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creamy green pasta pan

Green Pasta with Peas and Broccoli

Diana Kostrov
A vibrant, creamy green pasta that’s packed with nutrients but tastes like pure comfort. This dish is simple to make, full of fresh flavors, and perfect for a quick yet impressive meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Blender
  • large pot - for pasta, peas, and broccoli
  • Strainer
  • Wide pan - or using the pasta pot

Ingredients
 

Sauce
  • 1.5 cups raw cashews (see note 1)
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1.5-2 cups of water
Herbs
  • 2 handfuls spinach
  • 2 parsley stems (only leaves)
Pasta
  • 250 g spaghetti (or other kind of pasta or noodles)
  • 1/2 broccoli head
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
Other
  • Zest of 1/4 lemon
  • Grounded black pepper (by taste)

Instructions
 

  • Blend the sauce: To a blender, add the sauce ingredients, starting with 1.5 cups of water. Blend until completely smooth on high power. The sauce should be liquid but not watery (note 2).
  • Add the herbs: Add the spinach and parsley to the sauce and blend briefly for a few seconds until smooth. Small herb pieces are fine.
  • Prepare the broccoli: Cut the broccoli florets from the stem, leaving a bit of stem but keeping mostly the florets.
  • Cook the pasta and vegetables: Boil the pasta according to package instructions. Midway through cooking, add the broccoli florets and peas. Optionally, reserve some pasta water.
  • Thicken the sauce: Over medium heat, pour the sauce into a pan and heat for 2 minutes, stirring slowly with a silicone spatula to prevent sticking. Add black pepper and lemon zest.
  • Combine everything: Add the cooked pasta, broccoli, and peas to the pan. Stir everything together, coating the pasta evenly with the sauce.
  • Serve hot with chili flakes on top and vegan Parmesan.

Video

Notes

  1. Soaking cashews before blending helps achieve a smoother sauce. You can soak them in room temperature water for 3 hours (or overnight) or boil them for 20 minutes. If using a powerful blender, soaking is optional but recommended.
  2. Adjust water consistency in the sauce depending on how thick or liquid you prefer it, and the pasta or noodles you're using. If you're not planning to use the sauce immediately, I recommend using more water. The sauce thickens after cooling but becomes saucy again after reheating.
  3. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, heating in the microwave. Also possible: storing the sauce in a separate container from the spaghetti, peas, and broccoli.