Herby labneh pasta: A vibrant summer meal that's ready in 20 minutes

Bright, creamy and packed with fresh herbs, this simple pasta recipe has all the makings of a satisfying summer meal. Its vibrant green sauce is made from tangy labneh and comes together quickly using only a blender. Serve it with crunchy breadcrumbs and extra Parmesan for a light, tasty dinner that’s ready in 20 minutes. 

Ingredients

• 260 g pasta, preferably linguine
• 1–2 tsp salt

Sauce:

• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh oregano
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh parsley
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint
• 1 large green onion, stem trimmed
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• ¾ cup loosely packed spinach or kale
• 2 tbsp tahini
• ¼ cup labneh
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Breadcrumbs:

• 1 large piece of bread, torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and salt, then decrease the heat to medium. Cook per package instructions until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, place the herbs, green onion, oil, lemon juice, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. (You may need to pause halfway through to loosen the mixture with a spoon.)

Add the spinach and tahini, and blend until combined. Add the labneh and blend for a few seconds until just combined (blending it too long will cause the labneh to become runny). Set aside.

Place the bread, oil and salt in a small skillet set over medium heat. Toast, stirring often, until the breadcrumbs are browned and crunchy, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, then divide onto plates. Top with breadcrumbs and more Parmesan to taste. 

Serves 4

Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.