Vegan Spinach Zaatar Pasta Skillet! This easy-to-make skillet recipe not only satisfies your cravings but also adds a burst of flavor and nutrition to your meal.
Indulge in the vibrant flavors of our Vegan Spinach Zaatar Pasta Skillet, a delightful dish that brings a refreshing Middle Eastern twist to your dinner table! Imagine tender baby spinach and perfectly cooked pasta enveloped in a bold sauce infused with aromatic zaatar herbs and spices, creating a symphony of flavors that dance on your palate. Dive into this delicious fusion of texture and taste, and let your taste buds embark on an unforgettable culinary journey!
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
Calling all zaatar enthusiasts! If you’re as obsessed with this aromatic Middle Eastern spice blend as we are, then this recipe is a must-try. Bursting with savory goodness, our Zaatar Pasta Skillet is a celebration of flavors that will take your taste buds on a delightful journey. We can’t get enough of the earthy, herby notes of zaatar, and this dish perfectly showcases its versatility.
You gotta give this one a try!
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This Spinach Za’atar Pasta Skillet is a delicious pasta dish has a Middle Eastern flair. Za’atar and spinach take center stage in a lightly creamy sauce. This dish is for za’atar lovers everywhere. If you are not a za’atar lover, then consider skipping this recipe.
- Za’atar: Za’atar is a spice blend that is a staple in Middle Eastern cooking (as well as some Mediterranean cooking). It typically includes dried herbs like oregano, wild thyme, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and sea salt. Each region/country of the Middle East has their own special blend of za’atar herbs and spices that may also include cumin or coriander, or even hyssop. Middle Easterners literally put it on everything from bread to potatoes to chicken, cauliflower to popcorn.
- Za’atar – Love it or Hate it: We have found that most people (outside of Middle Easterners) either love it or hate it. Mom actually hated za’atar when she first tried it, now she absolutely loves it. She thinks it is almost an acquired taste. Mom and Dad LOVE za’atar. Yasmeen and Yara love it too.
- Cashew Butter or Tahini: We tested this recipe initially with tahini, then tested it again with cashew butter. Most preferred cashew butter since it is a neutral flavor and allows the za’atar to really shine. Others preferred the tahini as it gives a slightly bitter edge to the dish.
- Cashew Butter Substitutions: You can use tahini (see above) or almond butter or other nut or seed butters with the understanding that the flavor will be impacted accordingly.
- Baby Spinach: Fresh baby spinach works really well in this dish. This dish is very savory, coupled with the za’atar, it has a tart and slightly bitter edge to it.
- Baby Spinach Substitutions: You can substitute the baby spinach for baby kale if you wish. You can also use frozen spinach. Be sure to wring all the liquids from the frozen spinach and not use as much as frozen spinach has a strong flavor while baby spinach has a lighter flavor.
- Amount of Baby Spinach: We used fresh baby spinach typically found in the medium-sized clam-shell type of packages at our local grocery store found in 5 oz. packaging. This is approximately 5 cups of packed chopped baby spinach.
- Sauce: The sauce will initially appear very thin; however, as the pasta cooks in the sauce at the very end of the recipe, then it slightly cools, the sauce slightly thickens up.
- Pasta: We used orecchiette pasta. Feel free to use your favorite small-cut pasta.
- Gluten Free Pasta: Feel free to use gluten free pasta. Rinse it really well to remove the excess starches. Gluten free pasta tends to be very starchy.
- Amount of Pasta: We used approximately 8 to 12 ounces of pasta in each kitchen test. We preferred 8 oz. as that allowed for a nice amount of sauce which we felt was important. If you use 12 oz. then the dish will be slightly drier. Do not use more than 12 oz. to avoid a dry and less flavorful dish.
- Optional Vegan Parmesan Cheese: Some family members loved a generous sprinkle of Vegan Parmesan Cheese while others felt it was unnecessary. Feel free to use your favorite vegan parmesan cheese recipe or store purchased.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered container.
This dish can be frozen.
Pantry Products:
- Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients. Feel free to use your favorite vegetable broth.
- Cashew Butter: We used Artisana Organic Raw Vegan Cashew Butter. Feel free to use your favorite raw cashew butter in this recipe. Read the label, make sure the only ingredient is raw cashews. Do not use a salted or sweetened cashew butter.
- Zaatar: We used Tyme Foods Zaatar Dip, Sprinkle, or Rub (classic). It contains no fillers, no substitutions, no oils are added and is gluten free. Tyme Foods also sells a salt-free blend as well as a sesame-free blend. Feel free to use your favorite za’atar seasoning. Be sure to read labels as many za’atar seasoning contains oils.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Equipment:
- Large skillet
- Stock pot (to boil the pasta)
If you try this flavorful dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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Vegan Spinach Zaatar Pasta Skillet
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 Minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Indulge in the vibrant flavors of our Vegan Spinach Zaatar Pasta Skillet, a delightful dish that brings a refreshing Middle Eastern twist to your dinner table!
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon + teaspoon cashew butter (or tahini) *
- 1 ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon za’atar
- ¼ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-)
- Pinch to ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
Other Ingredients:
- 5 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped
- 8 to 12 oz. orecchiette pasta (or pasta of choice)
Optional Toppings:
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, when done, drain and rinse pasta in cold water and set aside to drain.
- Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients into a small bowl, whisk well to combine, set aside.
- In a large skillet, add the finely diced onions, sauté over medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes until perfectly tender, add a splash of water, if needed to avoid burning. Then lower the heat to medium, add the minced garlic, sauté, stir constantly for one minute.
- Then add all the remaining Skillet Ingredients to the skillet, stir to incorporate and melt the cashew butter (or tahini) into the liquids, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Add the Spice/Herb Mix. Stir to incorporate, then simmer over medium heat for 4 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
- Add the chopped baby spinach, stir well to wilt the baby spinach, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta, stir to incorporate, heat through and allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the stove and allow to sit for 4 minutes, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Serving: 4
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