Creamy Spinach Butternut Pasta

Name: Creamy Spinach Butternut Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp sea salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp granulated garlic; 1 tsp red pepper flakes (If you have kids, or don't want it with a kick, use only 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes); 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Vegan/vegetarian option: omit chicken, use 14 oz extra firm tofu); 2 cups fresh butternut squash, cubed; 1/2 cup sliced leeks; 4 cups spinach or greens; 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese (for dairy free or vegan, use vegan creamed cheese); 1 tbsp nutritional yeast; 1 cup vegetable broth; 1 tsp fresh thyme (If using dried thyme, add 1/2 tsp instead of 1 tsp); 2 cups dry brown rice pasta, which is gluten free (cook according to package directions)

Published: Mar 3, 2019 · Modified: Jan 20, 2024 by Alkaline Recipes with 2 Comments

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Creamy Spinach Butternut Pasta. This dish is incredibly creamy and delicious and is ready for serving in 30 minutes, whether you are cooking with an Instant Pot, in the oven or on the stove top. Packed with nutrition and flavor from spinach, butternut, leeks and spices, the smooth creaminess comes from cream cheese, nutritional yeast and a little kick from my favorite spice-- red pepper flakes. Prepare with chicken or without. Same great creamy goodness.

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How To Make This Recipe Vegan?
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Most of the recipes on this blog are vegan or vegetarian, and all are gluten free and dairy free. I don't know about your family, but we have some that are gluten free, some that are diary free, some that eat meat, but not red meat, and some that are pescatarian. Then, there are those that eat everything.

All of those factors make it hard to make meals that can accommodate all tastes. I find that the best thing to do is to make a recipe gluten free, diary free and vegetarian, and allow for protein additions according to personal preferences. The most important goal that I have in creating any recipe is to use fresh, preservative free, plant based ingredients whenever possible.

How To Make This Recipe Vegan?

All of the recipes on this site are gluten free, and dairy free, so no modifications are necessary to accommodate those diets. In the case of this recipe, the whole recipe is vegan, and the addition of chicken is the only ingredient that needs to be omitted to make this pasta dish vegan. It has the same great flavor and nutrition.

If you want some additional protein and still enjoy the dish vegan, you can add tofu instead of chicken. It is my intention to allow for the most flexibility in creating recipes so that you can get exactly what you need.

What Other Options Can I Use To Prepare This Dish?

I think we can agree on one thing--when you are ready to prepare a recipe, and you are missing one ingredient, it is so very frustrating. Yes, we have all been there. The good news is, that this pasta dish is so flexible, that it is very easy to substitute vegetables without sacrificing the flavor or nutritional value of the meal.

For example, instead of butternut squash, you can use sweet potatoes or any other kind of squash that you have on hand. For the spinach, you can substitute similar greens, like kale or collard greens. If you don't have leeks, you can use green onions.

The most important part of this recipe is the creamy sauce--the cream cheese, broth and spices are a great flavor combination. If you prefer, you can also use this creamy sauce on rice or noodles for a creative twist on this meal. I definitely believe that the star of every meal is usually the sauce!

My new favorite way to cook is to make recipes in the Instant Pot. Not only is does the food cook quicker, I personally feel like the flavor of any food is much more intense when it cooks on high pressure. If you don't have an Instant Pot, I also include directions to prepare this meal in a pan on the stove top.