TikTok's Viral Green Pasta Is Full of Superfoods: Here's How to Make It

Carbs + superfoods = a dream meal.

If the pasta on your TikTok For You Page is looking a little more verdant lately, there’s a reason for that. Green pasta is trending, and it’s a super tasty and simple way to pack superfoods into a fast and nutritious weeknight pasta recipe. While the green pasta doesn't actually require using green noodles (but the more veggies, the better), it’s the sauce that gives the easily modifiable recipe its signature color. And it takes just minutes to make. Anchored around blanched greens and soft cheese, the sauce is gooey, satisfying, and packed with all the benefits of green superfoods: Vitamin C, potassium, and even protein.

Another reason this recipe is trending in the heart of winter? Using frozen vegetables is just fine. In fact, it's recommended to cut down on cooking time. So while the shelves of your local produce section make look a little less vivacious in these gray, cold days, your bowl of pasta can brighten everything up, just by hitting the freezer section (another bonus, frozen veggies can be a better value too).

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Green Pasta Recipe

Here’s how to make TikTok's famous green pasta.

1. Bring a pot full of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath on the side.

2. Add a cup of frozen vegetables, such as frozen peas, frozen broccoli, or a frozen super greens blend, to the salted water. Let it cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then remove with tongs or a spider strainer, immediately transferring to the ice bath to cool.

3. Return salted water to a boil. Add a 16-ounce package of pasta (short and long noodles both work) to the boiling water, stir, and cook until al dente. Strain, reserving pasta water.

4. Meanwhile, drain cooked veggies, and add ¼ cup of soft cheese (such as ricotta, feta or cream cheese), and a drizzle of olive oil to a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until creamy and bright green.

5. Return pasta to the pot. Add green sauce and a splash of pasta water to loosen everything up. Stir and cook pasta 1-2 more minutes, adding more water as necessary to finish cooking the pasta. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.

6. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh pepper, or chili flakes.

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Green Pasta Recipe Variations

The beauty of this bright green pasta is that everyone makes it differently, and it can easily be replicated with many vegetables, solo or in combination.

To make a vegan version, sub out cheese for some soft vegan cheese and nutritional yeast.

You can also make this pasta more like a pesto by using exclusively leafy greens, including spinach and lacinato kale, and blending ‘em with a bit of Parmesan. 

Add a bit of zing to your green sauce by adding a splash of lemon juice, and garnishing your pasta with fresh lemon zest. You can also amp up the umami flavor by adding a teaspoon of miso to the green sauce. Or give the sauce a kick by blending in a raw jalapeño pepper or clove of garlic (roasted or raw). Blending in fresh soft herbs, such as parsley, dill, or basil, or using these herbs as a garnish, can also bring out a fresh flavor and up the green content.  

To bring a bit of crunch and textural difference to your green pasta, top with toasted breadcrumbs, flaxseeds (more superfoods), puffed rice, or shaved Parmesan. Sprinkle microgreens on top for an extra boost of superfoods, color, and texture.

Make a superfood green pasta salad! If you have leftover green pasta, chill it in the fridge. When ready to eat, let it warm to room temperature, toss with a bit of olive oil and red vinegar, and add in more veggies, raw or blanched. Canned artichokes, green olives, and chickpeas would also be great additions.

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To add a protein boost to your superfood meal, stir in a can of strained beans just before serving. Beans with a more neutral flavor, such as cannellini, great north or butter beans, would work well, but any of your favorite beans can work.

Green pasta doesn’t need to be the main affair! It can also be an excellent side dish to a roast chicken, broiled fish, or a fried cutlet.

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