Creamy Feta Spinach Pasta (Print Version)

Luscious pasta with feta and spinach in a creamy tangy sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)

→ Dairy

02 - 7 oz feta cheese, crumbled

→ Vegetables

03 - 5 oz baby spinach, washed
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pantry

05 - 3 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes
08 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring, until wilted (about 2 minutes).
04 - Add the hot, drained pasta to the skillet with the spinach. Sprinkle in the crumbled feta.
05 - Pour in about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together vigorously until the feta melts slightly and forms a creamy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Season with black pepper, chili flakes, and salt to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon zest and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes using just pasta water and cheese
  • Its incredibly forgiving and adaptable based on what you have in your fridge
02 -
  • The pasta water is the secret ingredient so dont forget to reserve it before draining
  • The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits so add slightly more pasta water than you think you need
03 -
  • Add the spinach to the pasta water during the last minute of cooking for an even faster version
  • Save some feta to crumble over the top as a garnish for texture contrast
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