Description
Creamy spaghetti & spinach with sun-dried tomato sauce brings Italian comfort to your dinner table. Silky pasta swirls with rich, tangy sauce invite you to savor each luxurious bite of this Mediterranean-inspired classic.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) spaghetti
- 6 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Flavor Enhancers:
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or oil from the sun-dried tomato jar)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Seasoning and Garnish:
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare a large pot of generously salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Submerge spaghetti and cook until perfectly tender, maintaining a slight firmness.
- During the final minute of pasta cooking, introduce fresh spinach leaves into the boiling water, allowing them to wilt elegantly. Carefully drain the pasta and spinach, preserving a cup of starchy cooking liquid.
- Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium temperature. Introduce minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, sautéing until aromatic and slightly caramelized.
- Gently cascade heavy cream into the skillet, integrating Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer softly, whisking intermittently until the sauce develops a luxurious, velvety consistency.
- Transfer the cooked spaghetti and wilted spinach directly into the cream sauce. Delicately maneuver the ingredients, ensuring each strand of pasta becomes lavishly coated. Incrementally introduce reserved pasta water to achieve a silky, clingy sauce texture.
- Plate the creamy pasta into individual serving dishes. Embellish with delicate fresh basil leaves and an optional sprinkle of additional Parmesan cheese. Present immediately while the dish remains piping hot.
Notes
- Boost pasta’s flavor by toasting garlic and sun-dried tomatoes carefully without burning, which releases deeper, richer aromatic notes.
- Control sauce thickness strategically by gradually adding reserved pasta water, creating perfect silky texture without becoming too runny or dense.
- Transform recipe into vegetarian-friendly version by substituting heavy cream with coconut milk or cashew cream for dairy-free alternative that maintains creamy consistency.
- Elevate nutritional profile by incorporating additional protein sources like grilled chicken, shrimp, or white beans directly into the sauce for balanced meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 61 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg