Garlic-Butter Spinach and Pasta Recipe | My Favorite Spinach Pasta (2024)

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Katerina

4.73 from 40 votes

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This Garlic Butter Pasta with Spinach recipe is made with fresh spinach and bow tie pasta tossed in a creamy garlic-butter sauce.

Garlic-Butter Spinach and Pasta Recipe | My Favorite Spinach Pasta (2)

My Favorite Pasta Recipe with Garlic Butter and Spinach

Easy recipe for garlicky and buttery pasta with fresh spinach. A quick and easy meatless main or healthy side dish your family will love!

One of the meals I’ve made for Goce every week for the last several years is this Garlic Butter Pasta. He is my pasta-obsessed husband, and even though he’s mainly low-carb, sometimes a boy’s gotta eat what he wants to eat. ?

I add whatever leafy greens I can find – kale, spinach, chard – and suddenly it looks healthier and a lot more inviting.

What sets this pasta apart from other pasta dinners is that it’s without a heavy sauce, like alfredo. We are only dealing with butter and garlic, plus a pinch of cream cheese and milk.

Garlic-Butter Spinach and Pasta Recipe | My Favorite Spinach Pasta (3)

I’m tellin’ you, never underestimate the power of a good pasta dish. No… a GREAT pasta dish! This Garlic-Butter Spinach and Pasta recipe is seriously amazing.

I told you once before that we do pasta thrice a week; Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta, Cheesy Chicken Orzo, Baked Eggplant Penne Pasta… you get the point.

How To Make Pasta with Spinach

This pasta with spinach dish is a once-a-week deal. My other half is obsessed with garlic. Even more obsessed with pasta. The man can live on spaghetti… and chocolate CAKE!

  • Boil the pasta according to the directions on the box. I use Whole Grain or Whole Wheat Bow Tie Pasta and it takes about 12 minutes of boil time to get that al dente cooked pasta.
  • Melt butter in a skillet; add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. (I actually just wait for the pasta to be done, then I drain it and use the same pot to melt the butter and create the sauce. Who needs another pot or skillet to wash, ya know whadda mean? ?)
  • Add mounds of baby spinach and cook until wilted.
  • Stir in cooked pasta; add cream cheese and milk; cook until creamy and hot.
  • Serve!

Clearly, in order to enjoy this, you really need to love garlic. And butter. Cream cheese, too. Did I hear a ‘HELL YEAH!’?! Of course I did!!

Garlic-Butter Spinach and Pasta Recipe | My Favorite Spinach Pasta (4)

This is a 20-minute meal that’s completely fool-proof and a perfect quick dish for weeknights that will please even picky eaters.And it is the fastest Olive-Garden-Chef’s-Special type of food you’ll ever make!

How To Store Pasta Leftovers

Transfer cooked pasta to an airtight container; add a drizzle of olive oil and stir through. Cover and keep refrigerated for 3 to 5 days.

ENJOY!

Garlic-Butter Spinach and Pasta

Katerina | Diethood

This Garlic-Butter Spinach and Pasta recipe is seriously good. Fresh spinach and bow tie pasta tossed in a delicious and creamy garlic-butter sauce.

4.73 from 40 votes

Rate this Recipe!

Servings : 4 serves

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces bow tie pasta
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 8 ounces fresh baby spinach
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings, for garnish
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¼ cup milk

Instructions

  • Prepare pasta following the directions on the package.

  • Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet or dutch oven.

  • Add garlic and continue to stir and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  • Add spinach; season with salt, pepper, and basil, and cook until spinach is wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might have to cook the spinach down in batches.

  • Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the spinach mixture; add the cream cheese and milk.

  • Mix and stir until everything is well incorporated, and the cream cheese is melted.

  • Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.

  • Top with fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings.

  • Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 385 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 11 g | Fat: 18 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Cholesterol: 47 mg | Sodium: 201 mg | Potassium: 483 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 5882 IU | Vitamin C: 17 mg | Calcium: 112 mg | Iron: 3 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy pasta dinner, easy spinach pasta recipe, spinach and garlic pasta, spinach pasta recipe, vegetarian dinner recipes

Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

Categories:

  • Dinner Recipes
  • Pasta
  • Quick Dinner Ideas
  • Vegetarian
Garlic-Butter Spinach and Pasta Recipe | My Favorite Spinach Pasta (2024)

FAQs

Do you cook spinach before adding to pasta? ›

Plunge the spinach into the water, and cook until it wilts, less than a minute. Drain quickly, allowing some water to cling to the pasta, and toss pasta and spinach in the bowl with the garlic and olive mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Can you taste the spinach in spinach pasta? ›

1. 🌿 Flavorsome Twist: Spinach pasta does have a subtle earthy taste, adding a unique flavor to your dish beyond its vibrant color. 2. 🌈 Visual Feast: While the vibrant green hue is eye-catching, the spinach infusion also contributes a mild, vegetal essence to the pasta.

Is spinach pasta healthy? ›

Is spinach pasta healthy? Just as healthy as any other pasta (which is very healthy unless you eat too much of it or won't not enough vegetables). Spinach in pasta is used as a coloring agent, that is all. They have no nutritional effect.

What can I add to pasta to make it more flavorful? ›

These delicious flavorings will bring beneficial plant compounds to your meal.
  1. Basil. Basil is a flavorful herb and a mainstay in many Italian dishes, including pasta. ...
  2. Oregano. Oregano is a culinary herb known for its peppery and pungent taste. ...
  3. Rosemary. ...
  4. Red pepper flakes. ...
  5. Garlic powder.
Apr 11, 2022

How do you keep spinach from clumping in pasta? ›

As Neil and Jonas have pointed out, slicing the leaves will more evenly disburse the spinach evenly throughout the pasta (when tossed), leaving less to stick together. I also like to saute the sliced spinach with other goodies like thinly-sliced portabello mushrooms, red onions, red (or green) bell peppers.

Do you need to rinse spinach? ›

Even though store-bought spinach is labeled “pre-washed”, I always recommend washing spinach again. This is the best way to ensure it is truly clean and it helps those leafy greens last longer!

Does spinach and baby spinach taste the same? ›

Baby spinach is harvested only 15-35 days after planting. The smaller leaves are more tender and have a sweeter flavor than those of mature spinach. The stems are also more tender, making them ideal for salads. The nutrition values of baby spinach and mature spinach are basically the same.

Is canned spinach precooked? ›

Store-bought canned spinach is fully cooked. To cook, simply place the spinach, along with the liquid from the can, into a saucepan and cook until heated through. Drain and serve.

How do you get rid of the weird taste in spinach? ›

Soaking in Ice Water:Fill a bowl with cold water and add ice cubes to make it ice-cold. Submerge the arugula or spinach leaves in the ice water for about 5-10 minutes. The cold water bath can help reduce bitterness by blanching the leaves slightly without actually cooking them.

What is the healthiest pasta for weight loss? ›

In fact, whole wheat or whole grain pasta is the best option for weight loss as whole wheat pasta takes longer to digest than pasta made from refined flour. Slower digestion means blood sugar will rise slowly after consumption, preventing your body from storing excess fat.

Can diabetics eat spinach pasta? ›

Diabetics can eat any kind of pasta; however, it is important for people with diabetes to consider the amount and type of carbohydrates found in their pasta to maintain control of their blood sugar.

What to put on pasta when you have no sauce? ›

Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

What is the best seasoning for pasta? ›

Basil: A classic herb that pairs well with tomato-based sauces. Oregano: Adds a pungent, slightly bitter flavor that complements tomato-based sauces and marinara. Garlic: Can be added fresh or in powder form, and adds a mild, sweet, and savory flavor. Red pepper flakes: Adds a spicy kick to pasta dishes.

Should spinach be cooked or raw? ›

Spinach. The leafy green is packed with nutrients, but you'll absorb more calcium and iron if you eat it cooked. The reason: Spinach is loaded with oxalic acid, which blocks the absorption of iron and calcium but breaks down under high temperatures. What Do You Really Get When You Buy Organic?

Does spinach have to be cooked? ›

The milder, young leaves can be eaten raw in a salad, while the older ones are usually cooked (spinach has one of the shortest cooking times of all vegetables). It reduces very dramatically during cooking; a 450g bag will be just enough for two people. Read our guide on the health benefits of spinach.

Should you boil spinach before blending? ›

Highlights. Spinach is a green leafy vegetable that we all know to be really healthy, due to the presence of high levels of antioxidants in it. However, the best way to eat spinach is not after blanching or boiling it, but rather adding it to your smoothies or juicing it, says a new study.

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