Creamed Spinach Pasta
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1cup whole-milk ricotta
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1pound long pasta, such as fettuccine or tagliatelle
- 3tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1pound fresh baby spinach
- 1cup heavy cream
- ¼teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Grated pecorino or Parmesan, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
614 calories; 32 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 588 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Add the ricotta to a large bowl; season well with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Step 2
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and drain.
- Step 3
Prepare your sauce while the pasta cooks: If using, cook the pine nuts in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat until toasted, stirring occasionally to make sure they do not burn, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Step 4
Wipe skillet clean and melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach, stirring it in by the handful if needed, and cook until it wilts, adding a few tablespoons of the pasta water to help it along if needed, about 4 minutes. Season with salt.
- Step 5
Add the cream, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the nutmeg then season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet and toss until the noodles are glossy with sauce.
- Step 6
Turn off heat and stir in the prepared ricotta, thinning the sauce with a bit of pasta cooking water if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Divide among bowls. Top with pine nuts, if using, and pass grated pecorino or Parmesan at the table.
Private Notes
Comments
Using top quality, pastured, whole milk ricotta makes this dish delicious with no gritty texture. Yogurt might be okay as a substitute, but cottage cheese would make a lumpy sauce instead of a delicate creamy sauce. This recipe is similar to a Marcella Hazan recipe I've used for years. She mixes grated Parmesan into the ricotta and adds it to the pasta before adding the spinach mixture making it easier to mix together. Short, tubular pasta like penne works well and is easier to mix. So good!
Frozen chopped spinach is a lot easier. I use two 16 oz bags and just squeeze and drain after microwaving.
this. is. so. very. good. !!! the timing outlined in the notes wasn’t accurate (def takes more than 4 minutes to cook down a pound of spinach), and for my taste it could use more garlic, but otherwise a total winner.
I am from Northern Italy, and this is a dish my grandmother used to make me over and over again. I just loved it! Pro tip: use cooking cream instead of ricotta and your spinach will become extra creamy.
Made a few slight changes, both for dietary and taste. I used low fat ricotta and fat-free half-and-half, and then added mushrooms and capers. Not as rich, but still excellent.
Such great suggestions here. I have two containers of mascarpone my husband annoyingly put in the freezer that I am going to use on this. I couldn’t bear the thought of throwing them out. I’m going to add lemon zest too, and that should counteract a little bit of sweetness.
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