Creamy Spinach Pasta Dish (Print view)

Silky cream sauce with tender spinach and perfectly cooked pasta for a comforting Italian-inspired dish.

# List of Ingredients:

→ 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

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Add chopped spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, ground nutmeg, black pepper, and salt. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly for 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
07 - Plate immediately, garnished with extra grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes but tastes like you spent hours perfecting it.
  • Heavy cream and Parmesan do the heavy lifting while you barely lift a finger.
  • The nutmeg is the secret weapon that makes people ask what your ingredient is.
02 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining because that starchy liquid is magic for loosening a sauce that's gotten too thick.
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it can separate and turn grainy, so keep the heat at a gentle simmer once it goes in.
  • Taste the sauce several times while seasoning because Parmesan and cream are salty, and you don't want to overdo it.
03 -
  • Keep the pan off the heat while tossing the pasta with the sauce so the cream doesn't break from continued cooking.
  • If you're making this ahead, cook the pasta one minute less than usual because it'll continue softening when you reheat it with the sauce.
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