Creamed Spinach Pasta
Spaghetti or short pasta is tossed with creamy nutmeg-scented spinach sauce made from butter, milk, onion, garlic, and flour.
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
If using fresh spinach, cook it down briefly before adding to the sauce. You can add grated Parmesan or a squeeze of lemon for extra brightness.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingsCalories: 437kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 14.3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9.8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 123mgFiber: 3.1gSugar: 4g
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