Creamy Spinach & Avocado Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes (Vegan)

Name: Creamy Spinach & Avocado Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes (Vegan)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 avocado (pit removed); 2¾ oz baby spinach (fresh, washed; approx. 80g); 2 cloves garlic (peeled); ½ bunch fresh basil (approx. ½ cup loosely packed leaves); ½ cup cashews (raw; soaked overnight or boiled; approx. 113g); ½ cup olive oil (approx. 107g); 1 tbsp lemon (fresh; from about 1 lemon; approx. 28g); 1 cup soy milk (unsweetened; approx. 240ml); 1 tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked); 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (roughly chopped; dry-packed or drained if in oil; approx. 170g); 1.1 lb dry linguine or spaghetti (cooked to package instructions; approx. 500g); fresh basil (optional; chopped, for garnish); nutritional yeast (optional; to taste, for topping)

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Creamy Spinach & Avocado Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes (Vegan)

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Are you looking for a quick, easy pasta recipe with flavor and healthy ingredients? Look no further! This Creamy Avocado and spinach Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes has a bold, punchy flavor profile and only takes 20 minutes! As a bonus, it also tastes as cold as a pasta salad the next day. For more delicious ideas, check out this Creamy Tofu Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes (No cook sauce!)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Creamy & Silky Texture: When blended, avocado, soaked cashews, and soy milk create a silky texture perfect for pasta.
Healthy & Nutritious: Avocados are rich in healthy fats, spinach provides a nutritious boost of vitamins and minerals, and cashews are a source of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Quick & Easy: This recipe only takes 20 minutes from start to finish, making it a quick and easy option for busy weeknights.
Flavorful & Punchy: Basil, garlic, lemon juice, and sundried tomatoes give this dish a zesty fresh kick, yet the overall flavor is balanced and creamy thanks to the cashews and avocado.
Vegan-Friendly: This recipe uses soy milk to make it vegan. However, you can also use dairy milk or top it with parmesan if you aren’t plant-based.

Key Ingredients

Avocado: Avocado is the star ingredient in this creamy vegan pasta sauce. Avocado is rich in healthy fats and provides a creamy texture to the sauce, making it perfect for pasta.
Spinach: Fresh baby spinach adds a pop of vibrant green color to the pasta and provides a nutritious boost of vitamins and minerals.
Garlic: Garlic adds a savory base flavor to the sauce.
Basil: Fresh basil adds a fresh, herby flavor to the sauce and provides a pop of color.
Raw cashews: Cashews are used to create a creamy and silky texture in the sauce. They are also rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Olive Oil: Olive oil is used to thin out the sauce and make it smoother.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice provides a tangy flavor to the sauce and helps balance out the avocado’s richness.

What you’ll need to make Avocado Pasta

To make this creamy pasta, you’ll need a high-speed blender (I love my Nutribullet Pro), fresh ingredients, and pantry staples. Luckily, plenty of substitution options (listed further below) still make this recipe taste great! However, if you’re off to the store, here’s a shopping list:

Avocado
Baby spinach
Garlic
Fresh basil
Lemon
Sundried tomatoes
Raw cashews
Nutritional yeast
Olive oil
Unsweetened, plain plant-based milk (I use soy)

How to make Avocado Pasta

Here’s a quick step-by-step overview of how to make Avocado & Spinach Pasta. For more detailed instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Soak cashews in water overnight or boil them to soften.
Cook pasta to packet instructions.
Combine all sauce ingredients, including the drained cashews in a blender. Blitz until smooth.
Pour sauce over cooked pasta and stir to combine.
Serve pasta in bowls and top with sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and nutritional yeast. That’s it, enjoy!

Substitutions

Spinach: Fresh spinach can be substituted with frozen spinach. Thaw it and squeeze out the excess water before using it in the recipe.
Cashews: If you’re allergic to cashews or don’t have any on hand, pine nuts are a great substitute. You can also use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or shelled sunflower seeds to make it nut-free. However, these will impart a slightly different flavor. Alternatively, you could omit cashews and reduce the milk volume, gradually adding more to the blender until you have reached the desired consistency.
Olive Oil: Olive oil can be substituted with any other mild-flavored oil, such as avocado or grapeseed.
Soy Milk: If you don’t have soy milk, you can substitute it with almond or plant-based milk.
Sundried Tomatoes: The flavor will kick less, but sundried tomatoes can be substituted with halved cherry tomatoes.
Linguine or Spaghetti: You can use any pasta shape you prefer.
Nutritional Yeast: Find this in health food stores or the health food aisle of major supermarkets. Suppose you can’t get your hands on a packet. In that case, nutritional yeast can be substituted with grated or vegan parmesan cheese.

Additions

This recipe is full of flavour as-is but if you’re looking to get creative, here are some fun additions to consider:

Plant-based bacon
Plant-based parmesan cheese
Plant-based chicken
Toasted pine nuts
Crunchy roasted chickpeas

FAQs

How long does this recipe keep for?

Keep this recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and enjoy it cold as a pasta salad! But keep in mind the color will fade slightly.

Can I make this recipe nut-free?

You can make this recipe nut-free by substituting the cashews with sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Keep in mind these will have their unique flavor! You could also remove the cashews entirely and reduce the volume of milk. Start with a splash, then add more to the blender until you have reached the desired consistency.

Can I freeze this recipe?

This recipe is unsuitable for freezing as the avocado and spinach will become discolored, and the sauce’s texture will be mushy (and gross) when thawed.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

This recipe can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.

I have lots of ripe avocados to use up. Can I freeze them?

You can freeze avocado, but I recommend this as a last resort. Avocado will become discolored and mushy when thawed – the appearance and texture will make it unpalatable. I suggest freezing avocado if you plan to blend it into smoothies or use it as baby food.

Can avocado be cooked?

Avocado can be cooked. However, it can quickly become bitter over high heat, so it is often used raw (think guacamole, avocado toast, sushi, etc). If you want to cook with it, use it over low heat or as a finishing touch to hot-cooked dishes (like this one).

In conclusion, this creamy avocado & spinach pasta with sundried tomatoes is a quick, easy, and delicious way to get your daily dose of greens in just 20 minutes! If you love creamy plant-based pasta, try my Cauliflower Alfredo, Pumpkin Pasta with Basil Pesto, or my Cashew Carbonara with Tofu Bacon for something extra creamy.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Have you tried making avocado pasta before? What are your favorite toppings? Let me know!