Tasty Spinach Pasta

Creamy pasta dishes are my go-to when I need dinner on the table fast. There’s something about tender pasta coated in a rich, cheesy sauce that makes everyone at the table happy. And when I can sneak some spinach in there? Even better.

This spinach pasta comes together in about the same time it takes to boil your noodles. You make a simple garlic butter sauce, stir in some parmesan and spinach, and toss it all with ziti. The lemon juice adds a nice brightness that keeps it from feeling too heavy. It’s the kind of recipe I make on busy weeknights when I want something that tastes like I put in more effort than I actually did.

Want it a little spicier? Add more red pepper flakes. Need to use up that bag of spinach in your fridge? Toss in extra. This recipe is pretty forgiving and always delivers.

What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

While this recipe calls for ziti, you can really use any pasta shape you have on hand. Tube-shaped pastas like penne or rigatoni work great because they catch the creamy sauce inside, but even rotini or farfalle will do the job just fine. If you’re watching your carbs, you can swap in chickpea or lentil pasta for a protein boost, though keep in mind these alternative pastas can get mushy if overcooked. Fresh pasta will give you a restaurant-quality dish, but honestly, dried pasta from the box is perfectly fine and what most of us use for weeknight dinners anyway.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta dish is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Ziti: Any tube-shaped pasta works great here – try penne, rigatoni, or even shells. They all hold the creamy sauce nicely. Just cook according to package directions.
• Half and half: You can use heavy cream for a richer sauce, or whole milk for a lighter version. If using milk, you might want to add an extra tablespoon of flour to keep the sauce thick enough.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works just as well if you want to keep it vegetarian. You can also use white wine mixed with a bit of water for extra flavor.
• Fresh spinach: Frozen spinach is a solid substitute – just thaw it completely and squeeze out all the excess water before adding. Use about 1/2 cup of frozen spinach to replace the fresh.
• Parmesan: Pecorino Romano gives you a similar salty, sharp flavor. You can also mix in some mozzarella if you want it extra creamy, though the sauce won’t be quite as rich.
• Fresh garlic: In a pinch, use 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder total instead of the fresh cloves, but fresh really does make a difference in this recipe.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this creamy spinach pasta is adding the broth and half and half too quickly, which can create lumps in your sauce – pour them in slowly while whisking constantly to keep everything smooth.

Another common error is cooking the garlic over too high heat, which can burn it and turn your sauce bitter instead of nutty and sweet, so keep that heat at medium-low and watch it carefully.

Don’t add the parmesan while the sauce is boiling or it can become grainy and separated – lower the heat first and stir it in gently off direct heat for a silky texture.

Finally, make sure to reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining, as adding a splash helps the sauce cling to the ziti better and brings everything together perfectly.

What to Serve With Spinach Pasta?

This creamy spinach pasta is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with some garlic bread or a warm baguette to scoop up all that delicious sauce. A simple side salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the dish. If you want to add some protein, grilled chicken breast or pan-seared shrimp work really well mixed right into the pasta or served on the side. For a complete Italian-style meal, roasted vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or asparagus make a great addition to your plate.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover spinach pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce might thicken up a bit as it sits, but that’s totally normal with cream-based pasta dishes.

Freeze: This pasta freezes pretty well for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Just know that cream sauces can sometimes separate a little when frozen, but a good stir while reheating usually fixes that right up.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth or milk to loosen the sauce. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. Add a little extra parmesan on top if you want to freshen it up!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1350-1500
• Protein: 40-48 g
• Fat: 78-88 g
• Carbohydrates: 110-120 g

Ingredients

For the seasoning mix:

• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

For the sauce:

• 5 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 4 cloves garlic (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken broth (I use Swanson Less Sodium)
• 1 cup half and half
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup parmesan (freshly grated for a smoother melt)
• 1 1/2 cups spinach

For the pasta:

• 1/2 lb ziti (cooked al dente for better texture)

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

• 1/2 lb ziti
• salt for pasta water

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti according to package directions until al dente—this timing is crucial because the pasta will finish cooking slightly when tossed with the hot sauce.

While the pasta cooks, you’ll have time to prepare the sauce, so start this step first.

Step 2: Build the Flavor Base with Brown Butter and Garlic

• 5 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, freshly minced

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes until it begins to foam.

Add the freshly minced garlic and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty—this usually takes another 2-3 minutes.

The browning butter intensifies the flavor and creates a more complex, savory base for your sauce.

Step 3: Create the Roux and Toast the Spices

• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Increase the heat to medium and sprinkle the flour over the brown butter and garlic mixture, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and create a light roux.

While the flour cooks, whisk together the oregano, parsley, mustard powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl so they’re ready to add all at once for even distribution.

Step 4: Build the Creamy Sauce Base

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• spice mixture from Step 3

Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming in the roux—this gradual incorporation is key to a silky sauce.

Once the broth is fully incorporated, add the half and half, continuing to whisk until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.

Then add the spice mixture from Step 3 and the lemon juice, stirring well to combine all flavors.

Step 5: Finish the Sauce with Cheese and Spinach

• 1 cup parmesan, freshly grated
• 1 1/2 cups spinach

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the freshly grated parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until it melts completely and creates a smooth, velvety sauce.

Then stir in the spinach and cook for just 1-2 minutes until it wilts into the sauce.

I find that grating the cheese fresh ensures it melts beautifully without becoming grainy, which can happen with pre-shredded varieties.

Step 6: Combine Pasta and Sauce

• cooked ziti from Step 1
• spinach pasta sauce from Step 5

Drain the cooked pasta from Step 1 and add it directly to the skillet with the sauce from Step 5, tossing gently to coat every strand evenly.

Let it sit for 1 minute off heat to allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce flavors.

Serve immediately while the sauce is creamy and hot.

Tasty Spinach Pasta

Delicious Tasty Spinach Pasta recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 1425

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the seasoning mix::

• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

For the sauce::

• 5 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 4 cloves garlic (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken broth (I use Swanson Less Sodium)
• 1 cup half and half
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup parmesan (freshly grated for a smoother melt)
• 1 1/2 cups spinach

For the pasta::

• 1/2 lb ziti (cooked al dente for better texture)

Method

 

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti according to package directions until al dente—this timing is crucial because the pasta will finish cooking slightly when tossed with the hot sauce. While the pasta cooks, you'll have time to prepare the sauce, so start this step first.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes until it begins to foam. Add the freshly minced garlic and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty—this usually takes another 2-3 minutes. The browning butter intensifies the flavor and creates a more complex, savory base for your sauce.
3. Increase the heat to medium and sprinkle the flour over the brown butter and garlic mixture, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and create a light roux. While the flour cooks, whisk together the oregano, parsley, mustard powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl so they're ready to add all at once for even distribution.
4. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming in the roux—this gradual incorporation is key to a silky sauce. Once the broth is fully incorporated, add the half and half, continuing to whisk until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened. Then add the spice mixture from Step 3 and the lemon juice, stirring well to combine all flavors.
5. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the freshly grated parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until it melts completely and creates a smooth, velvety sauce. Then stir in the spinach and cook for just 1-2 minutes until it wilts into the sauce. I find that grating the cheese fresh ensures it melts beautifully without becoming grainy, which can happen with pre-shredded varieties.
6. Drain the cooked pasta from Step 1 and add it directly to the skillet with the sauce from Step 5, tossing gently to coat every strand evenly. Let it sit for 1 minute off heat to allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce flavors. Serve immediately while the sauce is creamy and hot.