Creamy Spinach Pasta Garlic (Printable version)

A comforting pasta tossed in garlic cream sauce with spinach and parmesan, perfect for dinner.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 7 oz fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/4 cup vegetable broth
08 - 2 oz 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 salted water until al dente following package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 2–3 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add fresh spinach to the skillet and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and vegetable broth, stirring to combine. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Stir in grated parmesan, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg if using. Allow sauce to thicken.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat thoroughly. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water as needed.
07 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra grated parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like something from a cozy Italian trattoria but uses ingredients you probably already have.
  • The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, no waiting around or complicated steps.
  • Spinach wilts down into the cream so beautifully that even picky eaters forget theyre eating greens.
02 -
  • Do not let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter and ruin the whole vibe, keep the heat at medium and stir often.
  • Save that pasta water before you drain—it has starch that helps the sauce cling to the noodles in a way plain water never will.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, it probably got too hot too fast, pull it off the heat and whisk in a spoonful of cold cream.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated parmesan from a block, the pre-grated kind has anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • If you want a lighter version, swap half the cream for whole milk and add an extra splash of pasta water to keep it silky.
  • Always taste your sauce before adding the pasta—it should be slightly over-seasoned on its own because the pasta will dilute it a bit.

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