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Okay, so this started as a “what do I even have in the fridge” situation. You know the kind—where you open the door three times hoping dinner materializes but all that’s in there is some milk, a block of butter, and a frozen lump of spinach you forgot about. And somehow… it worked.
This dish? It’s not fancy. It doesn’t have seven cheeses or artisan pancetta or whatever. But it’s solid. Cozy. Creamy but not heavy. A little nostalgic, honestly—like creamed spinach met a pasta bake and said, “Let’s keep this casual.”
It’s perfect when you want something warm and simple and don’t feel like trying too hard. You can eat it out of a bowl, on the couch, in your softest socks. That kind of meal.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This
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I always have the ingredients. Or close enough.
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It feels a little fancy even when I’m wearing pajama pants and haven’t washed my hair in three days.
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It’s green-ish, so I feel like I did something responsible.
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Kids eat it. Adults eat it. Nobody complains.
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It reheats really well (and I’m lazy about lunch).
What You’ll Need (and what you can wing)
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½ lb pasta – Honestly, whatever shape you’ve got. Rotini, rigatoni, spaghetti. If it holds sauce, you’re good.
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4 tbsp butter – Or a big ol’ spoonful. No one’s measuring precisely here.
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1 small onion, diced tiny – You can skip this if you’re in a rush. I won’t tell.
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2 garlic cloves, minced – Or more. You do you.
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3 tbsp flour – Makes the sauce creamy without cream. It’s kitchen magic.
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2 cups whole milk – 2% works. Even oat milk if that’s what’s around.
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½ tsp nutmeg – Not optional. This is what makes it taste like more than just white sauce.
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⅛ tsp cayenne – It won’t make it spicy. Just a little warmth.
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250g frozen spinach, thawed + squeezed dry – Or a big bunch of fresh. You want about 8 packed cups.
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Salt & pepper – You’ve got this part. Taste and adjust.
Here’s How I Throw It Together
1. Boil your pasta.
Heavily salt the water. I mean it—like ocean salty. Cook until the pasta’s just barely done, like one minute shy. Before you drain it, save about a cup of the pasta water. (Just ladle it out like a kitchen wizard.)
2. While that’s happening, make the base.
Melt butter in a big skillet. Add onion, let it get soft (about 4-5 minutes), then toss in garlic for like 30 seconds. Stir a lot. Don’t burn it.
3. Sprinkle in the flour.
Keep stirring. It’ll look weird at first—kinda paste-y. That’s okay. Just cook it for a couple minutes to get rid of that raw flour smell.
4. Pour in the milk slowly.
Whisk while you pour. It’ll thicken up and start to look like sauce instead of soup. Add the nutmeg and cayenne. Taste it. Add salt. Add pepper. Taste it again.
5. Stir in the spinach.
If it’s frozen, make sure you really squeezed out the water or you’ll end up with a swampy situation. Stir it in until it’s evenly mixed.
6. Fold in the pasta.
Now the fun part. Stir the pasta into that creamy, green sauce. If it feels too thick, add a splash or two of the pasta water you saved. Suddenly, everything just comes together.
7. Taste again.
Don’t skip this. Salt makes a big difference here. Finish with a little extra pepper if you’re feeling fancy.
Optional Upgrades (for when you’re feeling it)
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Grate some Parmesan on top. Or a LOT.
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Add protein: Leftover chicken, crispy bacon, or chickpeas work great.
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Toss in mushrooms if you’ve got ‘em.
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Use half spinach, half kale if you’re extra leafy.
Leftovers? Yes, Please.
Put it in a container and eat it tomorrow. It might even be better.
Reheat it in a pan with a splash of water or milk to loosen it up, or just microwave it. Either way, you win.
Final Thoughts from Someone Who Just Wants to Eat
This isn’t the kind of pasta you post on Instagram with fancy lighting and microgreens. This is the kind you make when you want dinner to just happen, and you want it to taste like something you’d get in a little café that smells like butter and garlic.
It’s humble. It’s dependable. And somehow, it still feels special.
Let me know if you try it. Or don’t. But if you do, I hope it makes your night a little easier—and a lot tastier.
Creamed Spinach Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb dried spaghetti, rotelle, fusilli, campanelle, or rigatoni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 250 grams frozen spinach, thawed and drained (or 8 cups fresh spinach)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just before al dente, about 7–8 minutes. Reserve 1 to 1½ cups of pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 4–5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes, until raw flour smell is gone.
- Slowly whisk in milk, making sure there are no lumps. Add nutmeg and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the spinach and mix until evenly combined.
- Fold in cooked pasta. Add reserved pasta water a bit at a time if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes