Spinach Parmesan Pasta
This easy, vegetarian pasta is perfect for a weekday dinner! It needs simple, healthy ingredients and it's ready in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups uncooked rigatoni pasta (or pasta style of your choice)
- 4 cups spinach (tightly packed)
- 10-15 cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
- 1 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
- salt (add to taste)
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional seasoning)
Instructions
- Add salt to a pot of boiling water. Add pasta and cook for about 10 minutes or until al dente.
- Add olive oil to a large pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned. Then add spinach leaves and keep mixing until the leaves are wilted.
- Add the cooked spinach mixture to a blender along with ¼ cup of pasta water and puree until it's a creamy paste.
- Transfer the puree back into the pan on medium-low heat. Add another ¼ cup of pasta water if the puree is too thick. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the shredded parmesan and stir well. Finally, add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well.
- In another small pan on high heat, add olive oil. Toss in the cherry tomatoes. (Careful, it splatters!) Roast them for about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve the pasta with the roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with shaved parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes.