Strong-Personality Spinach Pasta

Time :15

Yield :4 servings

Recipe Background

Dinner deserves to be better than bland! It deserves to be something remarkable, something to spark excitement! Something just like the Strong-Personality Spinach Pasta, in fact! It certainly leaves an impression! Bright, leafy spinach, a creamy, tangy cheese sauce, and tender pasta all come together for a bold, inviting, comforting flavor you'll have to taste to believe. It might have a strong personality, but Strong-Personality Spinach Pasta is also speedy to boot, ready in 15 minutes or less! Dinner is never going to be boring again!

Ingredients

For the pasta:

8 ounces pasta of your choice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 (9-ounce) package baby spinach washed
1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
5 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons parmesan cheese freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Optional, for serving:

extra-virgin olive oil to taste
black pepper to taste
parmesan cheese to taste, freshly grated

Directions

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, add the pasta and cook it to al dente, according to the package directions.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and set the pot aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Add the garlic to the hot oil and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the spinach to the garlic and season it with the salt.
Cook the spinach, while stirring, until wilted but still bright green, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the cream cheese and 1/3 cup of the pasta water to the spinach mixture and stir to combine until the cream cheese is melted.
Add 4 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese and the nutmeg to the spinach mixture and stir to combine.
Add the pasta to the spinach mixture, tossing to combine.
Use the remaining pasta water to thin the sauce, as needed.
Serve topped with the extra olive oil, the black pepper, and the extra parmesan cheese.