What's so special about that pasta water?

When pasta cooks, it releases starch into the water (that is what makes it a little cloudy. And since hopefully you have thoroughly salted your water, at the end of the pasta cooking time you have a starchy, salty water that is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT for making or loosening up a light pasta sauce. It's truly magical!

How do I zest and peel a lemon again?

Start with the zesting! There are all kinds of fancy lemon zesting tools out there, but I love my microplane zester - it does the job quickly and you can also use it for cheese. Simply drag the lemon over the zester and little chopped lemon peel pieces will come out the other side. As for juicing, you can get as fancy as having a citrus juicer that squishes the juice out and leaves the seeds, or you can simply squeeze that lemon juice into a prep bowl with your hands.

Can I use any kind of pasta?

You can! I like a nice long pasta like linguine or spaghetti so I can get some twirling action in, but any pasta will work just fine with this recipe.

Can I add some protein to this recipe?

You can! When you add the pasta, stir in some cooked shredded chicken, some cooked shrimp or some cooked steak that has been cut into bite-sized pieces.

Have a question that I didn't cover?

Pop your question in the Comments section below and I will answer pronto. Comments and ratings are welcome too!

Lemon Spinach Pasta

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5 from 3 reviews

This speedy recipe for lemon spinach pasta has it all! Pasta, veggies and a light cheese sauce make a satisfying comfort food supper.

Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

12 ounces long pasta (spaghetti, linguine, etc)
½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound baby spinach
Juice and zest from 2 lemons
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
Fresh ground pepper

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Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling salted water. Scoop out a cup of pasta water before you drain it.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil and garlic in a heavy deep skillet over medium high heat. Stir in spinach and lemon zest and toss until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
Add pasta to the skillet along with the lemon juice and toss. Add in the ½ cup of Parmesan cheese and enough of the reserved pasta water to make a light sauce. Toss until everything is well combined, drizzling in more pasta water as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide pasta among warmed bowls, garnishing with more Parmesan and a grinding of pepper, and serve at once.

Notes

- Spinach: I always go for baby spinach because it is just the right size and usually pre-washed, but regular spinach will also work just fine. Give it a good chop before cooking it.

- Pasta: We like a long pasta like spaghetti or linguine, but whatever pasta you have on hand will work. This recipe is all about the sauce!

- Lemons: Here’s my favorite lemon trick: if your lemon is on the hard side, pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Heating it will ensure you get every drop of juice!

Find it online: https://www.framedcooks.com/lemon-parmesan-spinach-pasta/