Lemon Spinach Pasta

5 from 8 votes

This lemon spinach pasta is made with spaghetti, lemon, and fresh spinach tossed with buttery toasted almonds and breadcrumbs.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 802kcal

Author: Sarah Trenalone

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup raw almond slivers
½ cup breadcrumbs (unseasoned) Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed
½ pound spaghetti Use gluten-free spaghetti if needed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, diced
4 ounces fresh spinach
1 lemon, zested and juiced

Instructions

Prepare Pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add the spaghetti.
Boil until al dente (about 6 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and remove pasta from the heat.

Make the Lemon Spinach Pasta:

In a large shallow pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
When the butter is melted (but not browned) add the almonds and cook until the nuts are golden (2-3 minutes). Scoop the almonds out of the butter and set aside.
Add the breadcrumbs to the butter and cook 2-3 minutes until toasted (still on medium-low).
Remove the breadcrumbs and set aside.
Add the olive oil to the pan. Keep heat at medium-low.
Add the garlic. When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the spinach. Squeeze the lemon juice over the spinach and cover the pan. The spinach will begin to wilt.
Add the pasta to the spinach and toss to incorporate. If the sauce seems dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. (I usually add at least one splash of pasta water, sometimes two, when cooking this meal.)
Tip: If you forgot to reserve pasta water, add a splash of white wine to the sauce instead (not tap water).
Add the lemon zest, along with the reserved almonds and breadcrumbs to the pasta, and toss again.
Serve immediately, making sure to evenly distribute the almonds and spinach when serving.

Notes

Recipe adjustment notes: This pasta does not have a sauce, instead the seasoning ingredients are meant to cling to the pasta. Avoid adding heavy or wet additional ingredients (like onions), which will prevent the seasoning from clinging to the pasta, resulting in an under-seasoned dish.

Nutrition