Garlic pasta with baby spinach is our family’s all-time favorite pasta. I’ve been making this pasta for over twenty years and it always tastes the same – positively scrumptious 😋.
About the recipe
I started making this pasta when my older daughter Sri was in preschool. She loved pasta (still does). Of course I made it with tomato sauce, and one with mixed vegetables, with pesto, one with cheese, and while they all tasted great, this version with garlic and baby spinach always got the best reaction.
There is something about the simplicity of finely chopped baby spinach, crushed garlic, and a touch of red chili flakes that puts this pasta in a league of it’s own.
Once I realized Sri loved garlic and baby spinach pasta so much, I started making it with tons more spinach to get more veggies in every bite. I would even make it when her friends came over, because kids being kids – they always wanted pasta for lunch or dinner. I insisted that if they must have pasta it had to be with tons of veggies – and the garlic pasta with baby spinach fit that bill perfectly.
Over the years Sri’s friends began to expect this spinach and garlic pasta when they came over. I remember a time when I made something else and Sri’s friends were disapointed – “Where is the garlic pasta with spinach?” they wanted to know.
One of Sri’s friends liked this pasta so much she kept asking her Mom to make it at home, but somehow it never tasted the same. One day I got a call from her Mom asking for the recipe. She said her daughter insisted that she call and get the recipe from me – “According to my daughter, it’s the best pasta ever!“
Cook’s Notes: Resist the temptation to do what I did over the years – I’ve added fresh tomatoes, I’ve added roasted veggies, some cream, or cheese sauce, and once I got lazy and didn’t finely cut the baby spinach – though all of these additions tasted good as a pasta dish can be – it never tasted as great as the baby spinach and garlic pasta.
For a delicous, healthy, and simple pasta that will not disappoint, try this spinach pasta recipe just the way it is, and see if this will become a favorite pasta in your family. Enjoy!
Garlic Pasta with Baby Spinach:
makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb spaghetti or Angel hair pasta cooked al-dente according to package directions.
- 8-10 cups – about 1 lb fresh baby spinach washed and finely chopped. If you can’t find baby spinach, use finely chopped fresh regular spinach. Chopping the baby spinach very finely allows it to evenly distribute itself in the pasta instead of bunching up into clumps.
- 6-8 cloves of garlic finely chopped or minced
- 1/2 – 1 tsp of red chili flakes
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Parmesan shavings for garnish
Directions:
- In a large pot heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add garlic and saute until tender – 10- 15 seconds. Add chili flakes and mix-into the oil to let the smoky flavor release. Now add chopped spinach and toss spinach in oil- about 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Next add cooked spaghetti. Mix pasta into the spinach so that the spinach is evenly distributed in the pasta, using a fork to gently separate the spinach if it starts to bunch up. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Serve warm with a few parmesan shavings – but not needed. This pasta has so much flavor you can get by without the cheese.
Bon Appetito! 🍝🍷
