Packed with fresh spinach and basil, this vibrant green pasta sauce is fast and delicious. It’s also dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free. This is a super simple weeknight dinner or even a quick lunch — you can get this Green Pasta Sauce on the table in the time it takes for your pasta to boil. This recipes uses the Mother Mix, a DIY pantry stable that jumpstarts over 15 recipes. If you don’t have the Mother Mix, you can use the equivalent ingredients (almond flour, nutritional yeast, tapioca flour, and salt). Everything’s detailed in the Recipe Card below.
Making the Green Sauce
This green pasta sauce could not be easier to make. It starts with the Mother Mix. If you don’t have the Mother Mix already made, don’t worry, it’s very fast. It’s just 4 dry ingredients, including nutritional yeast and almond flour. You put those in a blender with some lightly sautéed spinach, fresh basil, and garlic. Next, pour the mixture into a pan, and cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. That's it!
About the Mother Mix
The Mother Mix is an all-natural, gluten-free dry mix that you can make in minutes and store in your pantry.
Use it to jumpstart over 16 different creamy and cheesy plant-based recipes - from Spinach Dip to Scalloped Potatoes and Veggie Pot Pie.
You can also use it on its own -- just add water, blend, and heat -- to make a simple vegan cream sauce, delish over roasted veggies!
Easy Variations for Mixed Diets
- You can serve this completely plant-based, if you like. If desired, top with additional nutritional yeast or your choice of shredded plant-based cheese.
- For vegetarians, Parmesan cheese makes a delicious topping.
- For the carnivores, you can crisp up some prosciutto.
Green Pasta Sauce with nutritional yeast topping.
Green Pasta Sauce with Parmesan Cheese
Green Pasta Sauce with Quick-Fried Prosciutto
Related Recipes
Here are some other recipes that you can make with the Mother Mix:
Recipe Card
Green Pasta Sauce, Vegan with Vegetarian and Meat Topping Options
Ingredients
- pasta, of choice gluten-free, if necessary
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder {or sub fresh minced garlic to taste}
- 1 cup Mother Mix + 1 1/2 cup water {See Recipe Notes for link}
Optionally, if you don't have the Mother Mix
- 3/4 cup almond flour {also called almond meal, or ground blanched almonds}
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Optional, toppings
- for vegans, more nutritional yeast
- for vegetarians, parmesan cheese
- for omnivores, 2-3 slices proscuitto, per meat eater
- for all, cracked black pepper
Instructions
Get your pasta started
Make the Green Pasta Sauce
- In a medium-sized frying pan, heat the oil, add the garlic, and then cook the spinach and basil until just wilted. Leave the pan on the stove as you’ll be using it again in a minute.
- Add the wilted spinach/basil mix to the Mother Mix (or equivalent ingredients )in the blender and blend for about a minute, until well-combined.
- Pour the blended spinach sauce into the frying pan. Put the heat on medium low and cook and stir for a few minutes until the sauce is thickened. It may look lumpy or curdled for a minute -- just keep stirring and it will smooth out.
If you are making the omnivore version:
- Quick fry the prosciutto. Slice into thin strips and then dry fry in a small frying pan into hot and crisp, about 3 minutes.
For Serving
- Pour over pasta and serve with your choice of toppings.