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This Pasta in Green Sauce is a delicious work from home lunch or midweek supper that ticks all the boxes. Although it contains pancetta, it is packed full of nutritious green veggies thanks to the unbelievably quick and easy green sauce which takes just seconds to make in a blender (you could use a handheld stick blender if that is all you have). Plus, you don’t have to worry about serving anything on the side.
It is also super versatile; I frequently make it with various seasonal green veggies and any pasta shape I fancy – long or short. Don’t be tempted to skip the egg yolk at the end, it makes the sauce super silky and glossy. Trust me, this is one of those dishes you will want to make again and again…
Why you will love this Pasta in Green Sauce
- It’s really versatile, you can make it with a range of seasonal greens and any pasta shape that needs using up.
- Full of goodness, it’s a great pasta that makes a full meal in one with no need for any sides or extra veg.
- It comes together in 30 minutes or less and all you need is pans and a blender.
You will need the following ingredients:
Olive oil – you don’t need too much as pancetta is naturally quite fatty. You could use rapeseed oil, if you like.
Pancetta lardons – made from Italian cured pork belly. You can use diced streaky bacon instead.
Leek – these have a more subtle allium flavour than white onions and cook much faster. You could use spring onions at a push.
Dried pasta – I have used calamarata in this recipe but you can use any dried pasta shape you wish.
Garlic cloves – this adds a lovely garlic flavour to the sauce. You could add a sprinkling of garlic granules straight to the blender if you don’t have any fresh cloves.
Spinach – I love adding fresh spinach to sauces as it is such a good way to include more vegetables. In this one, it helps give the most beautiful vibrant green colour.
Frozen peas – you could use petit pois instead, just make sure they are completely defrosted first.
Fresh basil – if you like pesto, you will love this sauce. You can use the leaves and the stems since they are completely blitzed in the blender.
Parmesan – this adds a lovely umami flavour to the sauce. A generous grating of fresh Parmesan is the perfect way to finish off the dish at the end. If leaving out the pancetta and making for vegetarians, opt for a vegetarian-friendly alternative like Gran Moravia.
Egg yolk – use a free-range egg stamped with the British Lion mark if you can.
Salt – I like Maldon Flaky Sea Salt – you can try their different flavours if you like (the chilli version will add a subtle heat, whilst the garlic version will increase the garlic flavour). Use sparingly as the pancetta and Parmesan are already salty.
Freshly ground black pepper – adding a few twists helps to balance out the flavours. It is important to taste and adjust as you season. You could use a pinch of dried chilli flakes if you like a more intense heat.
See recipe card for the exact recipe with a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
Olive oil – you could use rapeseed oil, if you like.
Pancetta lardons – use diced streaky bacon instead. Either smoked or unsmoked, I like unsmoked pancetta here but both would be good.
Dried pasta – I have used calamarata in this recipe but you can use any dried pasta shape you wish.
Spinach – other green veg works. Try with balanced kale or cavolo nero (prepare for a darker colour). I have used rainbow chard leaves before too, which is delicious.
Here’s how to make weeknight Pasta in Green Sauce
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.
ONE: Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan set over a low-medium heat and cook the pancetta until the fat renders out and it becomes crispy.
TWO: Push the pancetta to one side and add the leeks. Sauté in the pancetta fat for a few minutes, stirring often, until softened. Remove from the heat, scoop out the leeks into a blender and set aside.
THREE: Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water with the garlic cloves for a few minutes less than the packet instructions (you will finish cooking it in the sauce later and you want to ensure it is served ‘al dente’). Scoop out a mug of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rest. Set aside.
FOUR: Add the spinach, peas, Parmesan, basil, and softened garlic (which should be nestled in your drained pasta) to the leeks in the blender with approx. 120ml of the pasta cooking water. Blitz until smooth.
FIVE: Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the pancetta. Pour in the sauce and toss together really well to combine. Return to the heat and cook for a minute or so until heated through and the pasta is perfectly cooked. Turn off the heat and add the whisked egg yolk.
SIX: Keep tossing until you have a smooth and glossy sauce (you can add more pasta cooking water if you need it). Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon into bowls and serve with more freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy!
