This Super Green Pasta Sauce is a fresh, creamy, and vibrant pasta sauce that comes together in just 30 minutes. It is made with fresh basil, spinach, garlic, and heavy cream for a sauce that is bright green, incredibly flavorful, and so satisfying.
It is a great way to use up fresh summer herbs and greens and is completely vegetarian. Toss it with your favorite pasta for an easy and impressive dinner! I like to serve this with this super easy no knead foccacia recipe.
30 minutes
minimal prep
Quick Look: Super green pasta sauce
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 🕖 Total Time: 20 minutes
- 🌿 Servings: 2 large servings or 4 small servings
- ⚡️ Calories: 783 calories for entire sauce (calories per serving depend on 2 portions vs 4)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Boil ingredients and then blend together
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: Zucchini, spinach, heavy cream, basil, and lemon
- ⭐️ Difficulty: Very easy! It comes together in 30 minutes
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Chelsea left this 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This is incredible. A regular repeat for our family — my husband (who is VERY particular) calls it a must have!”
Why You’ll Love This recipe
- Great use of veggies– Simply turn a handful of fresh greens into a flavor-packed sauce for a weeknight pasta
- Tastes like summer – The bright, creamy basil sauce brings out the best of summer
- Get creative with pasta shape or type – You can use whatever pasta you want. I like to use pasta shapes that really soak up this delicious basil cream sauce with ridges. I typically use mafaldine pasta, but some other ones that would be great are radiatori, campanelle, cavatapi, gamelle. If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, simply sub gluten-free pasta!
Looking for another veggie pasta sauce? Try this butternut squash pasta sauce.
Ingredients you’ll Need
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this flavorful super green pasta sauce. For a full list of ingredients and amounts please head to the full recipe.
- Pasta – you can use the pasta type of your choice but I like to use one that has ridges
- Garlic and shallot – both add a nice punch of flavor to the dish
- Zucchini, spinach, fresh basil – make up the “green” of this sauce and make it taste like summer
- Heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese – adds a creamy and comforting touch
- Lemon – adds a tangy touch to the final dish
Looking for another green sauce? Try this green dream dressing for your next salad.
How to make super green pasta sauce
Step 1: Boil pasta in a large pot*. While that cooks, sauté garlic and shallots, and then zucchini and spinach.
*Save a cup of pasta water before draining. If the sauce is too thick when tossed with the pasta, a splash of starchy pasta water loosens it up and helps it coat every noodle evenly.
Step 2: Add the warm sauteed veggies to a blender with the pasta water, fresh basil*, parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Blend until a smooth and creamy sauce remains.
*Blanching the basil in boiling water for just 15-30 seconds and then transferring it to ice water before blending helps the sauce stay a bright, vibrant green. Without blanching the heat from the pan can turn the sauce an olive drab color instead.
Step 3: Finally, place warm cooked pasta in a bowl or large pan.
Step 4: Pour warm green pasta sauce on top of the noodles and toss to coat. Serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best super green pasta sauce 🌿
- Blanch the basil for a brighter green color. Drop it in boiling water for 15-30 seconds and then transfer to ice water before blending. This keeps the sauce a vivid green instead of turning dull and olive-colored.
- Save your pasta water. Before draining the pasta, scoop out a cup of the starchy cooking water. If the sauce gets too thick when tossing with the pasta, add a splash to loosen it up.
- Do not let the cream boil. Once the cream is added to the pan keep it at a gentle simmer. A hard boil can cause the sauce to separate and lose its creamy texture.
- Taste and adjust at the end. Add a little more salt, a squeeze of lemon, or an extra handful of parmesan before serving to get the flavor exactly right.
Another yummy pasta option for summer is this asparagus lemon garlic pasta.
Recipe FAQs
What pasta works best with green pasta sauce?
Long pastas like spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine work great. Short pastas like rigatoni or penne also work well because the sauce gets inside the ridges.
Can I make this pasta sauce dairy free?
Yes! Swap the heavy cream for full fat coconut cream and use a dairy free parmesan or nutritional yeast instead. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
Can I make super green pasta sauce ahead of time?
Yes! Make the sauce ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat and add a splash of water or cream to loosen it back up.
Can I add protein to this green pasta?
Yes! Grilled chicken, shrimp, or white beans all work great mixed into this pasta. Add them when tossing the pasta with the sauce.
Storage and reheating
Once prepared, allow the pasta to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop at a low temperature.
You can add a bit more milk and parmesan cheese to the sauce as you reheat it to make the sauce creamy again. This sauce is best enjoyed immediately, but will be good in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Check out these other delicious Vegetarian Pasta dishes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Super Green Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta of choice – I used mafaldine
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 shallot
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 zucchini
- 4 large handfuls of spinach
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 3/4 cup pasta water – reserved from cooked pasta
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese + more for topping
- Zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil.Chop zucchini into cubes, slice shallot and garlic cloves into thin slices. When the water is boiling, place the pasta in the pot to boil.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat and add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Suate until the garlic and shallot are soft and fragrant – about 3 minutes.
- Add the cubed zucchini to the pan and saute until soft about 4 minutes. Add the spinach to the pan and saute until it is just soft and wilted. Add the salt to the pan and toss again.
- Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water from the pot. Drain the pasta and set aside. Place warm sauteed veggies in a blender with the pasta water, basil, heavy cream and parmesan cheese.
- Blend until a smooth and creamy sauce remains. Toss the warm noodles in the warm creamy sauce. Serve with extra parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
Recipe Notes
- Blanch the basil for a brighter green color. Drop it in boiling water for 15-30 seconds and then transfer to ice water before blending. This keeps the sauce a vivid green instead of turning dull and olive-colored.
- Save your pasta water. Before draining the pasta, scoop out a cup of the starchy cooking water. If the sauce gets too thick when tossing with the pasta, add a splash to loosen it up.
- Do not let the cream boil. Once the cream is added to the pan keep it at a gentle simmer. A hard boil can cause the sauce to separate and lose its creamy texture.
- Taste and adjust at the end. Add a little more salt, a squeeze of lemon, or an extra handful of parmesan before serving to get the flavor exactly right.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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