Bright green pasta with creamy spinach sauce, fresh herbs, and avocado for a nutritious plant-based meal.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti, gluten-free optional)
02 - Salt, for pasta water
→ Green Goddess Sauce
03 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach, washed
04 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
06 - ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
07 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
08 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
09 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk (oat, soy, or almond)
11 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
12 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Toppings (optional)
14 - 1 small zucchini, spiralized or thinly sliced
15 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
16 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds
17 - Fresh basil leaves
18 - Cracked black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set pasta aside.
02 - In a blender or food processor, combine spinach, avocado, basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a pourable consistency.
03 - Return drained pasta to the pot or a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss gently to coat evenly. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water if necessary for a silkier texture.
04 - Divide pasta among serving bowls. Garnish with zucchini, cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds, extra basil leaves, and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper if desired.
