This creamy basil spinach pasta sauce is the perfect way to get your greens. The sauce is decadent and rich, yet quick and easy to make and perfect to toss with any kind of pasta.
The sauce tastes like a hybrid of very mild basil pesto and a white, creamy pasta sauce. In other words: it’s super delicious!
This creamy green sauce is loaded with fresh basil and spinach, nuts, parmesan cheese, and a bit of olive oil. But what makes is gorgeously luscious and rich is the added cream cheese. In just 15 minutes you’ll get a satisfying and vibrant green bowl of pasta.
A heads up: You’ll need a blender or food processor to get a smooth sauce but otherwise the recipe is really simple to make and a perfect weeknight meal (one-bowl).
Recipe Tortellini with Basil Spinach Sauce
Bring salted water to a boil, add dry tortellini, and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 8-10 minutes. Drain tortellini in a colander and reserve some of the pasta water.
While the pasta cooks, combine spinach, basil, olive oil, water, walnuts, parmesan, and salt in a food processor or blender. Blend until the mixture is as smooth as it gets, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
Transfer the spinach-basil sauce to the empty pasta pot, stir in cream cheese and 2 tablespoons pasta water. Taste, and adjust salt if necessary. If you feel it’s lacking zing, add some grated lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice.
Toss tortellini with the sauce and add a splash of pasta water if necessary to get a creamy consistency.
Serve green tortellini with grated parmesan cheese.
More delicious pasta recipes
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment or/and give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear how the recipe turns out in your kitchen.
Tortellini with Basil Spinach Sauce (15 min, 1 bowl)
Ingredients
- 8-9 oz 250 g dry tortellini (see note)
- 1 packed cup (40 g) spinach leaves, rinsed
- ¼ packed cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup (25 g) chopped walnuts (see note)
- ¼ cup (20 g) grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese (or 2 tablespoons crème fraiche)
- 1 organic lemon optional
Instructions
- Bring salted water to a boil, add dry tortellini, and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 8-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine spinach, basil, olive oil, water, walnuts, parmesan, and salt in a food processor or blender. Blend until the mixture is as smooth as it gets, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Drain tortellini in a colander and reserve some of the pasta water.
- Transfer the spinach-basil sauce to the empty pasta pot*, stir in cream cheese and 2 tablespoons pasta water. Taste, and adjust salt if necessary. If you feel it’s lacking zing, add some grated lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Toss tortellini with the sauce and add a splash of pasta water if necessary to get a creamy consistency. Serve green tortellini with grated parmesan cheese.
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