Creamy Feta Spinach Pasta (Printable)

Luscious pasta with feta and spinach in a creamy sauce, ready in 25 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
08 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

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

# How-to Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the 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, until wilted (about 2 minutes).
04 - Add the hot, drained pasta to the skillet with the spinach. Sprinkle in the crumbled feta.
05 - Pour in about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together vigorously until the feta melts slightly and forms a creamy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
06 - Season with black pepper, chili flakes (if using), and salt to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon zest and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The starchy pasta water transforms crumbled feta into the most velvety sauce without any heavy cream
  • Ready in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a proper Italian restaurant
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that if you add the pasta water while the pan is not hot enough, the feta will not melt into a proper sauce
  • The pasta continues absorbing liquid after you plate it, so make the sauce slightly thinner than you think you need
03 -
  • If your sauce breaks and looks oily rather than creamy, whisk in another splash of pasta water off the heat
  • Serve this pasta immediately because the sauce tightens up quickly and loses that luxurious texture
Go Back