If you're looking to increase the veggies in your diet, green pasta sauce is a great place to start! Loaded with spinach and cheese, this fresh green sauce is something you need to try!
What's in green pasta sauce?
You're probably thinking: "Are we talking about pesto?" And yes, you can certainly mix pesto in your pasta for a very simple green sauce.
But this sauce is different. It does contain a small amount of pesto to enhance the flavor. But the primary source of green in the sauce is spinach.
So. Much. Spinach. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, enough spinach to make Popeye crave pasta!
Would you like to save this recipe?
I'll email this post to you, so you can easily come back to it later!
The ingredients include:
- Spinach
- Ricotta cheese
- Sour cream
- Pesto
- Parmesan cheese
- Diced tomatoes (canned)
- Garlic
- Italian seasoning
How to make this creamy spinach pasta sauce
This sauce is easy and fast, which is the best combination ever! In fact, it comes together so quickly that you probably want to start cooking your pasta before starting the sauce.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add a little oil. Stir in minced garlic and cook for one minute. Then add in the spinach and cook until it wilts.
Transfer the cooked spinach to a food processor or blender. Add all other ingredients and blend until the sauce is smooth. The sauce is now ready to be used however you prefer.
If using traditional pasta, toss the sauce with the cooked and drained pasta. As with other pasta sauces, I like to reserve some of the pasta cooking water when I drain it. If the sauce seems a little "sticky" once mixed with the pasta, simply add some of the reserved water to help loosen it some.
Serve warm with extra Parmesan cheese as desired.
Why I like this sauce
I feel so healthy when I have this sauce! All that "vitamin green" benefit on yummy pasta. But the taste is actually that of a cheese sauce, with the blend of ricotta and Parmesan with sour cream. Garlic and tomatoes give the right amount of traditional pasta sauce taste. Consider adding some red pepper flakes if you want to spice it up a bit. Or a squeeze of lemon for a fresh taste. If you have some fresh herbs on hand, toss some parsley in that blender. Many possibilities!
This would be so fun to serve to kids. Maybe for St Patrick's Day, have all green food for the day. Or maybe it's Hulk pasta, or Ninja Turtles. If you get them in the right frame of mind to try it, they might just like it. And you will be the parent who got the kids to eat spinach!
If you want more protein in your meal, this sauce works well with chicken. Either make chicken breast separately and spoon a little sauce over it or add some shredded chicken to the sauce before mixing with the pasta. I have also eaten this on spaghetti squash for a really low carb vegetarian meal. Talk about healthy!!
Give it a try!
📖 Recipe
Would you like to save this recipe?
I'll email this post to you, so you can easily come back to it later!
Green Pasta Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 10 oz spinach
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup pesto
- 14 oz diced tomatoes canned, undrained
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- If using with pasta, cook 16 ounces of pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta is cooking, add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
- Transfer cooked spinach to a food processor or blender. Add all the other ingredients and blend for a minute. Scrap down the sides of the work bowl and then blend again until the sauce is smooth.
- Add sauce to cooked and drained pasta and toss to coat.
- Serve warm with additional grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
If you love plant based pasta sauces, check out my easy weeknight pasta and also my vegetarian pasta sauce. Both are easy and so healthy!
Shashi at Savory Spin
This sounds absolutely delicious - looking forward to trying this for pasta night soon!
Sula
I love having a change from traditional red sauce on my pasta!
Kylie
This recipe is perfect for quick weeknight dinners! The kids loved it too!
Sula
Yes I really think if you call it something fun, like Ninja Turtle or Hulk pasta, the kids will love it!
Anjali
I love this healthy pasta sauce recipe!! We use it for warm pasta, cold pasta salads, and even have used it as a sauce for sandwiches! It's delicious!
Sula
Oh yum I need to try it on sandwiches!
Dannii
We are always looking for ways to get extra greens in our diet, and this is one of our favourite ways.
Sula
We all need more greens!
Irina
Oh, I love your recipe! I have jy=ust made pasta with this new sauce, and it turned out perfect! It seems to become a great alternative to our pasta meals. Thanks!
Sula
Happy to help, I also like to change things up some in the rotation. And its great when it can be something so full of healthy ingredients!
Gina Abernathy
Looks yummy and easy to make.
Sula
SO easy - perfect for busy weeknights!
Cindy Mom, the Lunch Lady
OK I have got to give this a try. My daughter is not fond of marinara or red sauces for pasta, so I'm sure this would be a winner for her!
Sula
I love pretty much any pasta sauce, but I do know lots who don't care for red sauce. This is more a cheese sauce that happens to be green 🙂
Sabine
I love pesto sauce, but I also love to be creative and try out various versions of pasta and pesto sauces. This is great, to combine pesto with spinach and ricotta. It's makes this sauce so healthy and creamy. Love this recipe!
Sula
I'm so glad you love it too!