20 Minute Spinach Feta Pasta

an overhead of a pan of spinach in penne pasta and shredded cheese.

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A nutritious and delicious meatless pasta ready in just 20 minutes!

Course Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Total Time 20

Servings people

Calories 400kcal

Author Tracy

Equipment

Large skillet at least 3 qt

Ingredients

1 lb penne pasta
1 lb fresh baby spinach 16 oz
6 oz feta cheese 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups
1 oz parmesan cheese shredded, 1/3 cup
1/2 cup onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh dill minced
1/4 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions

Cook Pasta: Heat a large pot of salted water on the stovetop and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente per the instructions on the box, or for just 2-3 minutes if using fresh pasta!
Prep Veggies: While the water comes to a boil, prep the veggies and have the other ingredients in place and ready. Shred the Parmesan cheese from a brick to achieve the best melt!
Sauté Aromatics: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and once hot, add the olive oil just as the water begins to bubble. Once the pasta is added to the boiling water, add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
Sauté Spinach: Deglaze the pan with lemon juice and then add the spinach in bunches, turning with tongs as it wilts and adding more as space allows until all of the spinach is added and wilted. Add salt, pepper, and dill and mix.
Add Pasta Water: By now, the pasta should be nearly done. Before draining the pasta, take 1/4 cup of pasta water and add it to the pan with the spinach and mix well.
Cheese and Pasta: Add the cheeses and mix well, and then add the drained pasta and mix well. Finish with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Serve and Enjoy!

Notes

Storage

Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Substitutions

Pasta: Use your favorite! We love to use a short pasta like penne, ziti, rigatoni, farfalle, or even fusilli.

Spinach: Baby spinach is our favorite to use and a whole lb, but you can use as little as 1/2 a lb for this recipe. You can also use frozen spinach, just be sure to thaw and strain excess liquid from the spinach before adding it to the pan. 10 oz of frozen spinach is about the same as 1 lb fresh.

Dill: 1 teaspoon of dried dill can be used in place of fresh.

Feta: Unseasoned feta is our preferred for this recipe.

Parmesan Cheese: Another hard, nutty chees,e like Romano or Asiago is also great! Or you could substitute mozzarella for a milder flavor. But no matter what, be sure to shred the cheese yourself to get the best melt!

Nutrition