One-Pot Creamy Pasta and Greens

Name: One-Pot Creamy Pasta and Greens
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 shallot, finely chopped; Kosher salt and black pepper; 5 cups whole milk, plus more as needed; 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach; 2 wide lemon peel strips; 10 ounces ditalini, orzo or pearl couscous; 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

By Ali Slagle

Updated Jan. 22, 2021

One-Pot Creamy Pasta and Greens — Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Sstylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 40 minutes
Rating: 4(1,483)
Comments: Read comments

In this recipe, frozen spinach, pasta and a whole lot of milk come together to create a satisfying pasta dish that will remind you of the best creamed spinach you’ve ever had. Stir the mixture often and vigorously to help the pasta release its starch and create a rich sauce. The lemon peel provides a bright citrus flavor, but you can leave it out. If you’d like a spicy version, add a dash of red-pepper flakes along with the shallot and garlic. You can also substitute different greens: Instead of frozen spinach, you can use 2 cups of chopped dark leafy greens, like chard or kale.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2tablespoons unsalted butter
3garlic cloves, finely chopped
1shallot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
5cups whole milk, plus more as needed
10ounces frozen chopped spinach
2wide lemon peel strips
10ounces ditalini, orzo or pearl couscous
½cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 4 minutes.
Step 2
Add the 5 cups milk, spinach, lemon peel and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the frozen spinach with your spoon, until the spinach is softened and the milk is just simmering, 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 3
Add the pasta and cook, stirring often and vigorously, until the pasta is al dente, 20 to 25 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. If it looks dry at any point, add more milk. The mixture will continue to thicken as it sits, so it’s OK if the sauce looks a little soupy.
Step 4
Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat, discard the lemon peels, and stir in the Parmesan until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with more Parmesan.

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Ratings

4 out of 5

1,483 user ratings

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Comments

Emily4 years ago

Absolutely delicious. I added a bit of white wine and let it cook down with the shallots and garlic. I also added a can of artichoke hearts at the very end. Highly recommend!

RM4 years ago

Decided to do 1/2 water 1/2 milk (2.5 cups of both) for less calories and it was still super delicious and creamy. Also added peas! Yum!

BA5 years ago

Very high reward:effort ratio, can see this being a weeknight regular. Added some beans to round it out, full pound each of orzo and spinach, was perfect al dente in only 10 min with 5 cups of milk.

Andria4 days ago

Based on comments, I made a reduced lactose version with 1 cup heavy cream and 4 cups chicken broth. Also added mushrooms since I had some. Absolutely wonderful! Luscious and creamy.

Gina2 weeks ago

Add feta!! I made as written and added frozen peas, initially found it a bit bland, but I've started topping it with crumbled feta and it is unbelievably good.

brendon4 weeks ago

Added ground chicken (cooked separately) Also doubled the amount of Parmesan Instant hit will definitely be a staple in our house

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