Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
A white bowl contains green spaghetti sauce pasta topped with grated cheese and slivered almonds. A fork rests in the bowl. Nearby are a wooden spoon, blender, cloth napkin, and basil plant on a white surface.

20-Minute Green Spaghetti Sauce (Pasta Verde)

Rebecca Eisenberg
This spinach and cheese sauce gets the name "green spaghetti sauce" because, well, that's what it looks like. It's a riff on a Pasta Verde recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook. A silky green sauce packed with lots of spinach, fresh herbs, cheese, and the best part is it only takes a few minutes to make!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 130 grams onion (¾ cup, chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 100 grams raw spinach (about 3½ cups, packed)
  • 140 grams ricotta cheese (a heaping ¼ cup)
  • 113 grams goat cheese (one small log)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about half a small lemon)
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon whole nutmeg (freshly grated, always!)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
  • 10 grams Pecorino Romano (¼ cup, finely grated)
  • ½ cup slivered almonds (toasted)

Optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Rinse the spinach in a colander or salad spinner and set it aside, don't worry about getting it too dry.
  • Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil in on the stove and cook pasta according to package directions.
  • While the pasta cooks, sauté onions and garlic in oil over medium-low heat until onions are translucent.
  • Tear the still-damp spinach into large pieces, and add it to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and allow spinach to wilt, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Toast the almonds on a sheet pan in the oven oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally). Remove to a small bowl.
  • While the spinach wilts and the almonds toast, add the remaining sauce ingredients to the bowl of your blender. When spinach is wilted, but still very bright green, add it to the blender bowl and puree until very smooth. Taste and add salt or additional lemon juice if needed.
  • Strain the pasta into a colander, than add it back to the empty pot. Toss with the green spaghetti sauce to coat (or serve the sauce ladled over the pasta separately).
    Top the bowls with more grated Pecorino Romano and lots of crunchy toasted almonds to serve.

RECIPE NOTES

  • If you’re really craving protein, pick one with some salt, like ground hot Italian sausage, bacon, or pancetta. 
  • If you make enough for leftovers, the best way to reheat the sauce is in a double boiler (to avoid curdling), or by tossing it with hot pasta and letting the pasta heat up the sauce. If you've refrigerated the pasta with the sauce on, toss it in a pan with a bit of oil and stir until it warms up. You could also serve the sauce cold on crackers or on bread, tbh (maybe in a grilled cheese of some sort?).
    • You can even use other leafy greens! You might need to adjust the other ingredients to taste depending on what greens you use. I often use green spaghetti sauce as an excuse to use up other fresh herbs I have around — you can certainly add fresh basil, some kale, or even arugula to your green spaghetti sauce.
    • The original recipe used all ricotta and no goat cheese. If you're averse to goat cheese, you can absolutely replace it with more ricotta cheese! 
  • Recipe adapted from The Moosewood Cookbook.