Creamy Spinach Garlic Noodles (Printable View)

Tender egg noodles in a rich garlicky cream sauce with fresh spinach. Easy, satisfying, and ready in 30 minutes.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Noodles

01 - 12 ounces wide egg noodles

→ Vegetables

02 - 6 ounces fresh baby spinach
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

→ Dairy

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/4 cup whole milk

→ Seasonings

09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
12 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring, until wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Pour heavy cream and milk into the skillet; stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
06 - Add drained noodles to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time until sauce clings to noodles and reaches desired creaminess.
07 - Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Plate immediately, topped with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to boil noodles, perfect for those nights when youre too tired to think.
  • The garlic and cream meld into something that tastes like youve been cooking all day, even though you havent.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of milk, so lunch the next day feels like a gift.
02 -
  • If you drain the noodles without saving pasta water, the sauce will be too thick to fix, so set that mug by the sink before you do anything else.
  • Add the garlic after the onion softens or it will burn and turn bitter in the butter, ruining the whole base.
  • Grate Parmesan fresh from a block, the bagged stuff clumps and makes the sauce gritty instead of velvety.
03 -
  • Warm your serving bowls in the oven for a minute before plating, it keeps the noodles from cooling too fast.
  • If the sauce looks thin, let it simmer another minute off the heat, it will thicken as the noodles soak it up.
  • Use a wooden spoon to toss, metal can scratch your skillet and wooden tools do not conduct heat into your hand.
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