Creamy Cheese Spinach Pasta Recipes

CREAMY SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
• Transfer pasta to a large bowl; add garlic, shallot, mascarpone, spinach, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir until cheese has melted and mixture is combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add additional cooking liquid as needed to loosen sauce. Divide pasta among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with lemon zest and, if desired, crushed red pepper. Serve immediately.

CREAMY PASTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 min. Stir in tomatoes; cook 3 min. or until heated through, stirring frequently. Add cream cheese and lemon juice; cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended.
• Place spinach in large bowl. Drain pasta, reserving 1/3 cup cooking water. Add pasta, reserved water, tomato mixture and 3 Tbsp. Parmesan to spinach; mix lightly. Serve topped with remaining Parmesan.

CREAMY SPINACH PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Saute garlic in butter over very low heat for 2 minutes.
• Add wine, bring to a boil, add spinach and reduce heat to low.
• Add cream cheese and stir until melted.
• Add milk, increase heat to medium high and stir until sauce is smooth and heated through.
• Remove from heat, add Parmesan and stir until cheese melts.
• Serve over hot, drained pasta.

CREAMY SPINACH SAUSAGE PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain., Stir in the tomatoes, spinach, cream cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Drain pasta; add to sausage mixture. Transfer to a greased 11x7-in. baking dish., Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

CHEESY LEEK & SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan, tip in the leeks and splash in a little hot water. Cover and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until no longer squeaky.
• While the leeks are cooking, boil the penne in salted water according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, tip the crème fraîche, sundried tomatoes and mustard into the leeks, add three-quarters of the cheese and season well. Stir until the cheese melts. Take off the heat.
• Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the sauce and stir, adding enough cooking water to make the sauce coat the pasta. Stir in the spinach, a big handful at a time, until it wilts, splashing in a little more water if needed. Toss in the remaining cheese and serve.

CREAMY TOMATO SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta as directed. Strain and set aside.
• In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic then cook for about 3 minutes, until onion is translucent. Then add the spinach and cook until wilted.
• To the skillet, add the crushed tomatoes and seasoning (oregano, basil, salt & pepper). Reduce heat to a simmer. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted and evenly combined.
• Strain the pasta, add it back to the pot then pour the sauce over top. Stir until evenly coated. Serve warm with cashew parmesan and fresh basil (optional), and enjoy!

CREAMY TOMATO AND SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and continue to boil until tender (7-10 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander.
• While the pasta is cooking, prepare the creamy tomato sauce. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (3-5 minutes).
• Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste has mixed into the sauce.
• Turn the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce is creamy. Add the Parmesan to the skillet and stir until it is melted into the sauce.
• Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (2-3 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

CREAMY TOMATO AND SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
• Add the pasta and cook until tender (7 to 10 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander.
• While waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
• Cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened and transparent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the diced tomatoes with juices, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and garlic.
• Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.
• Turn the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce.
• Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is creamy.
• Add half of the parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is melted inches Add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in again.
• Add the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (3 to 5 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated with the creamy tomato sauce.
• Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

CHICKEN, SPINACH, AND CHEESE PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in hot oil until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Mix penne pasta, onion, chicken, diced tomatoes, spinach, and cream cheese together in a baking dish until the cream cheese melts and coats everything. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the pasta mixture. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until heated through and beginning to brown along the edges, about 15 minutes more.

CREAMED SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Add the ricotta to a large bowl; season well with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and drain.
• Prepare your sauce while the pasta cooks: If using, cook the pine nuts in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat until toasted, stirring occasionally to make sure they do not burn, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Wipe skillet clean and melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach, stirring it in by the handful if needed, and cook until it wilts, adding a few tablespoons of the pasta water to help it along if needed, about 4 minutes. Season with salt.
• Add the cream, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the nutmeg then season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet and toss until the noodles are glossy with sauce.
• Turn off heat and stir in the prepared ricotta, thinning the sauce with a bit of pasta cooking water if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Divide among bowls. Top with pine nuts, if using, and pass grated pecorino or Parmesan at the table.