Easy, Creamy Pasta with Green Sauce

This Creamy Pasta with Green Sauce is a healthy, fabulous way to change up your pasta night! The simple basil and arugula green sauce is made in about five minutes, then tossed with the pasta of your choice! This is a super quick and easy weeknight meal–it’s ready in about 20 minutes!

This healthy pasta with green sauce is a great way to switch up pasta night OR it makes a fantastic, fresh side dish.

The foundation of this dish is my Basil Arugula Pesto but kicked up with a little creaminess from ricotta cheese. The result is fresh, vibrant flavors, with just a touch of creaminess…divine!

The Basil Arugula Pesto is super versatile and also used in a few more easy pasta recipes like this Caprese Pesto Orzo Salad and this Quick and Easy Tuna Pesto Pasta.

Switch it up with more green pasta flavors in this Cilantro Lime Pasta with Shrimp….sooooo good!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Super quick–you can make this dish in about 20 minutes!
• No real “cooking.” All you have to do on the stove is boil up the pasta!
• It’s healthy! Arugula is packed with vitamins and minerals and adds such great flavor!
• This green pasta can be a side dish or main course.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Pasta with Green Sauce:

INGREDIENT NOTES

Arugula: The peppery taste arugula pairs so well with the basil in this green sauce. If you don’t like arugula, you can just double the basil or check out my 11 Delicious Substitutes fro Arugula.

Pasta: I personally love green spaghetti but any shape or size pasta works just fine!

Parmesan Cheese: Pre-grated cheese from the deli section is fine, just stay away from the shelf-stable kind.

Ricotta Cheese: Whole milk ricotta works best and has the most creamy texture.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Boil up your pasta.

Step 2: While pasta is boiling, make your green sauce. In a food processor, blend basil, arugula, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice for 10 seconds.

Step 3: Add in olive oil, salt and ricotta cheese and blend for another 10 seconds.

Step 4: Toss green sauce hot pasta and serve immediately.

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS

• Make sure you reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. You may need it to thin out the sauce a bit when you are tossing it with the pasta.
• If I know I’ll have leftovers (I hardly ever do) I like to reserve just a little of the green sauce to toss in with any leftover pasta when reheating it.
• If you don’t have a food processor, you can blend this up in a blender, too!
• An extra squeeze of lemon and fresh cracked pepper are so yummy to add when you are serving this dish.

STORAGE & REHEATING

Leftovers: You can store leftovers right in the pan with a tight-fitting lid, in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, just add a splash of chicken stock to the pan and heat it over medium heat until warmed through.

You can also store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the microwave on full power until warm. It’s nice to have a little extra green sauce to toss into the pasta when reheating it.

Freezing: I recommend making a big batch of the green sauce and freezing it separately from the pasta. When you are ready to make the dish, defrost sauce or heat it on low in a skillet. Then toss with pasta.

ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS

• Arugula: The arugula taste in this green sauce is very mild and adds such a unique, vibrant flavor. However, if you are totally adverse to arugula, check out my 11 Delicious Substitutes for Arugula. Just doubling the basil would my first substitution suggestion. Next, cooked spinach would also work, but the flavor isn’t nearly as fresh and vibrant. You could also try another herb such as cilantro or mint.
• Pasta: Any shape pasta works here! Use your family’s fave!
• Protein: Tossing cooked/grilled/rotisserie chicken into this dish would be great to add some protein and make this a complete one-pan meal.

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OTHER “GREEN” PASTA RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• CILANTRO LIME PASTA WITH SHRIMP
• CAPRESE PESTO ORZO SALAD
• QUICK AND EASY TUNA PESTO PASTA

Easy, Creamy Pasta with Green Sauce

This Creamy Pasta with Green Sauce is a healthy, fabulous way to change up your pasta night! The simple basil and arugula green sauce is made in about five minutes, then tossed with the pasta of your choice! This is a super quick and easy weeknight meal–it's ready in about 20 minutes!

5 from 13 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6

Calories 304 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 cups basil leaves
• 4 cups arugula leaves I prefer baby arugula
• 3-4 cloves garlic, halved
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano 
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 tsp sea salt plus more as needed
• 1 lb. pasta 16 oz.

Instructions

 

• Cook pasta according to package instructions. While pasta is boiling, make your green sauce.
• Add basil, arugula, garlic, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese to food processor or blender. Blend for about 10 seconds (if you don't have a food processor, a blender or Nutri-bullet works, too).
• Add olive oil, ricotta cheese and salt and blend about 10 more seconds until olive oil is well incorporated (emulsified) into the sauce. If green sauce seems too thick, add a teaspoon or so of water and blend again for a few seconds. Taste and season with salt (See Note 1).
• Drain pasta. **Reserve about 1/2 cup of cooking water**
• Return pasta to hot pot. Add green sauce and toss with tongs. Add splashes of pasta water if sauce seems too thick. Continue tossing until pasta is well coated in the green sauce.
• Serve with more Parmesan cheese, freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon, if you like.

Notes

Note 1: Parmesan cheese brands have varying degrees to saltiness, so I don’t recommend adding TOO much salt right away. Taste the sauce at the end and season with salt if necessary. 

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Nutrition

Calories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 13gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 206mgPotassium: 185mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gCalcium: 227mgIron: 2mg

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