Creamy Spinach Pasta Garlic (Printable Version)
Delightful pasta with spinach and rich garlic cream sauce, perfect for quick, satisfying meals.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine
→ Vegetables
02 - 7 oz fresh baby spinach, washed
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 1 2/3 cups whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Extra grated Parmesan, to serve
13 - Freshly ground black pepper
14 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to form a roux.
04 - Gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 3–5 minutes.
05 - Stir in the grated Parmesan and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Add the spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
07 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in under 10 minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours
- Spinach wilts into the cream so even skeptics end up asking for seconds
- Leftovers reheat beautifully for next day lunch, if they even exist
02 -
- Reserve pasta water before draining, that liquid gold saves sauces
- Nutmeg sounds weird but try it once and you'll never skip it again
- The sauce thickens as it stands off heat, so slightly loose is perfect in the pan
03 -
- Grate your own Parmesan, the pre-grated stuff never melts quite right
- Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold from the fridge