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Stress consuming, what? Who, me? Noooo, by no means. Okay, perhaps. Because the countdown to my transfer out of state begins and every thing appears to be going haywire, I discover myself needing just a little consolation meals. My normal go-to consolation meals is pasta with butter, Parmesan, and salt and pepper, however right now I made a decision to go just a little additional and make this tremendous creamy Spinach Alfredo Pasta.

A pan full of easy and delicious "lighter" Spinach Alfredo Pasta

What’s in Alfredo Sauce?

So, to be trustworthy, this isn’t actually an alfredo sauce (I really wished to name it “faux-fredo), however generally recipes names are a bit figurative. Actual alfredo has like, a stick of butter, a pile of Parmesan, and generally (particularly when you’re in America) a whoooole lot of heavy cream.

I swapped the heavy cream for entire milk, decreased the butter by lots, and used just a little cream cheese to assist thicken and stabilize the sauce. So, it’s not technically an alfredo, however hey, it’s shut sufficient for me to faux and really feel like I’m consuming one thing super-indulgent.

Does it Reheat Nicely?

This Spinach Alfredo Pasta is unquestionably higher when recent, though I’d NEVER flip down the leftovers, so when you’re cooking for one or two take into account chopping the recipe in half. Fortunately, this one is tremendous simple to scale up or down. Simply change the variety of servings within the “servings” field on the recipe card beneath and the components will auto-adjust.

Can I Use Frozen Spinach?

Sure, you should utilize frozen spinach if crucial, simply needless to say the feel is not going to be as good because the recent spinach. To make use of frozen spinach, thaw it utterly, then squeeze out as a lot further moisture as attainable (or else it could flip your sauce inexperienced). Add the squeezed frozen spinach on the similar level the recent spinach is added within the recipe beneath.

Close up view of the super creamy sauce for the "lighter" Spinach Alfredo Pasta

Spinach Alfredo Pasta

Creamy and wealthy, but by no means heavy, this Spinach Alfredo Pasta is a simple and satisfying consolation meals. 

Creamy and rich, yet never heavy, this Lighter Spinach Alfredo Pasta is an easy and satisfying comfort food. BudgetBytes.com

  • Deliver a big pot of water to a boil to prepare dinner the pasta. As soon as boiling, add the pasta and prepare dinner till al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander.

  • Whereas the pasta is cooking, put together the sauce. Add the butter and minced garlic to a deep skillet or pot and sauté over medium warmth for 1-2 minutes, or simply till the garlic is tender and aromatic, however not brown.

  • Flip the warmth right down to medium-low. Add the milk to the skillet together with the cream cheese (reduce into chunks). Warmth the milk and cream cheese whereas whisking, till the cream cheese has totally melted into the milk.

  • Whisk within the grated Parmesan cheese and proceed to whisk because the sauce comes as much as a delicate simmer. When it reaches a simmer, the sauce will thicken. Flip the warmth right down to low to maintain the sauce heat. Season the sauce with 1/4 tsp salt and a beneficiant quantity of freshly cracked pepper.

  • Add the recent spinach to the sauce and stir it in till it has wilted and turn into limp.

  • Lastly, add the cooked and drained pasta to the spinach alfredo sauce and stir to mix. Serve instantly.

See how we calculate recipe prices right here.



Serving: 1ServingEnergy: 676kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 24gFats: 31gSodium: 727mgFiber: 3g

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Scroll down for the step-by-step images!

A bowl full of super creamy and delicious "lighter" Spinach Alfredo Pasta

How one can Make Spinach Alfredo Pasta – Step by Step Images

Sautéed Garlic in butter, in a deep skillet with wooden spoon

Begin by cooking 12 oz. penne pasta in line with the bundle instructions (boil a big pot of water, add the pasta, and proceed to boil till al dente). Whereas the pasta is cooking, begin the “alfredo” sauce. Mince two cloves of garlic and add them to a deep skillet or pot with 2 Tbsp butter. Sauté over medium warmth for 1-2 minutes, or simply till the garlic is tender and aromatic, however not brown.

Milk being poured into butter and garlic in skillet

Add 2 cups of entire milk to the skillet and switch the warmth right down to medium-low.

Cream Cheese added to to skillet with butter, garlic, and milk

Additionally add 6 oz. cream cheese, reduce into chunks. Warmth and stir or whisk the milk and cheese till it’s totally heated by means of and the cheese has melted into the milk. You’ll wish to use a whisk as soon as the cheese begins to soften.

Grated Parmesan being added to garlic cream sauce

Whisk 3/4 cup grated Parmesan into the milk sauce. Proceed to whisk whereas the combination heats, permitting it to come back as much as a delicate simmer. When it reaches a simmer, the sauce will thicken. As soon as the Parmesan has totally melted in and the sauce has thickened, flip the warmth right down to low to maintain the sauce heat. Season the sauce with 1/4 tsp salt and a beneficiant quantity of freshly cracked pepper.

Fresh Baby Spinach package

Now it’s time so as to add the spinach. I purchase these large baggage of recent spinach, that are the identical quantity as these giant tubs you should purchase, however it’s solely $3.99 (the massive tubs are normally extra like $5.99). Anyway, add about 4 cups of spinach to the new alfredo sauce…

wilted Spinach in Sauce

And stir it in till it has wilted and limp. This could solely take a couple of minutes.

Cooked pasta added to spinach alfredo sauce in the skillet

Lastly, add the cooked and drained penne pasta and stir till every thing is mixed and coated within the thick sauce.

Finished pan full of "Lighter" Spinach Alfredo Pasta

And that’s it! Now you’re able to get your pasta on.

A forkful of super creamy and delicious "lighter" Spinach Alfredo Pasta

Significantly although, this Spinach Alfredo Pasta is wealthy and creamy with out being like, “OMG I simply ate a brick.” 

Full pan of fast and easy "Lighter" Spinach Alfredo Pasta

I’m all about that cracked pepper. 🤤

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