Vegane Mandel-Pasta mit Spinat (vegan almond and spinach pasta)

Method

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package, until al dente. Reserve 200 ml of the starchy cooking water, then drain.
2. Drain the soaked almonds. Blend with the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and about 150 ml of the reserved pasta water, until completely smooth, scraping down as needed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the spinach in batches and wilt down, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the drained pasta and the almond sauce to the pan. Toss to coat, adding more of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Blend the almonds until completely smooth, not just roughly broken down. A short blend leaves a gritty, nutty texture; a full one to two minutes gives the sauce a genuinely creamy body closer to a dairy-based sauce.
• Use the pasta’s own starchy cooking water, not plain water, to thin the almond blend. That starch helps the finished sauce cling to the noodles instead of pooling thin at the bottom of the bowl.
• Soak the almonds properly before blending. Unsoaked almonds stay gritty no matter how long you blend; a full hour in hot water is what gets the sauce fully smooth.
• It’s best served immediately; the sauce thickens considerably as it cools and needs loosening with a splash of water if reheating.

Ingredient substitutions

• Blanched almonds blend more smoothly than skin-on almonds; if using skin-on, blend a little longer.
• Cashews can replace almonds for an even creamier, slightly milder sauce.
• A pinch of nutmeg in the sauce is a nice addition.