Creamy Feta Spinach Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender spinach and crumbled feta create a silky, tangy sauce in this quick 25-minute Mediterranean pasta dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)

→ Dairy

02 - 7 oz feta cheese, crumbled

→ Vegetables

03 - 5 oz baby spinach, washed
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Pantry

05 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes, optional
08 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining thoroughly.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and golden.
03 - Add baby spinach to the skillet, stirring continuously until completely wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Transfer the drained hot pasta to the skillet with the spinach mixture. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese evenly throughout.
05 - Pour ½ cup reserved pasta water into the skillet. Toss vigorously until feta softens and forms a creamy sauce. Gradually incorporate additional pasta water to reach desired consistency.
06 - Season with black pepper, chili flakes if desired, and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
07 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Top with lemon zest and fresh herbs before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The starchy pasta water transforms crumbled feta into the most velvety, restaurant worthy sauce without needing any cream at all
  • It comes together in 25 minutes flat but tastes like something that simmered for hours
02 -
  • That pasta water is absolutely non negotiable. Without it, the feta stays crumbly instead of transforming into a cohesive sauce.
  • The pasta should be quite hot when it hits the skillet. The residual heat helps melt the feta and emulsify everything together.
03 -
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need. It is better to have too much than not enough when adjusting the sauce consistency.
  • Let the feta come to room temperature while you prep. Room temperature cheese melts more evenly into the sauce.
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