Creamy Spinach Pasta Garlic (Print Version)

Pasta tossed in a garlicky cream sauce with fresh spinach and Parmesan cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz fettuccine or penne

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz fresh baby spinach, washed
03 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

→ Sauce

05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ¼ cup reserved pasta water
10 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Extra grated Parmesan
13 - Freshly ground black pepper
14 - Chopped fresh parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
03 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
04 - Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired creaminess. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the time it takes pasta to cook, making it perfect for those exhausting weeknights when takeout feels too tempting
  • Something magical happens when nutmeg meets cream, a subtle warmth that makes people pause and ask what's different
  • This is the rare pasta dish that feels restaurant fancy but uses ingredients you probably already have in your fridge
02 -
  • The first time I made this, I skipped the pasta water and ended up with sauce that slid right off the noodles and pooled in the bottom of the bowl
  • Adding protein like cooked chicken or sautéed mushrooms turns this from side dish to proper dinner, just add them when you toss in the pasta
  • The sauce continues thickening as it stands, so if it looks slightly looser than you want in the pan, that's actually perfect
03 -
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need, having extra on hand has saved my sauce from becoming too thick more times than I can count
  • Grate your Parmesan from a wedge if you possibly can, the difference in meltiness and flavor is absolutely worth the extra thirty seconds of effort

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