What spirulina does in pasta dough
- Colour:Chlorophyll survives boiling; the pasta is vivid green. Some browning of the green at surface contact with very salty boiling water is normal — the interior stays green.
- Protein:Denatured by heat but amino acids remain. 10 g spirulina per 300 g flour adds approximately 6 g protein across the full batch.
- Iron:Heat-stable minerals survive fully. Iron absorption from pasta is enhanced by serving with tomato sauce (vitamin C) or lemon-dressed salads.
- Phycocyanin:Destroyed in the dough during boiling. Not present in cooked spirulina pasta.
- Taste:Spirulina flavour in pasta dough is remarkably mild — the salt, egg, and wheat completely mask it. Most people cannot detect spirulina taste in cooked pasta at 10 g per 300 g flour.
Recipe 1: Spirulina fresh egg tagliatelle
Makes 4 servings. The standard ratio: 100 g flour per egg. Spirulina is added to the flour.
- 300 g ‘00’ flour (or plain flour)
- 10 g spirulina powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Whisk spirulina into flour until evenly distributed. Make a well; add eggs, oil, and salt. Work from the centre outward, gradually incorporating flour. Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in cling film and rest 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll using pasta machine: start at widest setting, fold and roll 3 times, then progressively narrow. For tagliatelle, roll to setting 5 (approximately 2 mm thick). Cut into 1 cm ribbons or use tagliatelle attachment. Cook in salted boiling water 2–3 minutes (fresh pasta cooks faster than dried).
Serving suggestion:Toss with sage brown butter, toasted walnuts, and Parmesan — the nutty flavour pairs naturally with spirulina’s subtle earthiness.
Recipe 2: Spirulina orecchiette
Makes 4 servings. Ear-shaped pasta suited to chunky sauces.
- 300 g semolina flour
- 10 g spirulina powder
- 150 ml warm water
- Pinch of salt
This is a water-based dough (no eggs) — traditional for orecchiette. Combine semolina, spirulina, and salt. Add water gradually, mixing until a firm, non-sticky dough forms — knead 10 minutes until very smooth. Rest covered 30 minutes. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces, roll into a rope (1 cm diameter), slice into 1 cm pieces. Using a table knife, press and drag each piece away from you on the board — the pasta curls over the knife into an “ear” shape. Cook in boiling salted water 5–6 minutes. Serve with broccoli rabe, garlic, chilli, and lemon — the lemon provides vitamin C for iron absorption.
Recipe 3: Cold spirulina pesto pasta
Serves 4. The pasta is cooked (phycocyanin lost from heat), but the pesto is applied at room temperature (phycocyanin fully preserved in the sauce).
- 350 g dried pasta (fusilli, penne, or trofie)
- Spirulina pesto (see dips and spreads recipe):50 g basil + 8 g spirulina + 30 g pine nuts + 40 g Parmesan + 1 clove garlic + 80 ml olive oil + lemon juice
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Toasted pine nuts for serving
Cook pasta normally. Drain and cool slightly (2–3 minutes, not to room temperature — slightly warm pasta absorbs pesto better). Important: wait until pasta is <40°C before adding spirulina pesto to preserve phycocyanin. Toss pesto through pasta. Add cherry tomatoes (vitamin C for iron absorption) and pine nuts. Serve warm but not hot.
Recipe 4: Cold spirulina avocado pasta
Serves 4. The avocado-spirulina sauce is blended and applied cold — full phycocyanin and GLA from both avocado and spirulina.
- 350 g pasta (linguine or spaghetti)
- 2 ripe avocados
- 8 g spirulina powder
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 30 g fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3–4 tbsp water to thin
- Salt, chilli flakes
Blend avocado, spirulina, lime juice, garlic, coriander, and olive oil until very smooth. Thin with water to a sauce consistency. Season. Cook pasta, drain and cool slightly (<40°C). Toss with avocado-spirulina sauce immediately before serving — avocado sauce oxidises within 2–3 hours. Top with diced tomato, jalapeño, and extra lime juice.
Spirulina dosing in pasta
- Dough (10 g spirulina per 300 g flour, 4 servings): 2.5 g spirulina per serving. No phycocyanin, but iron (1–2 mg), protein (1.5 g), and other heat-stable nutrients.
- Cold pesto sauce (8 g spirulina per 4-serving batch): 2 g spirulina per serving. Full phycocyanin preserved.
- For maximum daily dose, combine spirulina pasta with a spirulina sauce: the dough provides iron and protein; the cold sauce provides phycocyanin.