Creamy Feta Spinach Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Tender pasta tossed with crumbled feta and wilted spinach in a creamy, tangy sauce ready in 25 minutes.

# What You’ll 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 before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted (approximately 2 minutes).
04 - Add the hot, drained pasta to the skillet with the wilted spinach. Sprinkle crumbled feta evenly over the mixture.
05 - Pour about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water into the skillet. Toss vigorously until the feta melts slightly and forms a creamy sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Season with black pepper, chili flakes if desired, and salt to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon zest and fresh herbs if preferred.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The starchy pasta water transforms crumbled feta into the creamiest no fuss sauce youll ever make
  • Ready from start to finish in under 30 minutes with ingredients you probably already have
02 -
  • The pasta water is the secret ingredient that makes the sauce emulsify properly
  • Add the pasta while it is screaming hot so the feta melts immediately into the strands
03 -
  • Reserve pasta water before you drain or you will regret it
  • Let the skillet sit on the heat while you toss so the sauce stays hot and emulsified
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