Creamy Feta Spinach Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

Luscious pasta with feta cheese and spinach in a tangy, creamy sauce. A quick, easy Mediterranean main 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 - 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
08 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
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 baby spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until completely wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Transfer hot drained pasta to the skillet with spinach. Sprinkle crumbled feta evenly over the mixture.
05 - Pour 1/2 cup reserved pasta water into the skillet. Toss vigorously until feta begins to melt and forms a creamy sauce. Add additional pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
06 - Season with black pepper, chili flakes if desired, and salt to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with lemon zest and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The creamy sauce comes together without any actual cream, using just starchy pasta water and feta
  • Its ready in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a restaurant
  • Every ingredient pulls double duty, creating maximum flavor with minimal effort
02 -
  • The pasta water is absolutely non-negotiable, it creates the emulsion that makes the sauce silky
  • Keep the pasta water hot until you need it, cold water will break your sauce
  • Feta varies in saltiness, so always taste before adding extra salt
03 -
  • Reserve even more pasta water than you think you need, having extra is better than running out
  • Use a skillet large enough to toss the pasta freely, crowding the pan makes it hard to coat everything evenly
  • Room temperature feta melts more easily than cold from the fridge
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