Mascarpone Spinach Spaghetti
Comes together quickly, but you’ll end up savoring every bite.
When you don’t know what to cook pasta is the go-to ingredient of choice. It’s almost universally adored and you can put pretty much anything you like on top. But, sometimes it can be a bit tiring to always have it with meatballs and tomato sauce. That’s why when I saw this recipe for mascarpone spinach spaghetti I knew I had to try it. And it turns out it’s even tastier than I imagined it would be.
The basis for this dish is spaghetti and I like to use a thick variety for the bite it gives the meal. After your pasta is done, add some fresh spinach to the pan and allow it to wilt in a sauce of rich, thick mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, and spices.
Start with fresh spinach for the best flavor. Once the spinach is soft then add in the final ingredient: a handful of toasted, chopped hazelnuts. It might not sound like an ideal pasta topping, but this special ingredient gives the entire dish a much more interesting flavor and texture.
I did toast the hazelnuts for just a few minutes before I started the pasta. All you need is a skillet, toss them in over medium-low, and let them cook for a bit with no oil. Don’t over do it at this stage otherwise they can become bitter. It literally only takes about 2 minutes for some of the nut pieces to darken and that’s your queue to remove them from the pan.
What I love about this dish is that it’s almost like a vegetarian version of carbonara. The mascarpone cheese gives the richness that the egg would and the hazelnuts provide the crunch that the bacon would give. I had no idea this would be the case when I started cooking it, but soon realized that it hits many of the same flavors- all with the added nutrition of a generous amount of spinach.
Some parmesan cheese on top adds a little more flavor for the perfect combination of flavors in every bite.
This simple recipe only takes about 20 minutes to make, but it will bring a smile your face when you taste this elegant pasta dish!
Mascarpone Spinach Spaghetti
Serves 4-6
15m prep time
20m cook time
227 calories
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 8 oz uncooked spaghetti
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 5 cups loosely packed baby spinach or coarsely chopped regular spinach
- 1/2 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts
- parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Preparation
- Make pasta to package directions in large pot. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water when draining.
- Combine mascarpone, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, white pepper, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a medium bowl.
- Return pasta to pot on low to medium-low and toss with mascarpone sauce and spinach. Cover and allow to cook gently for 5-8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons pasta water at a time until nice sauce forms and spinach is wilted.
- Remove from heat and toss with hazelnuts to serve. Garnish with parmesan if desired.
Recipe adapted from The Kitchn.