Creamy Spinach Pasta (The Benefits of Meatless Meals)
This creamy spinach pasta is an excellent option on the nights when you have to come up with a quick healthy meal. Pair it with a glass of white wine for a delicious light fare.
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We all have days when there is so much going on that we don’t have the time or the desire to cook. And then, we reach out for what we think is the best and quickest option – takeout food. And, often, this ends up being junk food. We quickly tackled the hunger problem, but we didn’t treat our bodies well with all the unhealthy fats and salt. Not exactly what a healthy eating plate should look like. So, this quick and easy creamy spinach pasta recipe is an excellent starting point if you wish to develop clean eating habits. Yes, you will have to cook on a busy night. But you’ll be surprised how quick and easy it will be!
3 Reasons to Have A Meatless Dinner
In one of my previous posts, I mention that it is ok to ditch meat several times a week. It is no secret that a plant-based diet is an excellent weight-management approach. And it is proven to reduce inflammation in the body and can help fight several diseases. But, if you ate meat your entire life and you can’t imagine your dinner without a juicy cut, here is some good news. You don’t have to ditch meat altogether. You can try reducing the amount of meat in your diet, and you’ll still see significant improvements in your health. So, cooking this incredibly easy spinach pasta meal might be a great starting point. Here are 3 reasons to start having meatless dinners.
It Will Help to Lose Weight
What I promote as healthy eating has a name these days. It is called a Flexitarian Diet. So, if a vegetarian diet is not your cup of tea, but you still want to lead a healthier lifestyle, then the flexitarian diet is what you might want to try. You can still enjoy meat occasionally, but you focus on veggies, fruits, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. To support this approach, look at various research studies showing that vegetarians lost more weight than those who remained on a meat diet. So, instead of having a meat meal every night, try swapping the meat for some plant-based, protein-rich foods, such as green peas or beans. In the end, both meat and plant-based alternatives provide the protein you are after.
It Will Promote Heart Health and Lower the Risk of Cancer
The main issue in the meat diet is the presence of saturated fat, which is linked with an increase in bad cholesterol, leading to potential heart disease. Look at the comparison in saturated fat content among different meat types. So, your heart will thank you if you decide to introduce meatless dinners; trust me on this!
Cancer is another risk associated with eating meat. And this is especially true for processed meats, such as ham, bacon, salami, etc., and red meats. The main issue lies in the processing of these meats since chemicals are introduced to keep them fresh longer. These chemicals (e.g., nitrates, nitrites) are damaging our cells and harm our bodies for good. Thus, it is time we do something to protect our bodies. And eating more plant-based products is such an easy and healthy idea!
It Will Save you Some Cash!
I love this one! When I decided to introduce more veggies and less meat into our diet, I saw a significant difference in my grocery bill. Needless to say that it went down. Meat products are known to be the most expensive items on your list. So cutting down on their consumption will keep your wallet chubby and your waist slim. A perfect combination! So, treat your body well and prepare this healthy spinach pasta for dinner!
Creamy Delight in Just Under 45 minutes
I am not a fan of 30-min meals. Every time I followed one, it ended up being longer than 30 minutes. So, I might be slow in the kitchen, or these recipe makers are not entirely honest when they say 30 minutes. But, for this creamy spinach pasta recipe, I assure you it will take less than 45 minutes to prepare. Considering my previous statement, I am now scared to claim it will take 30 minutes. So, be the judge and let me know how long it took you in the comments below.
What makes this pasta special is the white sauce combined with spinach. And this white sauce has a special ingredient – white wine. If you cook this spinach pasta for your kids, be free to omit the wine. It will still taste delicious. And, if you want to keep up with the protein intake, and since this is a meatless meal, you can add some chopped walnuts. Walnuts are an excellent source of protein!
How To Prepare Spinach Pasta
- Cook pasta according to the package. It is essential to cook pasta al dente. If overcooked, it will have a mushy taste that is not very appealing. I used Trader Joe’s Spinach and Chive Linguine Pasta in this recipe. And it went so well with creamy spinach topping.
- Boil water in a pot for blanching the spinach.
- I used 16 oz (454g) of baby spinach in this recipe. Wash the spinach and drain it well.
- Transfer the spinach to the boiling water and boil for about 45 sec – 1 min.
- Remove the pot from heat and drain the water. Wash cooked spinach with some cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside. Check out my Creamy Chicken and Spinach recipe to see why blanching is the best way to cook spinach.
- Chop medium size onion into small cubes. Chop one garlic clove.
- Preheat 2 tbsp of olive oil in the skillet.
- Add onion and cook until fragrant (about 5 min). Next, add chopped garlic and cook for a short time (do not overcook the garlic since the taste will become bitter). Add salt and pepper per your liking.
- Add flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Hint: if it looks like there is more flour than oil and flour is clumping, add a bit more oil until the mixture looks creamy.
- Slowly pour prepared milk while constantly mixing with a wooden spoon. This is where you want to avoid clumping the flour by adding milk slowly and mixing.
- If you want to add wine, add it here and mix to combine it all. Cook until the sauce thickens and becomes bubbly.
- Cut the spinach you set aside and add it to the white sauce. At this point, you want to mix it all well and not cook more. Give it a quick try to see if it is salty enough for your taste; if not, add more salt. But, don’t add too much, it is not good for you!
- On an individual plate, add some pasta and top it with the Creamy Spinach sauce. If you want to add some protein, top it with chopped walnuts.
- Enjoy your healthy Spinach Pasta dinner!
I have another great option if you wish to continue with this meatless meal plan. My Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Sauce are very delicious and fulfilling and are so easy to make.
Other tasty recipes to try:
Meatless Spinach Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz Pasta
- 16 oz baby spinach
- 1 onion medium, chopped
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cup milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package. It is essential to cook pasta al dente. If overcooked, it will have a mushy taste that is not very appealing. I used Trader Joe's Spinach and Chive Linguine Pasta in this recipe. And it went so well with creamy spinach topping.
- Boil water in a pot for blanching the spinach.
- I used 16 oz (454g) of baby spinach in this recipe. Wash the spinach and drain it well.
- Transfer the spinach to the boiling water and boil for about 45 sec – 1 min.
- Remove the pot from heat and drain the water. Wash cooked spinach with some cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
- Chop medium size onion into small cubes. Chop one garlic clove.
- Preheat 2 tbsp of olive oil in the skillet on medium heat.
- Add onion and cook until fragrant (about 5 min). Next, add chopped garlic and cook for a short time (do not overcook the garlic since the taste will become bitter). Add salt and pepper per your liking.
- Add flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Hint: if it looks like there is more flour than oil and flour is clumping, add a bit more oil until the mixture looks creamy.
- Slowly pour prepared milk while constantly mixing with a wooden spoon. This is where you want to avoid clumping the flour by adding milk slowly and mixing.
- If you opted to add wine, add it here and mix until all is combined. Cook until the sauce thickens and becomes bubbly.
- Cut the spinach you set aside and add it to the white sauce. At this point, you want to mix it all well and not cook more. Give it a quick try to see if it is salty enough for your taste; if not, add more salt. But, don't add too much, it is not good for you!
- On an individual plate, add some pasta and top it with the Creamy Spinach sauce. If you want to add some protein, top it with chopped walnuts.
- Enjoy your healthy Spinach Pasta dinner!
