Lemon Cream Pasta with Spinach

5 from 2 votes

Made with a comforting dairy-free sauce, this creamy pasta is as easy as it is delicious. Less than 10 ingredients + 30 minutes to make!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 381kcal

Ingredients

½ cup raw cashews soaked (see notes)
zest and 2 tablespoons juice of 1 lemon
8 ounces whole grain pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup minced shallot
3-4 garlic cloves minced
5 ounces baby spinach
½ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
fresh ground black pepper and crushed red pepper for serving optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Transfer soaked and drained cashews to a blender (ideally a NutriBullet or Vitamix for smoothest results) along with 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy then set aside.
Cook the pasta as directed in salted water. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water during the straining process.
While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil over medium low heat in a large pot or skillet. Sauté shallot for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the spinach and garlic then continue to cook for another 3 minutes or so, just until spinach starts to wilt. Stir in the cashew cream and reserved pasta water then bring to a low simmer.
To the pot, add the cooked pasta and lemon zest. Stir until pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add salt, fresh ground pepper and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

To soak cashews, place them in a bowl covered with water by several inches and allow to sit for 6-8 hours, or overnight. For a quick soak, cover them with boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse before using in recipe.

I like to chop the baby spinach but that step is totally optional.

Nutrition