
For Meatless Friday, Elizabeth Varga shares a weeknight-friendly pasta dish that's packed with vegetables and protein. Download our printable recipe card!
This dish is like a jazzed-up version of pesto. It's broccoli pasta sauce, but made more flavorful with fresh basil, vegan cream cheese, and nutritional yeast. The result is a creamy pasta sauce that's packed with veggies AND flavor and is ready in about 40 minutes.
Vegan Broccoli Pasta Sauce
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Broccoli Florets (fresh or frozen)
- ½ Small Yellow Onion roughly chopped
- 6 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Pound Rotini or Penne Pasta (I used a bean-based pasta)
- ½ Cup Pasta Water
- 3 Cups Fresh Spinach
- ¾ Cup Vegan Cream Cheese
- ¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast
- ½ Ounce Fresh Basil Leaves (50 leaves)
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Cups Frozen Shelled Edamame
- Julienned fresh basil for garnish
- Red Pepper Flakes for garnish
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
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Add the broccoli, onion, and garlic to a large skillet. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
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Add the pasta to the pot of water and cook until just al dente - the noodles will cook more when added back to the skillet. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water from the pasta then drain and rinse the noodles.
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Stir in ¾ cups of the reserved pasta water, spinach, cream cheese, nutritional yeast, basil leaves, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper into the broccoli mixture. Cook 5-7 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and a sauce forms. Add the remaining ¼ cup of pasta water if there is not much liquid.
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Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth.
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Pour the sauce back in the skillet and add the pasta and edamame. Cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
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Garnish with fresh basil and red pepper flakes.
For more information on ingredients and substitutions, visit AtElizabethsTable.com.
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Copyright 2025 Elizabeth Varga
Images: Copyright 2025 Elizabeth Varga, all rights reserved.
About the Author

Elizabeth Varga
Elizabeth Varga is the founder of At Elizabeth’s Table, a plant-based recipe blog that explores the relationship between food and the Catholic faith. With a passion for healthy living, she is a full-time food blogger and food photographer. When not in the kitchen, Elizabeth enjoys drinking coffee, working out, listening to podcasts, and going on long walks. Follow along with her blog at AtElizabethsTable.com.
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