Easy • Pasta
Creamy Garlic Spinach Pasta
A super simple, comforting pasta dish featuring tender spinach and a rich, garlicky cream sauce that's ready in under 30 minutes.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
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When you're craving something comforting and delicious but don't have much time, this Creamy Garlic Spinach Pasta is the answer. It's incredibly easy to make, using just a few pantry staples, and delivers a deeply satisfying, restaurant-worthy meal in no time.
Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
Main
- 12 oz pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne work well)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup pasta water (reserved)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
Step 2
While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Step 3
Add fresh spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. It will seem like a lot of spinach, but it cooks down quickly.
Step 4
Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce slightly thickens.
Step 5
Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 6
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese.
Tips
- To make it a complete meal, add cooked chicken, shrimp, or sautéed mushrooms.
- Freshly grated Parmesan makes a big difference in flavor compared to pre-grated.
- Don't skip the reserved pasta water! It helps emulsify the sauce and makes it super silky.
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