Creamy Spinach Pasta Garlic (Printable Version)
A luscious dish combining spinach, garlic, and a velvety cream sauce with pasta for a comforting meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine
→ Vegetables
02 - 7 oz fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
→ Dairy & Liquids
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/4 cup whole milk
→ Seasonings
09 - 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
10 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
03 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
04 - Add chopped spinach to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and whole milk, stirring to combine. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
06 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat with sauce. Gradually add reserved pasta water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in 30 minutes, which means dinner is on the table before you've even finished thinking about what you're hungry for.
- The garlic and cream sauce is so silky it makes you question why you ever buy jarred sauces.
- Fresh spinach wilts right into the sauce without any fussy preparation, sneaking greens onto your plate without anyone noticing.
02 -
- Don't drain all your pasta water down the sink; that starchy liquid is basically liquid gold for fixing a sauce that got too thick or too concentrated.
- Add the pasta to the sauce, not the sauce to the pasta, because the skillet gives you way more control over how much sauce coats each strand.
- Nutmeg in savory dishes sounds weird until you taste it, and then you wonder why you ever made creamy anything without it.
03 -
- Save pasta water before draining because that starchy liquid is your secret weapon for adjusting sauce consistency in the final moments.
- Grate your Parmesan fresh right before you need it; the pre-shredded stuff never melts quite as smoothly into a warm sauce.