Creamy Spinach Pasta Garlic Lemon (Print View)
Tender pasta in rich garlic-lemon cream sauce with wilted spinach.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
05 - 9 oz fresh baby spinach
06 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
07 - 1/4 cup whole milk
08 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
11 - 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
12 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
13 - Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Garnish
14 - Extra grated Parmesan
15 - Freshly ground black pepper
16 - Lemon zest
# How to Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot; sauté for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and soft, but not browned.
03 - Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and milk, stirring to combine. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.
05 - Add grated Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
06 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss well to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce clings smoothly to the noodles.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and lemon zest.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in thirty minutes, which means dinner is on the table before you lose your mind from hunger.
- The cream sauce is silky without feeling heavy, thanks to the bright lemon cutting through everything.
- Spinach disappears into the sauce so completely that even the pickiest eaters stop asking questions.
02 -
- Don't let the cream boil hard or it can break and separate—keep the heat low and gentle once the cream goes in, treating it like something precious.
- That reserved pasta water is not optional; it's what transforms a thick sauce into one that flows and clings beautifully to each strand of pasta.
03 -
- Grate your own Parmesan just before cooking because it melts into the sauce without clumping, making everything feel more refined.
- The moment you pull the spinach from the refrigerator and toss it into the pan is when you'll want to keep your wooden spoon moving, turning it constantly so it wilts evenly.