Creamy Spinach Garlic Noodles (Printable)

Tender egg noodles in a silky garlic cream sauce with vibrant spinach. A quick, satisfying comfort meal ready in half an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Noodles

01 - 12 oz wide egg noodles

→ Vegetables

02 - 6 oz 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

# How To Make It:

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 of 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 completely wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and milk, stirring 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 the sauce is smooth.
06 - Add drained noodles to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce clings to the noodles and reaches desired creaminess.
07 - Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes twice as good.
  • The garlic and cream create a sauce so silky you'll want to lick the spoon.
  • It uses simple pantry staples but feels like a special occasion dinner.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to life.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, its starch is the secret to a sauce that actually clings instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Add the garlic after the onion softens or it will burn and turn bitter before the onion is ready.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan, the pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
  • Toss the noodles in the skillet instead of pouring sauce over them, it coats every strand evenly and tastes so much better.
03 -
  • Cook the noodles one minute less than the package says if you plan to toss them in the sauce, they'll finish cooking in the skillet and soak up more flavor.
  • A microplane makes grating Parmesan so much faster and gives you those fine, fluffy shreds that melt instantly into the sauce.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks greasy, a tablespoon of pasta water whisked in over low heat will bring it back together like magic.
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