This spaghetti with spinach sauce recipe is a super simple pasta sauce that’s quick, healthy, and really flavorful. This vibrant sauce is made with grated cheese, giving it a creamy, delicious taste.
Serve with warm, Homemade Garlic Bread and a simple salad for an easy weeknight dinner.
Pasta With Spinach
If you’re after some hearty comfort food on a budget, this vegetarian pasta is just the thing.
Why This Recipe Works
- Using sliced fresh garlic instead of minced adds a punch of flavor without being overwhelmingly garlicky.
- Blending the sauce with the salted pasta water adds a silky texture as well as seasoning.
- Using fresh spinach instead of frozen packs this dish with extra nutrients you don’t get with frozen vegetables.
- Using fresh Parmesan cheese adds creaminess and depth of flavor.
A Versatile Spinach Pasta Recipe
This is also a very versatile dish. I’ve had readers report back that they’ve used anything from salmon to pistachios as variations. Don’t be afraid to add your own personal touch to this easily adaptable recipe.
This spaghetti with spinach sauce is not only delicious, but it’s really healthy too.
Spinach Buying Guide
- When buying fresh spinach, look for leaves that have a dark green color. Avoid any with yellowing color or wilting.
- Avoid spinach with slimy leaves or have a sour, musty odor.
The Health Benefits of Eating Spinach
Spinach has so many health benefits. It’s high in iron, as well as vitamins A and C. Spinach is loaded with not only nutrients, but it’s also rich in antioxidants.
It’s said that eating spinach can benefit eye health, reduce stress, help prevent cancer, and reduce blood pressure levels. So, I eat it often and this dish is one of my favorite ways to prepare it!
Cooking Perfect Spaghetti
- Don’t add oil to the cooking water. Adding oil to the water to keep it from sticking will cause the sauce to slip off the Spaghetti.
- Salt like you mean it. The cooking water should taste like the ocean. This is the only time you’re able to season pasta and keep it from tasting bland.
- Wait for a rapid boil. Starches in the spaghetti absorb water instantly and so you want the water as hot as possible to begin cooking properly. Adding the spaghetti too soon may cause it to cook improperly.
- Stir during cooking. Occasionally stirring the spaghetti while cooking will keep it from clumping together.
How To Make Spaghetti With Spinach Sauce
Start a pot of water for the pasta and cook the spaghetti until just undercooked.
Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté.
Add the spinach to the pan.
Sauté with the garlic. Once wilted, season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the pasta water.
Drain the pasta, and set aside.
Add the spinach and garlic mixture to a food processor ( or blender).
Add the cheese and half of the reserved pasta water.
Puree until it forms a sauce (adding more pasta water if needed).
Add the sauce back into the pan.
Add the par-cooked spaghetti.
Stir to combine and heat through, adding more pasta water if needed.
Once the spaghetti is cooked through, taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve sprinkled with extra grated cheese.
A Healthy Recipe For Kids
The lovely, leafy spinach in this spaghetti with spinach sauce recipe makes for a flavorful and intriguing bright green pasta that even kids will want to dive into!
Case in point:
Every time one of my son’s close friend comes over, he always asks me what we were having for dinner. Followed by ‘Can we please have that green spaghetti you make? That’s so good; I love it!’
How could I say no to that? Luckily, it’s so easy to make!
This recipe is the perfect example of how you can hide veggies in food to trick the kids into eating them because otherwise, he wouldn’t touch a bowl full of spinach!
Erren’s Top Tips
- Work fast with the garlic. Garlic burns easily, especially when chopped or sliced. If you’re worried it may burn, keep a little water handy and add a tablespoon or two before adding the spinach to the pan.
- To puree the sauce, I use a food processor, but a blender would also work if you add the pasta water in before blending.
- I use fresh spinach, but frozen would work too if it’s thawed and squeezed of excess water.
Other Great Pasta Dishes
Did you make this?
Stay Updated
Receive new recipes & dinner ideas straight to your inbox!
Let’s Make Spaghetti with Spinach Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves sliced
- 16 oz fresh baby spinach washed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound spaghetti
- ½ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook to soften, but not quite brown.
- Add the spinach and sauté with the garlic until wilted. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining. Drain, and set aside.
- Add the spinach and garlic mixture to a food processor or blender with the cheese and half of the pasta water. Puree until it forms a sauce (adding more pasta water if needed).
- Add the sauce back into the pan to combine and heat through, again adding more pasta water if needed.
- Once heated through, taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve sprinkled with extra grated cheese.
Tips + Notes
- Work fast with the garlic. Garlic burns easily, especially when chopped or sliced. If you’re worried it may burn, keep a little water handy and add a tablespoon or two before adding the spinach to the pan.
- To puree the sauce, I use a food processor, but a blender would also work if you add the pasta water in before blending.
- I use fresh spinach, but frozen would work too if it’s thawed and squeezed of excess water.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This post was originally published in April of 2014, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and a video August of 2018.
Jhanvi P says
I added some pesto for extra flavor, and this was so good! I also added some carrots, tomatoes, and bell peppers just because I love veggies and some extra texture, and it was a great combo! I will definitely be using this recipe again!
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and thank you for taking time out of your day to leave me a review!
Kathryn Higgins says
Absolutely love this recipe! I add some onions to sauté with the spinach and a tbsp of pine nuts in the food processor. Quick question! Is the nutrition per serving, or is it for the entire batch? Please let me know. Thank you!
Erren Hart says
Hi Kathryn, I’m so glad you love the recipe! 🙂 The nutrition is per serving and there are 4 servings.
AnneW says
Very tasty and a simple way to use up spinach! Such a beautiful colour.
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad you found the recipe and enjoyed it so much! Thank you for taking the time to let me know!
Rachel says
Love this recipe! We have it almost once a week and the kids love it! It’s so easy to make and I don’t even grate the cheese, just toss it in the blender.
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Rachel, yes it is a wonderfully quick and tasty dish isn’t it? I’m so pleased you like it 🙂
Krithika says
I made this with penne since I didn’t have spaghetti. My 2 yr old loved it and licked the bowl clean
Erren Hart says
That’s so wonderful to hear! Thanks for letting me know!
Niki says
This recipe tastes great, and is so easy to improvise with. Tonight, I made the pasta and sauce, and then mixed in sautéed chicken sausage, broccoli, and bell peppers. With such a creamy, flavorful sauce, you can throw in any extras, and they just add to it! Great recipe for using tons of spinach, while giving you a new twist.
Erren's Kitchen says
Wow Niki, that sounds fantastic, it is a versatile sauce. I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Tyler says
This recipe is amazing!!!! I added some basil and chili when I blended the sauce too!
Erren's Kitchen says
That sounds delicious! 🙂
john doe says
looks delish
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you 🙂
Judy says
I haven’t made this — yet! Please tell me how much spaghetti to make to go with this amount of spinach sauce. Thanks
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Judy it states 1lb of spaghetti in the recipe card, I hope this helps 🙂
Sanji says
This slapped – holy sh#t!
Erren Hart says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Roseanna lawes says
This is my favourite go-to pasta recipe!
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Roseanna, I’m so glad you like it 🙂
Sonia V says
This recipe is so amazing it blows my mind!!!!! I admit I am not a huge fan of spinach, but the creaminess and the taste of Parmesan made the dish DELICIOUS! Definitely one of my favorite pasta recipes 🙂
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Sonia, I’m so glad you liked it 🙂