Pasta with Spinach Sauce: Creamy Garlic Parmesan Weeknight Dinner
By Olivia Hayes
Prep
5 min
Cook
10 min
Total
15 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
This spinach sauce dish for a family dinner includes soft pasta and baby spinach mixed with cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and nutmeg․ Benefits of this pasta dish include bright green spinach cooked in a skillet and nutmeg flavor in every bite of pasta․
Garlic is cooked in olive oil while the pasta boils․ Spinach is added to the pan in batches with salt and cooked until wilted․ Cream cheese and pasta cooking water are substituted for heavy cream to make a creamy sauce with the spinach․ Cooked pasta and spinach are combined with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and nutmeg in the pan for additional flavor and aroma․
The spinach is cooked but still green․ The garlic smells fragrant after one or two minutes․ Add the reserved liquid to the pan gradually․ The recipe says you'll later use the reserved liquid to add liquid to the pan when you add the pasta․ Common errors include overcooking the garlic and adding all the reserved liquid before judging the sauce's consistency․
Serve immediately with extra-virgin olive oil, pepper, and more Parmesan cheese․ The recipe advises that leftovers will keep for up to 2 days in a sealed container․ Add a little water to leftovers to thin the sauce․ Reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Serves four for a weeknight dinner․ The pasta cooks while garlic and spinach work in the skillet․ Very little hands-on preparation time․
- Includes nine ounces of baby spinach that will cook into the sauce and provide plenty of greens without an additional vegetable side dish․
- Adds moisture to the sauce without heavy cream․ Other ingredients, such as cream cheese and pasta cooking water, can act as moisture agents in the final dish instead of leaving the cooked pasta dry․
- Works well at communal tables with family members․ Additional foods that can be served at family tables include grilled chicken, bacon, sausage, ham, shrimp, salmon, and other vegetables․
- Makes a simple dish using ingredients from your pantry and fridge, such as pasta, olive oil, garlic, cheese, spinach, and other ingredients that can be prepared ahead of time․
- Lasts several days in an airtight container and can be used with a small amount of water to moisten reheated dishes with sauce․
Ingredients
- •8 oz pasta (225 g; penne, rigatoni, spaghetti, or similar)
- •1 Tbsp olive oil or extra virgin olive oil (plus more to serve)
- •2 cloves garlic (2-3 cloves, finely sliced or minced)
- •9 oz baby spinach (250 g, washed)
- •¼ tsp fine salt (plus more to taste)
- •5 oz cream cheese (140 g)
- •1 oz Parmesan cheese (30 g, freshly grated, plus more to serve)
- •¼ tsp ground nutmeg (or 1/3 freshly grated nutmeg, or according to taste)
- •black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta until al dente following the package directions. Before draining, reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and set aside.
- 2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- 3
Add the garlic and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- 4
Add part of the spinach and season with salt. Stir until wilted, adding the spinach a handful at a time.
- 5
When the spinach is wilted but still bright green, stir in the cream cheese and 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water.
- 6
Add the grated Parmesan and nutmeg, then stir well. The sauce will be ready in a couple of minutes.
- 7
Drain the pasta, add it to the skillet, and toss to combine. Serve immediately with extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper, and freshly grated Parmesan.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
544
Protein
19g
Fat
25g
Carbs
62g
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