Creamy Spinach Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender spinach in a silky garlicky cream sauce coats pasta, creating a comforting Italian-inspired dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 7 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
09 - ¼ tsp black pepper
10 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Extra grated Parmesan, to serve
12 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Add chopped spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Allow mixture to simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Add grated Parmesan, ground nutmeg, black pepper, and salt. Stir and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Adjust sauce consistency by adding reserved pasta water gradually as needed.
07 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra grated Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means dinner on even the chaotic nights.
  • The cream sauce clings to every strand of pasta like it was made to be together.
  • Fresh spinach wilts right into the sauce, so you're eating greens without noticing you're eating greens.
02 -
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it can separate and get grainy—keep the heat gentle and your patience gentle with it.
  • That reserved pasta water is liquid gold; the starch in it helps the sauce cling to the pasta better than any cream alone ever could.
03 -
  • Always reserve pasta water before draining; it's the secret to a sauce that clings instead of sliding off.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block if you can—pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking powder that prevents it from melting as smoothly.
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