20 Minute Spinach Ricotta Pasta
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
427 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
20 Minute Spinach Ricotta Pasta
Description
20 Minute Spinach Ricotta Pasta brings together fresh baby spinach and smooth ricotta cheese with Parmesan for a creamy sauce that coats spaghetti. The sauce develops as the spinach wilts in butter and garlic, then soft cheeses are melted in with reserved pasta cooking water, producing a silky texture without added cream. Lemon zest and juice add brightness, while onion powder and ground mustard deepen the flavor subtly. The pasta water's starch binds the sauce to the noodles, creating an even, rich coating.
The final dish has a gentle spinach flavor enhanced by the richness of ricotta and sharpness of Parmesan. It works well as a simple main or a side, suitable for those seeking a vegetarian option with a creamy profile. Fresh parsley on top adds a hint of herbal freshness.
This recipe stores well refrigerated for up to four days. Butter may be substituted with olive oil or neutral oils, and different pasta types can be used with adjusted cooking times. Frozen spinach or other greens can replace fresh spinach if well-drained. For more complex flavors, sautéing additional vegetables like onion or zucchini alongside the spinach is an option.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb spaghetti or other pasta
- 2 cups spinach 2.5 oz, fresh baby
- 1 cup ricotta cheese 8.5 oz
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese 2.5 oz
- 3 tablespoons butter salted
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more for pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3/4 cup water reserved pasta water
- parsley for garnish, fresh
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of salted water to high and bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, prep and gather everything needed for the rest of the recipe and collect it all in one place.
- Add pasta to boiling water and set a timer for 1 minute less than the cooking instructions state. For spaghetti, it's usually 10 mins, so set a time for 9 minutes.
- After 5 minutes has passed, heat a skillet over medium and add butter. Melt and then add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add spinach saute, stirring to coat all of the spinach in butter and wilt. Approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Just before the pasta is done, use a measuring cup to get 3/4 cup of pasta water and add it to the spinach. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Don't rinse your pasta! You need that starch on the pasta for the sauce to cling to it.
- Add the cheeses, herbs, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice to the saute pan and stir well with the pasta, melting the cheese with the pasta water and coating the pasta with the sauce.
- Continue to stir and let pasta finish cooking in the sauce, stirring often to coat, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Add fresh chopped parsley and serve!
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Butter can be replaced with olive oil or other neutral oils if preferred.
- Use any pasta type but adjust cooking times accordingly; fresh pasta cooks faster.
- Frozen spinach can substitute fresh if thoroughly thawed and drained.
- Additional vegetables like onions, peas, or zucchini can be sautéed with spinach for variety.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest add brightness, but lemon juice concentrate can be used if needed.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 427 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 427kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 47g | 16% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 55mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 894mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 308mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 1954IU | 39% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 311mg | 31% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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