Creamy Lemon Spinach Spaghetti (Printer-friendly)

Thin spaghetti tossed in luscious lemon cream sauce with fresh spinach for a vibrant, tangy, and comforting meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz thin spaghetti
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Vegetables

03 - 7 oz fresh baby spinach
04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - Juice of 1 large lemon

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Extra lemon zest
12 - Additional Parmesan cheese for serving

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain in a colander.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
03 - Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until completely wilted. Stir in the lemon zest.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Stir in the lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese, allowing the cheese to melt and the sauce to thicken slightly.
05 - Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat evenly in the sauce. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, creamy consistency.
06 - Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and adjust salt to taste. Serve immediately while hot.
07 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with extra lemon zest and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something special but do not have hours to spend
  • It hits that magical balance between light and indulgent, leaving you satisfied but not weighed down
02 -
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon for achieving that silky, emulsified sauce texture, so do not forget to reserve it before draining
  • The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits off the heat, so it should look slightly looser than your desired final consistency when you remove it from the stove
03 -
  • Room temperature cream will incorporate more smoothly and is less likely to separate when you add the lemon juice
  • Grate your Parmesan from a wedge rather than using pre shredded cheese, as the anti caking agents in pre shredded cheese can make your sauce grainy
Go Back