Here we are at the end of May and the days are already starting to feel like summer here in Central Ohio. I still love cooking in the summer, but our kitchen gets uncomfortably hot, no matter whether the windows are open or the air conditioner is on. I don’t like lingering in the kitchen any longer than I need to, especially when the days are beautiful and the boys and I just want to spend every moment outside. So as the days get hotter, my cooking gets faster and relies more and more on fresh ingredients.
This sauce has become a go-to recipe over the past few weeks. It is fast, easy, toddler-approved, and made in the food processor – so you only need the stove to boil the pasta. I first came up with it while browsing through Julia Turshen’s new cookbook Simply Julia (which is excellent). She has a green spaghetti recipe that looked so good, and I immediately wanted to make it but didn’t have all of the ingredients for it. I started tinkering around with what I did have on hand, though, and after a few weeks of playing, I landed on this. I love this sauce so much that I can (and do) just eat it with a spoon right out of the food processor.
This sauce is similar to a pesto, but the ingredients are chopped in a food processor instead of crushed. Since it is spring and my basil isn’t ready to be picked yet, it doesn’t include basil, but if you have fresh basil, you can certainly add it. Julia Turshen uses cream cheese in her sauce, which I’m sure would be excellent, but it is an ingredient I hardly ever have on hand. Instead I use white beans, which add some creaminess without adding extra dairy.
You don’t have to serve this sauce on pasta. I have used leftover sauce on veggies and potatoes and can verify that it is excellent on everything. But if you do serve it with pasta, I highly recommend using whole wheat pasta in this case. The nuttiness pairs so well with the green sauce.
A huge thank you to Julia Turshen for the inspiration. I do plan on making your green sauce once my basil is ready!
An easy, pesto-like sauce that can be thrown together quickly without standing over a hot stove. Makes for a great alternative to pesto when basil is not in season. Cook the pasta according to the time listed on the box. Be sure to reserve at least a half cup of pasta water. While the pasta cooks, place the spinach and kale in the food processor. Pulse it a few times to chop the leaves into smaller and more manageable pieces. Add the feta, oregano, garlic, white beans, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt to the processor and process until it has a pesto-like consistency. Next carefully add the hot pasta water while the food processor is on. Add it slowly. You want your sauce to be smooth but not too watery. About half a cup of pasta water will do. Taste the sauce and add salt, lemon or feta, if needed. Once the pasta is done cooking, toss the hot pasta with the sauce and serve immediately. Add some veggies: If you have extra time (and don’t mind turning the oven on), roast some veggies to toss with the pasta and sauce. Asparagus, squash, cherry tomatoes, and peppers are all excellent choices. Or boil some green beans in with the pasta.
Do-ahead: The sauce can be done ahead of time, either in the morning or even the day before. Refrigerate until ready to use. It will thicken in the fridge but will thin out when it is tossed with the hot pasta. Kale, Spinach, and White Bean Sauce with Whole Wheat Pasta
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