Description
Creamy spaghetti & spinach with sun-dried tomato cream sauce brings Italian comfort right to your kitchen. Rich Mediterranean flavors blend perfectly, offering a delightful pasta experience that will satisfy and delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) spaghetti
- 6 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Flavoring Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt
- Black pepper
Garnish Ingredients:
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare a generously salted water bath in a large pot, bringing it to a rolling boil. Immerse the spaghetti and cook until perfectly tender, following package guidelines. During the final minute of cooking, introduce the spinach to the pot, allowing it to gently wilt. Drain the pasta and spinach, carefully preserving one cup of the starchy cooking liquid.
- Warm olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium heat. Introduce minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, sautéing until they release their aromatic essence and become gloriously fragrant.
- Infuse the skillet with heavy cream, sprinkling in Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer softly, stirring intermittently, until the sauce transforms into a luxuriously thickened consistency.
- Transfer the cooked spaghetti and wilted spinach into the skillet, gently tumbling them through the creamy sauce. Gradually incorporate reserved pasta water to achieve a silky, clingy texture that embraces every strand of pasta.
- Artfully distribute the sauced pasta into serving vessels. Embellish with delicate fresh basil leaves and an optional dusting of additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while the dish radiates warmth and flavor.
Notes
- Toast sun-dried tomatoes briefly before adding to create a deeper, more intense flavor profile that enhances the overall sauce richness.
- Opt for whole wheat spaghetti to boost nutritional value and add a nutty undertone to the dish, making it more fiber-rich and heart-healthy.
- Substitute heavy cream with Greek yogurt or cashew cream for a lighter, lower-fat version that maintains the creamy texture while adding protein and reducing calories.
- Customize the heat level by adjusting red pepper flakes – use a pinch for mild warmth or increase for a spicier kick that tingles your taste buds.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg