Meatless Friday: Vegan Broccoli Pasta Sauce

• 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

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add the broccoli, onion, and garlic to a large skillet. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
• 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.
• 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.
• Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth.
• Pour the sauce back in the skillet and add the pasta and edamame. Cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
• Garnish with fresh basil and red pepper flakes.

For more information on ingredients and substitutions, visit AtElizabethsTable.com.