This vegan Spinach Pesto Pasta is super nutritious and filling. Spinach, walnuts and garlic give this pasta so much flavor it will be your new favorite.

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Why you will love this recipe
- Refreshing Flavors: Refreshing lemon, fresh spinach, garlic and olive oil combines with pasta, tomatoes and onions creating a satisfying pasta dish and walnuts to give it the perfect texture.
- Easy Recipe: This is a simple easy Spinach Pesto Pasta that comes together easily in a short amount of time, with just a handful of ingredients and itโs extremely easy to make.
- Vegan: Yes this Spinach Pesto Pasta is a vegan recipe and extremely satisfying, filling and delicious. Perfect for lunch or dinner.
- Warm or Cold: This can be enjoyed both ways, as a warm Spinach Pesto Pasta right away once the noodles, tomatoes and onions are cooked. Or refrigerate and serve the next day as a cold pasta (with in 2 days).
Want more pasta recipes? check out our Broccoli Lemon Pasta, Creamy Vegan Pasta, Curry Pasta or our Kale Pasta. Don't forget to check out this Easy Spinach Pesto used in this pasta.
Ingredients
For instructions and quantities of how to make this Spinach Pesto Pasta be sure to check out the recipe card below.

- Spinach: This is used for the base of the pesto.
- Olive Oil: Adds a smooth texture to the pesto.
- Garlic: Used to enhance the flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Used to give a fresh flavor to the pesto.
- Walnuts: Used for texture and flavor in this spinach walnut pasta.
- Onion Powder, Salt and Pepper: Added flavorings.
- Pasta: Any pasta you like most will work but I really like rotini or spaghetti.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Adds a nice fresh element to this spinach walnut pesto pasta.
- Onion: More flavor and texture.
Variations
- Change the Nuts: Switch the chopped walnuts to pine nuts, sunflower, pistachios or cashews for a change in the taste.
- Add Additional Vegetables: You can add other veggies, mushrooms, broccoli or asparagus any of your favorite veggies.
- Make it Spicy: If you like spice feel free to add chili flakes or a couple jalapeรฑos it will definitely give this pasta a kick.
How to make this Spinach Pesto Pasta

Step 1: Place everything for the pesto in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth.

Pesto blended up!

Step 2: Bring a pot of water to a boil, be sure to add a pinch of salt to the pasta water. Cook pasta according to directions on you pasta box. (reserve about ยฝ cup pasta water to thin the pesto if needed)

Step 3: Slice tomatoes, chop onions and sautรฉ in a skillet (sprayed with non-stick spray) on medium heat salt/pepper to taste, cook for about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Pour pasta in a bowl, mix in pesto sauce, add reserved pasta cooking water to thin the pesto and help it mix in. Top with sautรฉed tomatoes and onions. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the fridge up to 2 days.

Pesto getting mixed into the pasta.
Expert Tips
- Salt your pasta water: Salting the water before boiling both seasons the pasta and helps to reduce stickiness.
- Donโt overcook the pasta: Overcooking can lead to mushy or sticky pasta and can also cause the pasta to lose some of its flavor.
- Serve for lunch or dinner: This pasta dish pairs perfectly with our Pear Almond Salad, or Garlic Onion Black Bean Burgers.
Recipe FAQs
It's great both ways, warm is great for dinner and cold is great for lunch the next day. But this is a personal choice. This Spinach Pesto Pasta tastes great either way.
A good estimate is, if you have 1 cup of cooked pasta general itโs said about 2 ounces of pesto is needed. But itโs certainly a personal preference if you like a lot of sauce add more if you prefer less sauce use less.ย
This pesto recipe does have spinach in it. But there are many different pesto recipes that have a variety of other ingredients like fresh basil and pine nuts.ย

More Pasta Recipes


Spinach Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
For the Pesto
- 2 cups spinach (packed-about half of a plastic spinach contain/ย 2.5 oz.)
- โ cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup walnuts (raw unsalted)
- 1 teaspoons onion powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยผ teaspoon black pepper
For the Pasta
- 8 oz. Pasta (I used a lentil pasta)
- 14 cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
- ยฝ purple onion (chopped)
Instructions
For the Pesto
- Place everything for the pesto in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, be sure to add a pinch of salt to the pasta water. Cook pasta according to directions on you pasta box. (reserve about ยฝ cup pasta water to thin the pesto if needed)
- Slice tomatoes, chop onions and sautรฉย in a skillet (sprayed with non-stick spray) on medium heat salt/pepper to taste, cook for about 5 minutes.
- Pour pasta in a bowl, mix in pesto sauce, add reserved pasta cooking water to thin the pesto and help it mix in. Top with sautรฉed tomatoes and onions. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the fridge up to 2 days.
Heather McClees
Yummy! This looks delicious, girl! I haven't tried this brand of pasta yet. Thanks for reminding me. And I'm sorry to say, I've never once had pesto. You've inspired me with this pretty recipe. I'm going to see if I can make an oil-free one, but seriously, this is lovely!
Harriet Emily
I love pesto and pasta!!! It's one of my favourite things to make! This looks delicious Michele - love that you made the pesto with walnuts. Yummy!
tworaspberries
thanks so much girl! you totally need to try it with walnuts it's SO good! ๐
Shannon @The Glowing Fridge
Love pesto pasta - will have to try this over the weekend! By the way, your pictures are looking amazing!!
xoxo,
Shannon
tworaspberries
awe! thanks girl that means a lot! ๐ and yes you definitely need to try it, you would love it! xoxo