Creamy Spinach Pasta
Ingredients
Seasonings
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon mustard powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce
4 Tablespoons salted Butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half, (half milk/half cream)
3 teaspoons Lemon Juice
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated from a block
1 ½ cups spinach
½ pound ziti rigati, penne works well too
Instructions
Prep Work: Heat salted water for the pasta while you measure out your ingredients prior to beginning, as this recipe goes fast.
For the Pasta:
Add the pasta to the boiling water when you start the sauce. Cook according to package instructions (don’t overcook), and drain.
For the Sauce:
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Let it heat for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to heat the butter until it begins to foam and brown slightly. Lift the pan and give the butter a swirl on occasion.
Increase heat to medium and whisk in the flour. Let it cook until it reaches a darker brown color and can no longer smell raw flour, about 2 minutes.
Add the chicken broth in splashes, do this slowly and stir continuously to incorporate.
Slowly stir in the half and half.
Add the seasonings and lemon juice.
Reduce heat to low and mix in the Parmesan cheese, then add the spinach.
Drain the pasta and mix it into the sauce. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Serve with Garlic Bread with Cheese.
Notes
Grate the cheese from a block as it will melt and taste much better than packaged cheese that’s already been grated.
Any kind of pasta will work fine with this recipe, I like ziti rigati because the ridges really help grip the sauce.
Frozen spinach may be used for this recipe, ensure that it is thawed and drained prior to adding it to the sauce.
Cherry tomatoes make another great addition to this recipe. They can be added when you add the spinach.
Make sure your garlic is fresh. Garlic that is aged can turn blue in color when combined with something acidic (like lemon juice). If this happens, it’s still safe to eat.
