Creamy Spinach Pasta Garlic (Printable Version)

A comforting pasta dish with creamy garlic sauce, fresh spinach, and parmesan cheese for an easy flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces penne or fettuccine

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 7 ounces fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/4 cup vegetable broth
08 - 2 ounces grated parmesan cheese
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Black pepper, to taste
11 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

12 - Extra grated parmesan
13 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente following package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add fresh spinach to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and vegetable broth, stir to combine, then simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Incorporate grated parmesan, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg if using. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
06 - Toss cooked pasta in the sauce to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water as needed to adjust consistency.
07 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than waiting for delivery, and tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta without feeling heavy or greasy.
  • You can make it with whatever greens are sitting in your fridge, no special shopping required.
02 -
  • Don't let the garlic sit too long in the hot oil or it'll turn bitter and ruin the whole vibe.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks oily, a spoonful of pasta water whisked in will bring it back together like magic.
  • Taste before you serve because parmesan is salty, and you might not need as much extra salt as you think.
03 -
  • Always cook your garlic just until it smells good, never until it browns, or the whole dish will taste burnt.
  • Use the pasta water like liquid gold, it's starchy and salty and binds the sauce to the noodles better than anything else.
  • Grate your parmesan fresh from a block, the pre-grated kind has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy instead of silky.

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