Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Spinach

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I stole this recipe for Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Spinach from thefedupfoodie.com. This creamy pasta dish is a great way to eat spinach. Onions and garlic are sautéed before adding spinach. Once the spinach is wilted it is set aside. Then a cream sauce is made with butter, heavy cream, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. The cooked spinach and pasta are added to the cream sauce before serving with additional cheese. If you aren’t familiar with farfalle noodles, they are also called bow ties or you can use any short pasta you prefer.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and ½ cup chopped onion.

Then sauté until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add in 1 clove minced garlic and continue sautéing for another minute.

Next, add in 8 oz fresh spinach-roughly chopped.

Sauté spinach until just becoming wilted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and transfer to a bowl.

Then add ¼ cup butter to empty pan over low heat. Combine 1 cup cream and 1 tbsp lemon juice in a small bowl. Once the butter is melted, whisk in cream.

Once fully incorporated add in 1 ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes.

Next, add in 2 cloves minced garlic and continue simmering for an additional minute. Take off the heat and stir in the zest of a lemon. Drain spinach of excess water and add to cream sauce.

Gently stir spinach mixture into sauce.

Finally, add 16 oz cooked farfalle pasta to the sauce.

Stir to coat the pasta with the sauce and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

If you liked Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Spinach you can try other spinach and pasta combinations like Garlic Parmesan Orzo, Spinach Tortellini Salad, Parmesan Chicken Ziti with Artichokes & Spinach or Tortellini with Tomato Cream Sauce.

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Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Spinach

This creamy pasta dish is a great way to eat spinach. Onions and garlic are sautéed before adding spinach. Once the spinach is wilted it is set aside. Then a cream sauce is made with butter, heavy cream, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. The cooked spinach and pasta are added to the cream sauce before serving with additional cheese.
Course Pasta
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 5-6 Qt water
  • ⅓ cup salt
  • 16 oz farfalle pasta

Spinach

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ medium brown onion diced (about ½ cup)
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 8 oz fresh spinach-roughly chopped
  • ½ tsp salt

Cream sauce

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-n-half
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 large cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 zest of lemon

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
  2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and onion and sauté until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add in garlic and continue sautéing for another minute. Add in spinach and sauté until just becoming wilted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and transfer to a bowl.
  3. Add butter to empty pan over low heat. Combine cream, lemon juice and nutmeg in a small bowl. Once the butter is melted, whisk in cream. Once fully incorporated add in cheese and bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes. Whisking often. Add in garlic and continue simmering for an additional minute. Take off the heat and stir in lemon zest. Drain spinach of excess water and stir into cream sauce.
  4. Add drained pasta to cream sauce. Stir well. Add additional Parmesan as garnish.