Spinach and feta pasta
Quick, creamy pasta with spinach and crumbly feta — bright lemon lift and a silky sauce, ready in under 30 minutes.
This is the sort of midweek supper that feels a touch indulgent but comes together faster than ordering take-away. Spinach and feta make a classic, reliable pairing — the salty, tangy cheese cutting through a rich, silky cream sauce with a hit of fresh lemon to keep it lively.
Make it when you need something quick, green and comforting. It’s forgiving, great for batch cooking and easy to scale up for guests.
Ingredients
- 400 g dried pasta
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed or finely sliced
- 300 g baby spinach
- 100 ml double cream
- 150 g vegetarian feta cheese — crumbled
- 1 lemon — zest and 1 tbsp juice
- pasta water — reserve about 120–180 ml after draining
- sea salt — for pasta water and seasoning
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- chilli flakes — optional, to taste
Equipment
- large saucepan
- large frying pan
- colander
Instructions
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and salt it generously (about 10 g salt per litre). Add the dried pasta and cook to the packet time for al dente.
While the pasta cooks, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the brown onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic to the frying pan and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant — do not allow it to brown.
Add the baby spinach in batches, stirring each batch until just wilted. This should take 2–3 minutes in total.
Pour in the double cream, add most of the lemon zest and the lemon juice, then crumble in about two-thirds of the vegetarian feta. Stir and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes to combine into a glossy sauce. If the sauce looks too thick, add 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to loosen.
Drain the pasta, reserving 120–180 ml of the cooking water. Add the drained pasta to the frying pan and toss for 1–2 minutes over a low heat so the sauce clings to the pasta. Add more pasta water if needed to get a silky coating.
Take the pan off the heat. Stir through the remaining crumbled vegetarian feta, lemon zest, and season with black pepper and, if using, chilli flakes. Taste and add sea salt only if needed (feta can be salty). Serve immediately.
Tips
- Reserve pasta water — it’s the secret to a glossy sauce that clings to the pasta.
- Buy a vegetarian-labelled feta if you want the recipe to stay vegetarian; otherwise expect a different rennet profile.
- Don’t over-wilt the spinach; add it in batches so it reduces evenly without going soggy.
- If you prefer a lighter sauce, replace half the double cream with 0% Greek-style yoghurt stirred in off the heat (stays-close).
- Make ahead: prepare the sauce to the end of step 5, cool, refrigerate up to 24 hours. Reheat gently and toss with freshly cooked pasta.
Substitutions
double cream → 100 g 0% Greek-style yoghurt stirred in off the heat
Stays closevegetarian feta cheese → 150 g ricotta with 25 g grated matured cheese for saltiness
Noticeably differentbaby spinach → 300 g cavolo nero leaves, stems removed and shredded
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 620
- Calories
- 20 g
- Protein
- 72 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 760 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this dairy-free?
Use a plant-based cream alternative and a dairy-free feta-style crumb. The texture will be slightly different but the method is the same.
How do I stop the sauce from splitting?
Keep the heat low when adding cream and finish off the sauce gently. If using yoghurt, add it off the heat to avoid curdling.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes — thaw and squeeze out excess water thoroughly before adding to the pan to avoid a watery sauce.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the hob with a splash of water or cream to loosen.
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