Parmesan cheese (we used nutritional yeast). Stir well and bring it to a boil. Approx. another 1 minute.

4. Take a long thin container and use an immersion blender to make it extra smooth and creamy.
5. Drain cooked pasta, and mix it with the creamy spinach sauce. Serve while hot with grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Cooking tip

If you are batch cooking, you can skip the last step of mixing the pasta with the spinach sauce. It is best to keep the sauce and cooked pasta separate, especially if you plan on storing them for several days. This helps prevent the pasta from becoming soggy and losing its texture. See more info in the “Storing tips” section.

Variations

• Choose other pasta: I don’t know what you think, but I love long pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine, tagliatelle, or linguine with this spinach sauce. It sticks to it neatly. We also tried this spinach pasta recipe with rice noodles. They are allergy-friendly and make for a delicious and light pasta dish. The sauce itself is gluten-free. Pick any of your favorite gluten-free pasta to go with it. If you want something unique, try quinoa spaghetti, edamame spaghetti, or chia flour pasta.
• Add vegetables: So many vegetables go great with this spinach pasta sauce like mushrooms, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, green peas, sweet corn, etc.
• Substitute for Parmesan cheese: You can use vegan cheese (e.g. Violife), or nutritional yeast if you are looking for a cheaper vegan alternative.
• To make it more piquant, add a dash of red pepper flakes.

Topping ideas

Toppings can be a great way to add extra flavor and texture to your creamy spinach pasta sauce.

A simple sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast can enhance the cheesy flavor of the sauce, while toasted pine nuts, vegan bacon bits, or breadcrumbs can add a delicious crunch.

Fresh herbs like basil or parsley can also add a pop of color and freshness to the dish.

For a heartier meal, you can add sauteed mushrooms, pan-fried oyster mushrooms, or roasted asparagus and mushrooms.

Storing tips

In the fridge: To store the spinach sauce, let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating it for up to four days. If you leave the pasta in the sauce, it will be mushy and soggy, as it will absorb more of the sauce as the days go by.

Reheat: When you’re ready to use it, simply reheat the sauce in a saucepan over low heat and mix it with freshly cooked pasta.

In the freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze the sauce and the pasta separately. To thaw, simply leave it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it as usual.

More spinach recipes

More pasta recipes

We selected 30+ easy vegan pasta recipes you would absolutely love, or you can browse through our vegan pasta sauces library for more ideas.

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Creamy Spinach Pasta Sauce

Nandor Barta

Indulge in a garlicky, creamy spinach pasta sauce that can be whipped up in just 15 minutes using only 5 ingredients. Isn’t it one of the quickest meals you can make? Pair it with your favorite pasta, sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese, and serve while it is hot!

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Sauce

Servings 4 servings

Calories 141kcal

Equipment

• Non-stick frying pan (10.5 inch / 26 cm)
• Food processor
• Immersion hand blender with 20 fl oz container
• Simple garlic press

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 servings Fettuccine pasta or spaghetti or any other type of pasta you like
• ▢ 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• ▢ 3 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
• ▢ 7 oz Spinach fresh or frozen spinach puree
• ▢ 1 cup Dairy-free cream
• ▢ 2 Tbsp Nutritional yeast or grated vegan Parmesan
• ▢ Salt and Pepper to taste

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EXCLUSIVE 5-ingredient recipes for busy home cooks that are ready in 15 minutes!Check out our Express Vegan Cookbook!

Instructions

 

Preparing the ingredients

• Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions.
• Peel and mince or finely chop garlic cloves.
• If you use fresh spinach, chop it with a food processor into tiny pieces. If you use frozen spinach puree, let it thaw before using it.

Making creamy spinach pasta sauce

• Heat a frying pan or wok on medium heat and add olive oil.
• Add minced/finely chopped garlic and stir. Saute for 1 minute.
• Add chopped spinach. Mix well and saute for 1 minute.
• Add heavy cream (we used a dairy-free version) and Parmesan (we used nutritional yeast). Stir well and bring it to a boil. Approx. another 1 minute.
• Take a long thin container and use an immersion blender to make it extra smooth and creamy. (You can skip this step if you don’t mind small spinach bites.)
• Drain the cooked pasta and mix it with the creamy spinach sauce. Serve it while hot!

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Video

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Spinach Pasta Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 serving without pasta)

Calories 141 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Sodium 80mg3%

Potassium 475mg14%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 4661IU93%

Vitamin C 15mg18%

Calcium 59mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in July 2018, but was rewritten in April 2019. We further tweaked the recipe, took new photos, and rewritten it again in March 2023.