5 from 12 votes
Lemony Rigatoni with Spinach, Arugula, and Pine Nuts
Lemony Rigatoni with Spinach, Arugula, and Pine Nuts combines al dente rigatoni with a lemon butter sauce, wilted baby spinach and arugula, crunchy toasted pine nuts, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. This pasta offers a fresh, bright flavor with a balance of tender greens and nutty accents, complemented by grated Parmesan cheese.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings:
2
- 4
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 4 oz rigatoni pasta cooked in salted water, per package instructions
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ yellow onion small, diced
- crushed red pepper flakes pinch, to taste
- 1 garlic large clove, minced
- lemon juice from ½ large, more if desired
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cups baby spinach mix
- 2 cups arugula mix
- 1-2 tbsp pine nuts toasted, to taste
- salt sea salt and freshly cracked, to taste
- black pepper sea salt and freshly cracked, to taste
- lemon zest from ½ a large
- Parmesan Cheese freshly grated, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water, per package instructions, until cooked to al dente. Reserve ⅓ cup cooking water, then drain the remainder.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and crushed red pepper flakes, then cook, stirring often, for 6-7 minutes, or until starting to caramelize.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the lemon juice and butter, remove from the heat, and whisk until well combined.
- Add the cooked & drained pasta, spinach & arugula, and pine nuts.
- Season well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Toss until evenly coated, adding reserved pasta water as needed.
- Pour into a serving bowl and top with lemon zest and serve with freshly grated Parmesan, to taste. Enjoy.
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