Creamy Feta Spinach Pasta (Printable Version)

A velvety pasta dish featuring crumbled feta and wilted spinach in a tangy sauce. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 ounces dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)

→ Dairy

02 - 7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

→ Vegetables

03 - 5 ounces baby spinach, washed
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pantry

05 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
08 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in colander.
02 - While pasta cooks, 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 frequently, until completely wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Transfer hot drained pasta to the skillet with spinach. Sprinkle crumbled feta evenly throughout.
05 - Pour 1/2 cup reserved pasta water into the skillet. Toss vigorously until feta melts partially and creates a creamy sauce, adding additional pasta water gradually to reach desired consistency.
06 - Season with black pepper, chili flakes if desired, and salt to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Serve immediately while hot, topped with lemon zest and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The starchy pasta water transforms crumbled feta into the silkiest sauce youve ever tasted without any heavy cream
  • Its one of those rare recipes that tastes like it came from a restaurant but uses ingredients you probably already have
02 -
  • The pasta water is the secret ingredient that transforms crumbled feta into a velvety sauce
  • Add the pasta water gradually because different feta brands absorb liquid differently
03 -
  • Room temperature feta melts more easily than cold cheese straight from the fridge
  • Reserve extra pasta water just in case you need it for consistency
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