Spinach Alfredo Pasta

This 4-ingredient Spinach Alfredo Pasta comes together in under 20 minutes and is a vegetarian dinner recipe the whole family will love!

Creating this easy pasta recipe

Pasta with butter and cheese was rare for us when we first started eating whole food. With so many new foods to experiment with, we focused mainly on experimenting with whole grains and fresh vegetables. (I also used to limit my carbs, so pasta was considered the enemy at one point.) But those days are over, and our “moderation is key” approach has us experimenting with whole wheat pastas studded with veggies. Plus —newsflash — butter’s back to being good for you.

Instead of the typical cream-based alfredo sauce we’re used to here in America, this fettuccine alfredo uses the “traditional” method: tossing the warm pasta with butter and parmesan cheese, which melts into a gooey, savory sauce. We’ve added spinach here to pack in some nutrients; you also could use other greens like tender arugula (just make sure it’s not too spicy!).

Funny story: we originally made this spinach alfredo pasta dish with arugula, and when we went to test it a second time, somehow the arugula didn’t get completely washed. We took our first bite and CRUNCH. It was literally like eating sand. The entire pot ended up in the trash. Lesson learned. (And in the end, we also changed the arugula to spinach since the spicy flavor overpowered the dish. Another lesson learned).

We hope you enjoy this take on classic Italian comfort food! We’ve used whole wheat pasta here, but you could certainly use gluten-free if you have allergies.

We got our arugula and spinach at Indy Winter Farmer’s Market. If you’re local, make sure to check out the market as it’s packed with greens of all kinds. 

Tips for making spinach alfredo pasta

This vegetarian pasta recipe comes together in under 20 minutes, but keep these things in mind when you’re making it:

• Use freshly grated Parm — The Parmesan cheese sold in shaker cans doesn’t melt like the stuff you can buy at the cheese counter. If possible, grate the Parmesan yourself, or buy the pre-shredded cheese in a bag. Just avoid the stuff in the can at all costs!
• Wash your greens before using — See sandy arugula anecdote above.
• Use unsalted butter — We prefer using unsalted butter in this spinach alfredo pasta recipe, because it gives us more control over the amount of salt in this dish. Parmesan is a naturally salty cheese, and we thought salted butter plus Parm was a little too much salt to handle.

Looking for more pasta recipes? 

• Vegan Italian Pasta Salad
• Grilled Vegetable Pasta with Romesco
• Creamy Vegan Pasta Marinara 
• Baked Pasta with Awesome Sauce
• Creamy Almond Milk Pasta with Herbs
• Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper Pasta)

This recipe is…

This spinach alfredo pasta recipe is vegetarian.

Spinach Alfredo Pasta

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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 1)

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: a Couple Cooks
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 to 6
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

This 4-ingredient Spinach Alfredo Pasta comes together in under 20 minutes and is a vegetarian dinner recipe the whole family will love!

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Ingredients

• 1 pound whole wheat fettuccine pasta (or gluten-free if desired)
• 1 bunch spinach (6 to 8 cups)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water and add several pinches of kosher salt. Bring the water to a boil and add the fettuccine.
2. Meanwhile, wash the spinach and remove any large stems. Cut 6 tablespoons butter into small pats. Grate 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese.
3. When the fettuccine is al dente (cooked, but still a little firm), reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Then drain the pasta into a strainer.
4. Return the pot to the stove and add a small amount of the pasta water (about ½ cup). Add the spinach and cook until bright green and wilted, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 3 minutes (depending on the firmness of your spinach). Then add the pasta and toss thoroughly to combine.
5. Add the butter, half of the Parmesan cheese, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Continue to toss the pasta until the butter and cheese form a sauce. As necessary, pour very small amounts of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Then add the remainder of the cheese and toss until integrated. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Inspired by Simply Recipes and Saveur

Keywords: Spinach Alfredo Pasta, pasta alfredo

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About the Authors

Sonja Overhiser

Cookbook Author and writer

Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.

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Alex Overhiser

Cookbook Author and photographer

Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.

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