Creamy Feta Spinach Pasta (Printable)

A velvety Mediterranean pasta with crumbled feta, tender spinach, and a silky sauce made with pasta water. Quick, satisfying, and vegetarian.

# 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 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
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 instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta completely.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Add the hot drained pasta to the skillet with spinach. Sprinkle in the crumbled feta cheese evenly.
05 - Pour in approximately 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously until feta melts slightly and creates a creamy sauce. Add additional pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
06 - Season with black pepper, chili flakes, and salt to taste. Serve immediately while hot, garnished with lemon zest and fresh herbs.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The magic happens when feta meets hot pasta water, creating an incredibly creamy sauce without any heavy cream
  • Perfect for those nights when you want restaurant quality flavors but only have basic pantry ingredients
02 -
  • The pasta water is absolutely crucial here, so don't forget to save it before draining
  • Your feta sauce will look thin at first, but keep tossing and it will emulsify into something gorgeous
03 -
  • Work quickly once you add the pasta to the skillet, everything needs to stay hot for the sauce to form properly
  • If your sauce seems too thick, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time until you reach the perfect consistency
Go Back