Twenty minute pasta meals are great for so many reasons…1. They are quick 2. They are easy to prep 3.They are delicious, and 4. They are very budget friendly. This Creamy Lemon Rigatoni with Spinach is no exception!
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Creamy Lemon Rigatoni with Spinach:
This simple, creamy pasta can be served as a main course or side dish. It’s made with a thick pasta noodle called rigatoni and the sauce is made with butter, cream, broth, lemon juice and zest, garlic, parmesan and sea salt. We toss the al dente pasta in the sauce, add some spinach and top with pine nuts.
THE MICROPLANE: THE TOOL THAT SAVES TIME AND MEALS!
This recipe calls for a a microplane to zest my citrus and grate parmesan super finely. A hand held juicer is handy for juicing the lemon but you can also squeeze by hand.
MAKING THIS ONE POT PASTA WITH BROCCOLI AND PARMESAN GLUTEN FREE AND JUST AS GOOD!
If you live without gluten you don’t have to miss out on exceptional pasta! Jovial Foods makes the best gluten free pasta around. I am lucky enough to live by a store that carries it, but if you aren’t you can order it here!
The Recipe: Creamy Lemon Rigatoni with Spinach
What you need: a microplane to zest my citrus and a hand held juicer
Creamy Lemon Rigatoni with Spinach
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta (half a 16oz box) cooked to package instructions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ tablespoon flour
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- zest of one small lemon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup cup heavy cream
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ¾ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese (divided)
- sea salt or kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste
- ¼ roasted pine nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Place salted water in a large pot on high heat. Cook pasta to package directions. While waiting for water to boil prep all ingredients.
- When pasta is about ten minutes from being done, place a pan on medium heat. Add butter, when butter is melted, add flour and whisk for 90 seconds, this is your roux. It will thicken your cream sauce.
- Add garlic and whisk. Then add broth and lemon zest and juice. Whisk again letting it simmer for one minute. Whisk in cream and heat to a low simmer. Cook for three minutes, whisking occasionally until sauce has thickened up.
- Pour into a bowl, top with nuts and more red pepper flakes if desired. Serve.
- Season with a couple of pinches of good quality sea salt and a few turns of black pepper. Stir in half the parmesan cheese, whisk until melted, stir in chopped spinach and take off heat. Strain pasta, do not rinse, add pasta to pan with cream sauce. Toss.
- Pour pasta into a bowl or onto a platter, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and garnish with pine nuts if desried.
Notes
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