Cooking Tips
Cooking to al dente: You often see recipes saying that pasta should be cooked ‘al dente’ which literally translates as ‘to the tooth’. This is the ideal consistency for pasta (and rice) which should be firm and have some bite – not too hard or chalky (which means it is undercooked) or mushy (which means it is overcooked). Bear this in mind when you are cooking the pasta as the heat from the sauce and tossing it together continues cooking it too and you don’t want it mushy. Cook it for a few minutes less than packet instructions.
Boiling garlic cloves: You might think it odd to boil garlic cloves but what it cleverly does is take the overpowering rawness out of the garlic and cooks it easily so it mellows into the sauce. This means you don’t need to chop and fry it first and you don’t risk lingering garlic for the whole day from raw garlic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe can easily be adapted for vegetarians. Simply skip the pancetta and use a vegetarian-friendly alternative to Parmesan.
Originating from Napoli, calamarata is one of the lesser-known pasta varieties consisting of short, thick rings which resemble calamari. It is made using durum wheat semolina flour and cannot be made by hand due to the shape so is normally only available dried in supermarkets (you can also find smaller versions called calamaretti). It is similar in shape to paccheri which looks like thick, slightly longer, tubes.
Pancetta is Italian cured pork belly — a bit like streaky bacon — with a strong, rather salty flavour and fairly fatty texture. You can buy it as a round, thick slice from a roll, as rashers or diced into cubes. Traditionally it is unsmoked, but you can buy smoked varieties nowadays.
There are so many ways to use up leftover egg whites (I know you only have one in this recipe, but if you made it several times…). Some of my favourites include: meringues, pavlova, macarons or chocolate mousse. Alternatively, they freeze well for a future recipe.
Other recipes you may enjoy
An easy pasta is my bread and butter. Or pasta and butter? There’s so many of them on my website that you can find one to suit any tastes. Try my Creamy Caramelised Leek Pasta with Gruyère which is creamy, cheesy and sweet almost from the leeks. If you like something a little more one-pan but love leeks, try this One Pan Leek Pasta with Crispy Parma Ham. The viral Marry Me Pasta is so popular for a reason and my easy recipe has chicken in it too.
Otherwise, this Pasta with Sausages and Nduja is spicy, smokey and creamy. It’s a really good one to impress as it’s so full of flavour but it’s actually very simple to make. I love it. Finally, if you just want another weeknight chicken pasta, you cannot go wrong with this Creamy Chicken Pasta. It’s so easy but comforting and a perfect bowl to curl up to.
Vegetarian Dishes
Feta Saganaki
Easy Baking Recipes
Plum Yogurt Cake
Easy Dessert Recipes
San Sebastián Cheesecake
Lunch Recipes
Torta Pasqualina
Made this recipe and loved it?
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Pasta in Green Sauce
Ingredients
- Drizzle olive oil
- 150 g pancetta lardons
- 1 medium leek, washed, trimmed and finely chopped
- 200 g dried calamarata pasta, or dried pasta of your choice
- 3 garlic cloves
- 100 g fresh spinach
- 50 g peas, defrosted in a little boiling water for a few minutes
- 30 g Parmesan, grated (plus extra to serve)
- 30 g fresh basil
- 1 egg yolk, whisked
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan set over a low-medium heat and cook the pancetta until the fat renders out and it becomes crispy.
- Push the pancetta to one side and add the leeks. Sauté in the pancetta fat for a few minutes, stirring often, until softened. Remove from the heat, scoop out the leeks into a blender and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water with the garlic cloves for a few minutes less than the packet instructions (you will finish cooking it in the sauce later and you want to ensure it is served ‘al dente’). Scoop out a mug of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rest. Set aside.
- Add the spinach, peas, Parmesan, basil, and softened garlic (which should be nestled in your drained pasta) to the leeks in the blender with approx. 120ml of the pasta cooking water. Blitz until smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the pancetta. Pour in the sauce and toss together really well to combine.
- Return to the heat and cook for a minute or so until heated through and the pasta is perfectly cooked. Turn off the heat and add the whisked egg yolk. Keep tossing until you have a smooth and glossy sauce (you can add more pasta cooking water if you need it). Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed – Parmesan and pancetta are quite salty, so proceed with caution.
- Spoon into bowls and serve with more freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy!
