5-Ingredient Spinach Parmesan Pasta
Updated December 29, 2020
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It5-Ingredient Pasta
Are you stressing about what to make for dinner tonight or maybe you haven’t even thought about dinner yet? Well, if you need a quick and easy dinner recipe, you have to make our 5-Ingredient Spinach Parmesan Pasta. It is hands down one of our all-time favorite meals.
It is the meal we eat when we didn’t plan anything for dinner or when we are super busy and don’t have time or the desire to make an elaborate meal. It is also the recipe we make when we want plain, simple, GOOD food. Who says good food has to be complicated? You can make a delicious dinner with only five ingredients!
Spinach Parmesan Pasta Ingredients
I love this recipe because it is made with basic ingredients that we always have on hand. I make sure we always pick these ingredients up when we are shopping at our Kroger store…or even better, I use Kroger’s FREE Grocery PickUp. They do the shopping and bring my groceries to my car. It’s a lifesaver.
Ok, back to the pasta! You will need the following FIVE ingredients to make this delicious pasta dish:
- Pasta– We like to use spaghetti, but any pasta will work! Use whatever is in your pantry!)
- Butter– The butter adds great flavor and I prefer it over olive oil in this pasta recipe, but if you only have olive oil, it will work.
- Garlic– Use fresh garlic and not garlic powder for maximum flavor.
- Spinach– If you don’t have fresh spinach you can use frozen spinach in pinch. Kale or arugula would also be good.)
- Parmesan Cheese– Splurge and use good Parmesan cheese. Kroger always has a good selection.
That is it! This is a great pantry staple recipe. The ingredient list is simple, but the flavors are so good!
How to Make Spinach Parmesan Pasta
Let’s get this pasta party started!
- First, cook the pasta according to package directions. Make sure you salt your water and cook the pasta until al dente. Before you drain the pasta, make sure you reserve ½ cup of the pasta water! Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Using the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in the pasta and spinach. Gently toss and cook until spinach leaves are wilted. If the pasta starts to dry out, add in some of the reserved pasta water. We usually add about ⅓ cup. Stir in ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese and toss until combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Pour pasta into a large bowl. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Pasta Variations
If you want to jazz up this pasta recipe and go beyond the five ingredients, here are a few suggestions.
- Add in a little fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. The lemon will brighten up the pasta dish.
- Want to add a protein? Stir in rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken. Chickpeas or white beans are also tasty!
- Spice things up with a dash of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Chop up some fresh basil or parsley and sprinkle it over the pasta
Serving Suggestions
I am happy with a big old bowl of this pasta for dinner, but if you want a few side dish suggestions, here are our favorites.
- Garlic Bread
- Caprese Garlic Bread
- Easy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
- Easy Green Salad
- Skillet Lemon Green Beans
- Roasted Broccoli
- Roasted Asparagus
More Easy Pasta Recipes
5-Ingredient Spinach Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Set pasta aside.
- Using the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in the pasta and spinach. Gently toss and cook until spinach leaves are wilted. If the pasta starts to dry out, add in some of the reserved pasta water. We usually add about ⅓ cup. Stir in ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese and toss until combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Pour pasta into a large bowl. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.