Creamy Spinach Basil "Pesto" Pasta

Missing summer? Despite, or maybe because of, the unseasonably warm temperatures we’ve had here lately, I’ve been all about fall, even more whole heartily than usual. Even so, I relished the summery notes that shone through within the coziness of this creamy, easy, protein-packed comfort dish.

A friend gave me an enormous, heaped and overflowing bowl of fresh basil from her garden the other day (lucky me!). She’d wanted to make sure it went to good use before embarking with her husband and two older sons on a ten-day trip to Europe (lucky her!). Goodness, how the fresh, earthy yet slightly sweet aromas took over the kitchen! Seeped into my skin, even, apparently, because when I picked up Felix from school after getting to work on all the glorious green leaves, he actually breathed me in and commented, “Mmmmm, pesto.”

Pesto as a spread is no stranger to coziness, but fresh, aromatic basil scents that suggest pesto are all about uplifting lightness. This is the effect you get with this quick and simple recipe—pureed spinach, basil, and silken tofu make for a hearty yet light sauce bursting with pesto flavor, no oil required. A splash of lemon, some nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, and a tablespoon miso all add depth of flavor, plus benefits like B vitamins and a probiotic boost. You can blend in walnuts, too, though I like to sprinkle them, toasted and crumbled, on top.

I may well be updating this post at some point with a new photo, because this one makes me want to call this dish Hulk Pasta because of the way the color turned out this one particular time. Having been given so much basil, I went a little overboard, adding more than is noted here. That in itself didn’t affect the color, until I went and scraped the sides of the blender painstakingly and swirled in the dark, leafy drippings from there. Prior, this was much more of a “pretty” green—not so soft as a Shamrock Shake, but on the way there.

As is becoming kind of clear from recent posts, I love using silken tofu. It’s rich in bone-building and other nutrients, low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and deliciously creamy and smooth. It’s a perfect base for puddings, addends to smoothies, and key ingredients for sauces like this one. If you’re more in a warm, feisty mood, looking for something that has coziness and kick, I highly recommend this Spicy Korean Pasta with Gochujang from my IG friend Cheryl at Pharmacy in Your Kitchen. It is hands-down one of my favorite pasta dishes ever. If, though, you’re keeping a toe in summer here and there while embracing autumn and beyond, give this a try. Hope you’ll enjoy!

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Yield: 4-6

Author: Wendy McMillan

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Spinach Basil "Pesto" Pasta

Light, summery fresh notes shine through creamy coziness in this easy, protein-packed comfort dish.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

• 12 ounces pasta
• 1 package silken tofu
• 1 cup packed basil
• 1 Cup spinach
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Tablespoon miso
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, halved (more as desired)
• Optional addends: chopped walnuts, herbs for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions and set aside.
2. While preparing the pasta, place all ingredients from silken tofu through lemon juice in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding water as needed to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Pour sauce into a large skillet and heat until warmed through. Stir in the pasta and stir to coat. Add the sliced tomatoes. Serve, garnished as desired.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

396

Fat

7 g

Sat. Fat

1 g

Carbs

69 g

Fiber

5 g

Net carbs

65 g

Sugar

4 g

Protein

15 g

Sodium

223 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg