If you’re tired of the same old pasta routine, you should definitely try this simple tahini pasta with baby spinach, green olives, and lemon zest. It’s vegan, packed with flavor, and the recipe comes together in only 15 minutes. So it’s the perfect recipe for a super busy day!
Why This Recipe Works
This tahini pasta with creamy and rich tahini, lemon juice and zest, fresh spinach, and olives is definitely a combo you didn’t know you needed! I’m a huge pasta fan and I could eat pasta every day. Usually it involves tomatoes in some kind of way, but this tahini pasta is my new favorite!
It’s definitely not your typical pasta dish. It’s a harmonious blend of nutty and fresh flavors that’ll make you question why you haven’t tried tahini in your pasta sooner.
Probably you have used tahini to make homemade hummus before. But trust me, you can use it in many more ways!
And the recipe is an absolute breeze to make. All in all, the recipe comes together in only 15 minutes and you need only very few ingredients, which makes it a weeknight dinner hero. It’s one of those quick and flavorful dinners that you will make again and again.
The tahini not only adds creaminess but also a deep and nutty taste. In combination with the lemon juice and zest, you will have a delicious, refreshing, and bright sauce that is packed with flavor. To give it even more flavor, I sautéd an onion and garlic before adding the spinach and the olives.
The green olives bring freshness and that briny kick that complements the citrusy vibes of the lemon juice and zest. Before serving, I like to sprinkle the pasta with freshly chopped parsley and a little bit of red pepper flakes.
I absolutely love that this dish is so different from tomato-based pasta sauces or heavy cream sauces. It’s fresh, simple, and healthy making it my go-to for those days when I need a little pick-me-up.
So grab your ingredients and gives this recipe a try. Trust me, you will love it!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pasta – I like to use fettuccine, but the recipe is also great with spaghetti.
- Tahini – make sure to use runny tahini for this recipe from the top or middle of the jar. It tends to be rather hard on the bottom of the glas. Stirring it really well after opening the jar helps to prevent it from becoming hard.
- Lemon – lemon juice and lemon zest add a nice zing.
- Olives – green olives.
- Spinach – I used baby spinach.
- Onion & Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
How To Make This Recipe
1. Step: Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Finely chop the onion and the garlic.
2. Step: Cut the olives into thin slices.
3. Step: Juice and zest the lemon.
4. Step: Heat some olive oil in a large pan and sauté the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes or until translucent.
5. Step: Add the baby spinach and let it wilt for about 1 minute.
6. Step: Then add the green olives.
7. Step: In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, hot water, and the tahini. Stir well until you’ve got a creamy sauce. Add the cooked fettuccine and the tahini sauce to the pan.
8. Step: Stir well. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
9. Step: Serve the pasta immediately and sprinkle it with freshly chopped parsley and red pepper flakes (optional).
Storing
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this dish will last 2-3 days.
However, it won’t be as creamy anymore as the pasta will soak up a lot of the sauce. You might want to add some more lemon juice and additional salt and pepper before serving it.
Freezing
Unfortunately, the tahini pasta doesn’t freeze well. It’s best served fresh!
Variations
This recipe is super versatile and flexible. It’s also great with:
- broccoli
- kale
- Swiss chard
- roasted chickpeas
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I Love To Hear From You!
I hope you like this tahini pasta as much as we do around here.
If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!
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Tahini Pasta
Equipment
- 1 chopping board
- 1 kitchen knife
- 1 large pan
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- 10 oz fettuccine or spaghetti
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup green olives
- 4 large handful baby spinach
For the Tahini Sauce:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Finely chop the onion and the garlic.
- Cut the olives into thin slices.
- Juice and zest the lemon.
- Heat some olive oil in a large pan and sauté the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the baby spinach and let it wilt for about 1 minute.
- Then add the green olives.
- In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, hot water, and the tahini. Stir well until you've got a creamy sauce. Add the cooked fettuccine and the tahini sauce to the pan.
- Stir well. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
- Serve the pasta immediately and sprinkle it with freshly chopped parsley and red pepper flakes (optional).
Notes
- Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this dish will last 2-3 days. However, it won’t be as creamy anymore as the pasta will soak up a lot of the sauce. You might want to add some more lemon juice and additional salt and pepper before serving it.
- For a stronger lemon flavor, add the juice of another lemon.
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