Pasta with Spinach Basil Pesto

My daughter’s school has a set menu for food to be taken to school in the tiffin everyday. Today it said ‘favorite food’ So I asked her what would she like to take in the tiffin and pat came the reply ‘green pasta’ not any pasta but specific green pasta. Though I didn’t have all the ingredients for the green pasta I didn’t have the heart to say no. A quick ride to the market and I was surprised to see that everything was readily available. Now even I was looking forward to eat the green pasta.
As you guys must have guessed the green is definitely because of the spinach. This recipe has been a favorite since its inception and a lot of friends and family have appreciated it. So it’s a definite winner. If you have a child who hates spinach or any greens this is the best way to go about getting the kids to eat their greens.
I have been asked this number of times in a good way as well as with utmost anger- ‘Is your child a vegan too?’, ‘how can you deprive her of all the ‘healthy’ stuff? Or ‘You don’t give her milk??? No wonder she is so thin’.My daughter had been a difficult eater, very fussy (and very thin) since the day she started eating but since we turned vegan not only has she become a better eater but she also has put on weight (Surprising right?). We have never forced her to eat anything specific or follow ‘veganism’ and she is allowed to eat whatever she wants (depends on what she wants) but we as parents teach her to make the right choices. Also as a fulltime parent of 2 kids and a homemaker I cannot make separate meals for everyone so the kids usually get what we eat and that’s how she has started eating her veggies, greens and fruits (works for me!)
So with loads of greens our favorite pasta..Enjoy!!

  • ½ kg or 1 lb whole grain pasta
  • 30 Spinach Leaves (usually a bunch)
  • 5-7 basil leaves (Flat leaf basil and not Thai basil)
  • 1/2 Cup Raw Cashew
  • 1/4 Cup Almonds/walnuts Toasted
  • ½ sliced onion
  • 4 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Cup Water Juice
  • 1/2 Lemon
  • 2 Teaspoons Mustard Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Pasta Water
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
  1. Heat Water in a Pot For Pasta
  2. Wash Basil and Spinach. Add Spinach and Basil to Blender.
  3. Add Cashews and 1 Cup water to Blender. In a small saucepan, toast 1/4 cup almond/walnuts for 3 minutes and toss in blender.
  4. In same small saucepan add garlic and onion. Sauté for 1min on high heat. Add to blender.
  5. Add Salt, Pepper, and mustard sauce to Blender. Blend until smooth.
  6. Add Pasta to Water and cook according to directions.
  7. Pour Spinach Basil Pesto Sauce in a large pot Cover and heat over low heat. Add 1/2 cup pasta water and stir.
  8. Once cooked add Pasta to sauce. Turn off heat. Stir to combine
    Garnish with cherry tomatoes or chopped tomato slices and serve.
  9. Tips- If you don’t have fresh flat leaf basil available, don’t sweat you can add 1/2 tsp dried basil
    The pictures are from my archives but as I said it’s a foolproof recipe
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