Spaghetti recipe with spinach and cheese

Eating a plate of spaghetti with spinach and cheese is one more way to introduce this interesting vegetable in the day to day. Light and tasty, it is an appreciable source of magnesium and manganese, as well as having good amounts of vitamins A, C and E.

Spinach in the kitchen

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a plant of Persian origin that spread through Europe thanks to the Arabs. More valued for its medicinal properties, today it is consumed in many countries.

Beyond its estimated nutritional value, stands out for its versatility in the kitchen. Raw is part of many smoothies and trendy shakes. But they can also be introduced in a salad, alone or mixed with other green leaves.

If you prefer to eat them cooked they are ideal for an omelette filling, lasagna or croquettes. They can also be sautéed with raisins and pine nuts, make stews with legumes, mix with pasta or prepare a delicious cream for winter.

It is worth recalling some of these recipes and getting a lot more variety when it comes to eating vegetables. Today we offer two different ways to prepare spaghetti with spinach and cheese sauce.

Find out: Why should you eat raw spinach? 5 benefits

Option 1: spaghetti with spinach, cheese and cream

A dish in which the protagonists are both pasta and spinach. They combine perfectly with the cream and cheese sauce. Let's go to the ingredients and the preparation.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 400 grams of spaghetti. Any type of gluten-free pasta can be used for people with celiac disease.
• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic.
• 400 grams of fresh spinach.
• Ham cooked in tacos.
• 100 grams of grated Parmesan cheese.
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese.
• A bit of milk.
• 200 milliliters of liquid cream.
• Extra virgin olive oil.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme.

How they are made

1. To start preparing the recipe you have to put 2 pots of water on the fire. In one of them cook the pasta and in the other the spinach. Once at its point, drain and reserve.
2. Next, put a little oil in a frying pan and sauté the spinach. Add the milk and cream and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Then pour in the grated cheese, the diced cooked ham and the thyme. By the time the cheese melts, remove from heat.
3. In another frying pan with oil, sauté the sliced ​​garlic cloves together with the spaghetti. 1 minute is enough to flavor Pasta.
4. Pour the latter into a serving bowl and spread the sauce over the top.

Option 2: spaghetti with spinach and tomato sauce

This recipe is perfect for people with little experience in the kitchen. A quick and successful sauce that pairs well with other types of pasta, like macaroni or gnocchi.

Ingredients needed for 2 servings

• 150 grams of spaghetti.
• 175 grams of onion.
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 300 grams of crushed tomato.
• 200 milliliters of water.
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil and another of oregano.
• 1/2 tablespoon of spicy paprika.
• Salt and black pepper to taste.
• Extra virgin olive oil.
• 100 grams of cream for cooking.
• 30 grams of Parmesan cheese
• 200 grams of fresh spinach.

Step by step to prepare the spaghetti with spinach

• Cook the pasta in a pot with plenty of water. When you have the desired point drain and reserve.
• Meanwhile, peel and cut the onion into small cubes and mince the garlic cloves. Sauté in a pan with the olive oil until the onion is transparent.
• Then add the crushed tomato along with the herbs and spices. Add salt and pepper, add the water and cook everything together for about 10 minutes.

• After this time, pour the cream and cheese. Stir well so that everything is integrated and a sauce with a creamy texture.
• Wash and cut the spinach. Add to the pan with the sauce and cook for 3 minutes to reduce the size a little.
• Finally, add the pasta and mix. Correct salt and pepper and serve hot.

If you prefer a sauce with a smoother texture (without finding the onion pieces), you can go through a blender just before adding the cream.

What's more, this dish supports a vegan version or for lactose intolerant which is also delicious. To do this, replace the cream with coconut milk (use the fattest part) and the Parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast flakes.

More cooking ideas: 5 recipes with spinach that you should include in your diet

How to get the best spaghetti with spinach and cheese

The spinach and cheese spaghetti recipe it can be cooked with fresh or frozen vegetables. Although it is always preferable to opt for the first one, as its flavor is usually more remarkable and brings freshness to the dish.

They are on the market almost all year round, but the most tender are those in spring. Avoid those bunches whose leaves are bruised, wrinkled or beaten. Also the dark green color is a sign of freshness that is lost when it acquires a yellow tone.

A good nutritional advice is to choose spaghetti or any other form of pasta in its integral version. This increases the fiber content of the dish and the nutrients of the wheat grain are conserved.

Both recipes can be cooked in advance. If there is a portion left over, it will keep well in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.. Although to taste pasta with all the flavor and creaminess of the dish it is always preferable to prepare it at the moment.

All variations that imagination and personal preferences allow are also allowed. The spinach, cheese and tomato accept a few cubes of tofu, a little salmon, some mushrooms or some chopped pistachios for garnish.