Description
This simple yet elegant pasta dish features garlicky cherry tomatoes cooked together with spaghetti to form a creamy sauce—fortified with baby spinach and topped with Parmesan for a light but flavorful meal.
Ingredients
7 garlic cloves, sliced
25 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, to taste
½ pound (about 225 g) spaghetti
3½ cups boiling water
A big handful baby spinach
⅓ cup Parmigiano‑Reggiano cheese, grated
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet or sauté pan, combine sliced garlic, halved cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and two generous pinches of salt.
- Lay the dry spaghetti on top—break it in half if needed to fit.
- Pour 3½ cups of boiling water over everything, just enough to cover the ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Cover the pan and cook until the pasta is al dente—about 8 to 12 minutes. Stir occasionally and remove lid briefly if ingredients begin to clump.
- Once cooked, remove the pan from heat. Immediately add the spinach so it wilts in the residual heat.
- Stir in the grated Parmigiano‑Reggiano cheese to help emulsify and create a creamy sauce.
- Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- Use a wide, deep pan for best results in cooking pasta evenly.
- Keep water just at the level of pasta and vegetables to help form a creamy sauce naturally.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for best flavor and texture.
- For a richer version, add a splash of cream or butter at the end.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
