Spinach Pesto Pasta

This family friendly pasta is filled with light, bright flavor and a touch of cream. Ready in just 15 minutes, this dish is comforting pasta with a healthy twist.

Spinach Pesto Pasta is a very simple dish that packs a punch. Most of us are familiar with pesto as being a basil sauce first and foremost. Pesto, however, refers more generally to Italian pureed sauces.

This recipe blends spinach and basil with lemon juice, parmesan, garlic and olive oil. For this recipe, I made the pesto without pine nuts and added a touch of cream for an extra silky texture.

Serve this spinach pesto sauce over long noodles like spaghetti or linguine. Add a green salad with this easy Italian Salad Dressing for delicious meal in minutes.

Make Creamy Spinach Pesto Pasta, because...

This recipe comes together in about 15 minutes, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights.

The raw baby spinach adds lovely sweetness and is a super easy way to pump up the veggies at your family table. 

The thick creamy pesto sauce clings to the spaghetti making every bite delicious.

Ingredients

Baby Spinach- The immature spinach leaves are very mild and tender. They are perfect for a pesto that is not truly cooked, only warmed. The sweet leaves do not need heat to be super tasty.

Instructions

Step 1

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook one pound of spaghetti according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water. 
• In a food processor, blend baby spinach, basil leaves, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and olive oil until you have a smooth pesto.

Step 2

• In a large skillet, warm spinach basil pesto  with cream and ¼ cup of pasta water. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Do not bring to a simmer. Pesto isn't meant to be cooked.

Step 3

• Toss cooked spaghetti in spinach pasta sauce.
• Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and serve.

FAQs

Tips for Success

Salt the pasta water, and the water should be really salty. I've always been told it should be as salty as the sea.

Reserve the pasta water. The starch from the water helps the sauce cling to the spaghetti. The salt from the water adds flavor.

Creamy pesto sauce isn't cooked. Just warm it up so that you aren't pouring cold sauce over the pasta and cooling off the dish. 

Make a double batch and freeze half for another day when you haven't been shopping.

If you don't have cream you can substitute these items.

• ¼ Cup of Cream Cheese plus a little extra pasta water.
• 2 Tablespoon butter and 2 Tablespoons Milk

Related Recipes

• Genovese Pesto Sauce
• Wilted Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing
• 15 Minutes Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce
• Pork Ragu in the Slow Cooker

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📖 Recipe

Creamy Spinach Pesto Pasta

This family friendly pasta is filled with light, bright flavor and a touch of cream. Ready in just 15 minutes, this dish is comforting pasta with a healthy twist.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 People

Calories: 520kcal

Author: Diana Reis

Equipment

• ▢
  Food Processor
• ▢
  Large Pot

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb Spaghetti
• ▢ 6 Cups Baby Spinach loosely packed cups
• ▢ 2 Cups Basil Leaves loosely packed cups
• ▢ 2-3 Clove Garlic
• ▢ 1 Lemon juice only
• ▢ ½ Cup Parmesan grated
• ▢ ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ▢ ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
• ▢ Salt and Pepper

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook one pound of spaghetti according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
• In a food processor, blend baby spinach, basil leaves, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and olive oil until you have a smooth pesto.
• In a large skillet, warm spinach basil pesto with cream and ¼ cup of pasta water. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Do not bring to a simmer. Pesto isn't meant to be cooked.
• Toss cooked spaghetti in spinach pasta sauce.
• Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and serve.

Notes

How long can I store Spinach Basil Pesto in the fridge?

You can keep spinach pesto in a food storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The lemon juice will keep the puree from turning brown. 

Can I store Spinach Basil Pesto in the Freezer?

Spinach pesto sauce can be stored in a food storage container in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Tips for success

• Salting the pasta water is important, and the water should be really salty. I've always been told it should be as salty as the sea.
• Reserve the pasta water. The starch from the water helps the sauce cling to the spaghetti. The salt from the water adds flavor.
• Creamy pesto sauce should not be cooked. Just warm it up so that you aren't pouring cold sauce over the pasta and cooling off the dish. 
• Make a double batch and freeze half for another day when you haven't been shopping.
• If you don't have cream you can substitute these items.
  • ¼ Cup of Cream Cheese plus a little extra pasta water.
  • 2 Tablespoon butter and 2 Tablespoons Milk

 

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3450IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 2mg

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