Vegetarian Pasta with Blended Spinach Artichoke Sauce
Looking for a tasty and healthy dinner? Try this vegetarian pasta with blended spinach artichoke sauce!
Spinach and artichoke are a classic combination, but it’s usually accompanied by lots of cheese and cream. This recipe requires no cheese or cream but instead uses a high speed blender to combine the spinach and artichoke into a creamy, smooth sauce.
Smother the delicious sauce over pasta, umami packed sun-dried tomatoes, savory olives, and filling chickpeas, and you won’t even miss the dairy or meat.
Packed with flavor and so easy to make, it’s a quick 20-minutes recipe that everyone will enjoy.
Whether you’re a vegetarian or just want a lighter meal, this pasta dish is sure to become another favorite at your house. Let’s dive into how to make this delicious and satisfying 20-minute dinner!
Why you’ll love this vegetarian pasta with blended spinach artichoke sauce
The sauce combines fresh spinach and tender artichokes, blended to perfection with garlic powder, lemon juice, and a touch of olive oil, creating a vibrant green hue.
There’s just so much to love about this delicious 20-minutes pasta recipe. Here’s just a few reasons why you and your family will love it:
Quick to make: This recipe is something you’ll be able to whip up in a snap. Just throw the sauce ingredients into a blender and blend it up and you’re more than halfway there!
Packed with flavor: Canned artichokes are such a flavorful ingredient, and by using them strategically in this recipe, you get the full benefit of the flavor without any hassle.
Full of veggies: The bright green sauce is packed full of spinach, which makes getting your needed daily servings of leafy greens super easy!
Ingredients
It only takes a few thoughtfully chosen ingredients used strategically to make this vegetarian dinner. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Pasta – The full bodied spinach artichoke sauce pairs well with a sturdy tubular shaped pasta such as penne or ziti. Use a whole wheat variety of pasta to amp up the nutritional profile of the dish.
- Sun dried tomatoes – They offer so much in terms of flavor. Sun dried tomatoes are a favorite for adding umami flavor as well as great color to this dish.
- Olives – Beyond their rich and nutty flavor, olives are packed with nutritional benefits. They are a rich source of healthy fats, particularly monounsaturated fats, which are known to promote heart health.
- Chickpeas – Make this dish nice and filling.
- Spinach – Use fresh spinach in this recipe.
- Artichoke hearts – Both canned or jarred artichoke hearts marinated in oil or brined will work for this recipe.
- Olive oil – Adds richness and a little bit of flavor to the sauce.
- Lemon juice – Brightens up the flavor profile of the blender sauce and gives it a pop of freshness.
- Garlic powder – Since this sauce isn’t cooked, I highly recommend using garlic powder and not garlic cloves. I’ve used garlic cloves in this recipe and found it to be too overpowering.
- Onion powder – Again, onion powder adds depth of flavor without being overpowering.
- Salt and pepper – Salt and pasta are best friends. Pepper adds just a tiny baby kick of zest to the recipe.
How to make pasta with blender spinach artichoke sauce
Tossed with al dente pasta, this dish not only highlights the versatility of vegetables but also provides a delightful contrast in texture. Here’s a rundown on how to make this easy vegetarian pasta dinner.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions.
- Blend up the sauce. While the pasta is cooking, quickly blend up the sauce. Place the spinach, artichoke hearts, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, onion powder, and garlic powder in a blender and blend on high for 45 – 60 seconds. Carefully remove about half a cup of pasta water from the pot and add it to the sauce and blend again to combine.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and coat it in the sauce.
- Add in the extras. To the pasta, add the sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, and chopped spinach. Gently coat everything in the sauce and enjoy.
Tips
Making a great pasta dish is a skill everyone needs. Here are some tips for making this pasta recipe.
- Use a short type of pasta. The type of pasta that works best with a thick, creamy sauce like this spinach artichoke sauce is a short, sturdy shape such as penne, rigatoni, or ziti. These pasta shapes hold thick sauce the best. Pick a whole wheat variety or gluten free version (like chickpea or lentil pasta) to suit your preferences.
- Salt the water. Add about half a tablespoon of salt to every quart of water when making pasta. The pasta will absorb some of the salt as it cooks and be more flavorful.
- Save some pasta water. Pasta water is a perfect addition to the sauce. The starch in the pasta cooking water helps the sauce stick to the pasta better and makes the sauce a perfect consistency. The added salt in the pasta water also helps season the sauce. With those things in mind, be sure to save at least half a cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Use the oil from the artichoke can. Instead of using olive oil to add to the sauce, you can use some of the oil from the artichoke jar or can instead if you want.
Wrapping it all up
As you can see, this vegetarian pasta with blended spinach artichoke sauce is a delicious and healthy dinner idea. Just by using simple ingredients strategically, you can create a satisfying meal that is perfect for any night of the week.
Whether served as a main course or a side, it’s an ideal choice for health-conscious diners seeking a quick, gourmet meal that’s easy to prepare and bursting with flavor.
Enjoy this pasta dish with family and friends, and feel good knowing you are eating something good for you. Try making it tonight, and experience it for yourself!
20-Minute Pasta with Blender Spinach Artichoke Sauce
August 6, 2024Ingredients
Blender Spinach Artichoke Sauce
- 1 handful spinach (60 g / 2 oz)
- ½ can artichoke heart halves
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 TBS lemon juice (~juice of half a lemon)
- ½ cup pasta water
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper (~15 cranks of a pepper grinder)
- ½ cup pasta water (save from cooking the pasta)
Pasta
- 8 oz pasta (cooked al dente)
- ½ can chickpeas (drained)
- ½ can olives (halved)
- ½ can artichoke heart halves
- 1 handful spinach (chopped)
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Before draining the pasta, be sure to reserve about half a cup of the cooking liquid.8 oz pasta
- In a blender, put the spinach, ½ a can of the artichoke hearts, olive oil, lemon juice, and pasta water. Blend until smooth. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend to incorporate.1 handful spinach, ½ can artichoke heart halves, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 TBS lemon juice, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp ground pepper, ½ cup pasta water, ½ cup pasta water
- In a large pot or bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chickpeas, olives, artichoke hearts, chopped handful of spinach, and sun dried tomatoes.½ can chickpeas, ½ can olives, ½ can artichoke heart halves, 1 handful spinach, ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
- Pour the sauce over everything. Gently toss to coat.
