Spaghetti With Creamy Lemon-Spinach Sauce

Dotdash Meredith

Give your veggie servings a boost with this easy spaghetti with spinach sauce recipe. Loosely inspired by the flavors of classic pesto, this vibrant pasta packs in plenty of spinach and basil with a garnish of nutty walnuts and savory Parmesan cheese.

Prep/Cook Time: 20 Minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1 9-ounce package baby spinach (about 8 cups)
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
⅛ teaspoon ground pepper

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add spaghetti; cook according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain the spaghetti. Do not wipe the pot clean.
Meanwhile, process spinach, basil, oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a blender until smooth and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer the spinach mixture to the Dutch oven; add the cooked spaghetti and toss with tongs until well coated. Add the reserved cooking water, 2 tablespoons at a time as needed, to thin sauce.
Divide among 4 bowls. Top with 1 tablespoon each Parmigiano-Reggiano and walnuts; sprinkle evenly with pepper and lemon zest. Garnish with additional basil, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: 489 Calories, Total Fat: 31 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 1 mg, Carbohydrates: 46 g, Fiber: 8 g, Total Sugars: 2 g, Added Sugars: 0 g, Protein: 11 g, Sodium: 351 mg, Potassium: 322 mg

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