Our Creamy Vegan Tuscan Pasta Recipe With Garlic And Spinach

Jess Miller

If you love creamy pastas with bold flavour, this vegan Tuscan pasta is going to be a new favourite.

It’s silky, savoury, and packed with garlic, herbs, and plenty of leafy spinach. The sauce is made with simple plant-based ingredients, but it feels indulgent and comforting.

It comes together quickly in one pan, making it perfect for busy evenings.

Whether you’re cooking for family or just need something easy after a long day, this dish delivers big flavour with very little effort.

Here’s how you can make it yourself.

Contents hide

1 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

2 How To Make This Creamy Vegan Tuscan Pasta

2.1 Ingredients

2.2 Method

3 Our Top Tips

3.1 Choose pasta that works for everyone at the table

3.2 Let the spinach wilt, not stew

3.3 Adjust the sauce to match your mood

3.4 Don’t skip the lemon

4 Variations You Can Try

5 Storage and Leftovers

6 Final Thoughts

7 Our Creamy Vegan Tuscan Pasta Recipe With Garlic And Spinach

7.1 Ingredients

7.2 Directions

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This pasta brings together everything we love about a creamy dinner – a garlicky sauce, tender pasta, and a handful of vegetables for freshness and colour.

It feels satisfying but not too heavy and has just the right balance of richness and brightness.

The sauce is made from coconut milk or cashew cream, blended with garlic, onion, nutritional yeast, and a little lemon to bring it all together.

You get all the creaminess without needing any dairy or complicated steps.

How To Make This Creamy Vegan Tuscan Pasta

Here’s everything you need to make this at home:

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need:

350g pasta (fettuccine, penne, or rigatoni work well)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian herbs
¾ cup full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Juice of half a lemon
2 cups baby spinach
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh basil or parsley for serving (optional)

Method

1. Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside. Reserve half a cup of pasta water.

2. Sauté the aromatics

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and herbs and cook for another minute until fragrant.

3. Build the sauce

Add the coconut milk or cashew cream to the pan, followed by the nutritional yeast and lemon juice. Stir well and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.

4. Add the spinach and pasta

Stir in the baby spinach and cook just until wilted. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Use a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.

5. Finish and serve

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh basil or parsley if you like. Serve hot and enjoy the creamy comfort.

Our Top Tips

Choose pasta that works for everyone at the table

Short shapes like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli are perfect if you’re feeding kids or just want something easy to scoop and mix.

They hold onto the sauce really well and make every bite feel satisfying.

Let the spinach wilt, not stew

Spinach only needs a moment to soften. Stir it in right at the end so it stays bright and tender. Overcooking can make it a bit mushy, and you’ll lose that lovely pop of green.

Adjust the sauce to match your mood

If you like your pasta extra creamy, feel free to add a little more coconut milk or even a spoonful of vegan cream cheese.

If the sauce thickens too much, a splash of pasta water brings it right back to the perfect texture.

Don’t skip the lemon

That little squeeze of lemon at the end might seem small, but it makes a big difference.

It lifts the whole dish and balances the richness of the sauce without overpowering the garlic and herbs.

Variations You Can Try

This creamy Tuscan pasta is a great base for all sorts of flavours. You can sauté mushrooms for an earthy twist or stir in chopped sundried tomatoes for a bit of tangy sweetness.

Roasted red peppers also work beautifully and add a lovely burst of colour.

If you want to add a bit of protein, toss in some chickpeas or white beans. They mix well with the creamy sauce and make the meal more filling without taking anything away from the comfort factor.

Don’t have spinach? Use kale, chard, or even a bag of frozen greens. This is a flexible dish that lets you work with what you’ve got.

Storage and Leftovers

If you have leftovers, you’re in luck. This pasta keeps well for up to three days in the fridge and is easy to reheat.

Just warm it gently in a pan or the microwave with a splash of water or plant milk to bring the sauce back to its creamy best.

It also makes a great next-day lunch. You can serve it warm or even enjoy it cold as a pasta salad. The flavours continue to develop overnight, so it still tastes great the next day.

Final Thoughts

Creamy vegan Tuscan pasta is one of those dishes that feels like a little treat but is easy enough for any night of the week.

It’s full of bold, comforting flavours, and it’s packed with nourishing ingredients too.

Keep it in your regular rotation for when you want something simple, creamy, and full of goodness that everyone at the table will enjoy.