Spinach Lemon Pasta (Printable Version)

Parmesan, spinach, and lemon jazz up pasta for a crowd-pleasing weeknight hit in about 20 minutes. Super simple, super good.

# Ingredients Required:

→ Dairy and cheese

01 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 50 grams parmesan cheese, grated fresh

→ Aromatics and seasonings

03 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced fine or grated
06 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, and some more for your pasta water

→ Citrus

07 - 1 lemon, both zested and juiced

→ Pasta and vegetables

08 - 2 cups (roughly 60 grams) baby spinach
09 - 225 grams dried spaghetti

# Guide to Cooking:

01 - Turn off the heat under your skillet. Mix in the lemon zest, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Give it a good toss and enjoy straight away.
02 - Sauce looking a bit thick? Add up to 60 ml more of that reserved pasta water a splash at a time until it's just the way you like it.
03 - Pour your lemon juice and about 120 ml of the pasta water into the pan. Once it starts bubbling, add both your cooked spaghetti and spinach. Toss everything together until the spinach just softens and everything's coated in sauce.
04 - Melt your butter in a large skillet on medium. Toss in the garlic and chili flakes. Let them sizzle and smell nice for around 30 seconds to a minute.
05 - Fill a big pot with salted water and bring it up to a steady boil. Drop in the spaghetti. Cook following the package time (usually about 9 or 10 minutes) until it's just firm. Scoop out 240 ml of the pasta water before draining. Don’t rinse the pasta.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - Pop leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge; they'll keep about four days. Freezing or prepping days ahead isn't the best idea since the texture can get weird.
02 - Want it creamy? Try swapping some pasta water with a good splash of milk, half-and-half, or even a dollop of cream cheese.
03 - Skip the butter for olive oil if you need dairy-free—just use the same amount.
04 - Craving more protein? Add pieces of cooked chicken, shrimp, steak, or salmon on top.

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