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This simple pasta with spinach sauce is fast, easy and delicious. It’s ready in less than 15 minutes and makes a weeknight meal the whole family will love.
This is one of those easy pasta dishes or one-pot pasta recipes perfect when you just need to get dinner on the table in no time. And if you loved my cream cheese pasta or white bean pasta, you’re sure to love this quick spinach sauce packed with nutrient-dense leafy greens.
It’s a winner because while the pasta is cooking, you just need to saute’ the fresh spinach in olive oil and plenty of fragrant garlic. And if the amount of spinach looks overwhelming, I assure you it will quickly wilt in matter of minutes.
Then add cream cheese, parmesan and a generous grating of nutmeg, which works so well with both spinach sauce and parmesan. The result is savory, creamy, with hints of nutmeg, and delicious bright spinach. Toss pasta with the sauce, serve with grated parmesan cheese, black pepper… and DEVOUR!
Watch how to make it
What ingredients you need
The ingredients you need for this pasta with spinach sauce are:
- Pasta
- Baby spinach
- Cream cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Nutmeg (ground or freshly grated)
- Salt & pepper
How to make it
(Note: full recipe and ingredients are at the bottom of the page)
- Cook pasta until al dente
- Saute’ the garlic in olive oil until fragrant
- Add baby spinach, season with salt, and toss until wilted
- Add cream cheese and pasta cooking water to the skillet
- Stir in parmesan and grated nutmeg
- Toss pasta with sauce until combined, and serve!
Recipe notes & tips
1. How to wilt spinach
Start heating olive oil and fresh garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. A large skillet works well since the wide surface area helps expose as much of the spinach to heat as possible, allowing it to wilt evenly.
When the garlic is fragrant, add spinach. The volume looks huge at first, but it will wilt quickly becoming more manegeable. Add the spinach a handful at a time, season with salt and stir until wilted. The whole thing takes minutes.
2. Cheese
I haven’t added tons of cheese or heavy cream to this spinach pasta. I used both pasta cooking water and cream cheese more to create the sauce, rather than making a really cheesy pasta or pasta that swims in cream.
But please, don’t skip the essential touch of freshly grated parmesan cheese, it makes the difference.
3. Pasta with spinach sauce variations
This is such a versatile pasta recipe, you can add more vegetables or protein of your choice, here are a few ideas that work perfectly with this spinach sauce:
- Vegetables: raw cherry tomatoes, cooked peas and grilled vegetables.
- Meat: grilled chicken breast, bacon or sausages. Another delicious add-on is shredded ham or Parma ham; you don’t need to cook it separately, but you can throw it in the sauce while you stir in pasta.
- Fish: grilled or steamed salmon or cooked prawns, you can skip the nutmeg in this case.
Looking for more spinach recipes?
I’m a big fan of spinach, they’re so versatile, convenient and full of nutrients:
- Lemon ricotta pasta with spinach
- Creamy spinach soup (vegan)
- Baked frittata with spinach
- Spinach pizza with feta
If you make this quick pasta with spinach sauce, leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram.
I would love to hear from you!
Pasta with Spinach Sauce
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8oz (225 grams) pasta (penne, rigatoni, spaghetti…)
Spinach sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
- 2-3 garlic cloves, finely sliced or minced
- 9oz (250 grams) baby spinach, washed
- ¼ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- 5oz (140 grams) cream cheese
- 1oz (30 grams) freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, or ⅓ of freshly grated nutmeg, or according to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook your pasta until al dente following the package directions. Before draining, reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook for about 1 or 2 minutes until fragrant (make sure you don't burn it).
- Add part of the spinach and season with salt. Stir until wilted adding handful of spinach at a time.
- When the spinach are wilted but still bright green, stir in cream cheese and 1/3 cup of pasta cooking water (don't add all the reserved water straight away, but save the rest in case you need to loosen the sauce when you add pasta to the skillet).
- Then add grated parmesan cheese and nutmet to the sauce and give a good stir. The sauce will be ready in a couple of minutes.
- Drain pasta, add to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve immediately ¼with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, black pepper and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy.
Jewels
Simple, easy, and satisfying! I used 1 lb pasta and 1 bar neufchatel cheese and skipped the nutmeg and just did salt and pepper on the spinach. I also added a 15 oz can of diced/crushed tomatoes and probably 3/4 cup pasta water. It all came out perfectly! It’s a very adaptable and forgiving recipe 🙂
Katia
it’s very adaptable, I totally agree, and I’m so happy you loved it.
Thanks so much for your feedback. Cheers x
Tina Drywater
We used mushroom & cheese stuffed tortellini for our pasta. So very yummy with the creamy sauce & spinach. I ended up making it for my husband’s potluck at work
Katia
That sounds delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Tina!
Have a nice weekend. x
christophe nunn
Very good,
enjoyed cooking it and everyone enjoyed eating it and since l live in France that is as big a compliment l can give you for your recipe and method . Merci
Katia
Brilliant, I feel so honoured! : )
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your amazing feedback, Christophe!
Jylonne McKinley
This pasta is delicious! I would instead use kale so the spinach doesn’t get soggy quickly! Also, adding chicken to the recipe really is a game changer! Thanks, Katia!
Jylonne McKinley
I forgot to rate!
Katia
YOu’re so welcome, Jylonne! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback and the rate! : )
Cheers x
Katie
This was good! My husband and I loved it! I didn’t measure any of the ingredients just eye balled them. Didn’t have nutmeg but used cinnamon instead. Tasted great!
Katia
Awesome! : )
I’m very happy to hear that, thank you, Katie! x
Mary Albert
Delicious’ I will definitely be making this again!
Katia
Thank you, Mary! I’m very happy you loved it : )
Cheers x
HollyJane
What about using mascapone? Will it work instead of cream cheese?
Thanks
Katia
I’ve never tried mascarpone in this recipe, but I think it should work. Don’t skip the parmesan though, it adds saltiness and umami flavor to the dish : )
Cheers x
Nik
I don’t like nutmeg. Anything else that I can use?
Katia
Hi Nik! Feel free to skip the nutmeg, it tastes delicious anyway. Cheers x
Zendegy
Oh, my God. SO good and SO easy. And very adaptable, though I made it just as directed this time. Honestly, I couldn’t love it more. Well, unless it tasted exactly as it does but was calorie-free. 😜
Katia
You’ve made my day! : ) I dream about some calorie-free pasta and pizza too! LOL
Thanks so much for sharing your lovely comment, I’m so happy you loved it. x
Susan
Mike turned out great Thank you so much. What does 544kcalories mean
Katia
Glad to hear it turned out great, thanks for your comment, Susan!
ps. those are the calories per serving.
Cheers x
Scott
Wonderfully simple, delicious and handy! And doubling the recipe was fortuitous given it was very tasty as a leftover. Easily made it gluten-free for my celiac diet needs. Whole family really enjoyed this. Thanks for posting!
Katia
You’re so welcome, Scott! I’m very happy to hear the whole family loved this recipe : )
Thanks for sharing your feedback and Happy 2022! x
Natalie Chantel Kriedemann
Hi Katia. Great recipe. Just made it and it came out great. I live in Cape Town, South Africa and I will definitely try your other recipes. I just might use 1 clove of garlic next time 🤣🤣
Katia
Hi Natalie, thanks for sharing your feedback, I’m so pleases it turned out great!
And feel free to reduce the amount of garlic next time lol 😉
Anne
Can I use mozzarella grated cheese in place of cream cheese?
Katia
Hi Anne, it doesn’t work I’m afraid: the mozzarella melts, but it’s not as creamy and luscious as the cream cheese.
Cheers x