If you love your greens and spinach as much as I do, this recipe is for you. However, if you’re anything like my husabnd and won’t go near anything, “green, slimey and resmbles what you may find in a baby’s diaper” in his words, you might just want to skip to another recipe. Now, although the dish may not look pretty (I admit I struggled photographing it, as it just wasn’t easy to serve up and make it look as good), the taste is why I’m posting the recipe and isn’t that the best reason to post a recipe?
I’m not going to try to sell this dish as super healthy, cos that would be taking it a little far. However, it has a substantial serving of spinach which is healthy. My mom made this dish when I was growing up and as I happen to LOVE spinach, so I guess you can say I have a soft spot for this recipe.
Anyway, let me know what you think if you try it, in your comments below. I’d love to be able to tell my husband “HA! See people DO like it!”, cos he wasn’t impressed when I was cooking it and told him for a post.
- 1/2 pack (1/2lb) spaghetti (or any kind of pasta)
- 3/4 lb of fresh spinach
- 1 small onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tbsp chopped jalapenos
- 1 1/2 tbs butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup cheese
- – Start by rinsing your spinach, toss it in a big pot along with 3/4 cup of water and some chopped jalapenos.
- – Cover the pot and let the spinach cook down for about 5-7 minutes, until it’s wilted. Once it’s wilted allow it to cool enough to put in a blender and make a puree.
- – While the spinach is cooling get a pot of water going to boil the pasta. Cook it according to directions on the box, until it’s just a touch undercooked (as we’re going to bake it later).
- – Puree the spinach in a blender until smooth.
- – Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sautee them in a touch of olive oil for a few minutes until, they turn soft and translucent.
- – Then pour in the spinach puree to the onion and garlic, season it with salt and stir, cooking it on high to allow the mixture to dry out a little.
- – While the spinach mix is cooking, get another pan on the stove on medium-high. Add the butter and let it melt.
- – As soon as the butter melts add the flour and whisk it into the butter making sure it’s smooth. Allow it to cook a little until it turns a very light, golden.
- – Then slowly pour in the milk, while whisking to make sure there are no lumps and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- – Season with salt, pepper and add the parmesan cheese and switch off the heat as soon as the sauce thickens to the consistency you’d like.
- – Pour in the spinach mix into the white sauce and mix together well.
- – Add the boiled pasta to the sauce and mix it all together, coating all the pasta with the sauce.
- – Spoon the pasta into a greased/sprayed baking dish and top with cheese.
- – Bake the pasta at 375F for about 15-20 minutes until the cheese is all bubbly and golden.
- – Cut and serve….
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Oh emmm geeee.
I’m so going to make it ASAP. My mouth is full of water as we speak. And I happen to have a 1 month old baby so it looks EXACTLY like one of his poops. Who cares.
And the fact that you’ve added jalapenos to spinach… WHY WOULDN’T I THINK OF IT BEFORE? Yumzzz.
How many people does this serve?
This recipe makes about 4 servings Melissa.
Hi there,
Thought I should let you know that Lilly Childers has taken your images with out permission from (http://picturetherecipe.com/index.php/recipes/baked-cheesy-spinach-pasta/) what I can tell and shared the images on her own website in order to generate advertising revenues.
Here is the URL from one of your recipes that she took images from: http://www.recipebyphoto.com/cheesy-spinach-pasta-bake/
and
http://pinterest.com/pin/157414949448552961/
Here is the rest of her information:
Lilly Childers (http://pinterest.com/lillycc)
http://www.recipebyphoto.com
http://www.craftbyphoto.com
http://www.kidskubby.com
http://www.weddingsbylilly.com/
I figure I would let awesome recipe creators such as yourself know about this kind of thing as you deserve all the credit. Also if you know any other recipe or craft creators that she took images from please let them know. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for the heads up. I am actually aware of her doings and it wasn’t just the one recipe she blatently took and copied. I have since written and delt with her. I do appreciate you looking out for those who actually do their own ORIGINAl content. =)
I LOVED THIS!! My husband was reluctant, and a little taken aback by the GREEN color, but once I told him to close is eyes, he agreed IT WAS VERY GOOD!! I changed it a bit by using WackyMac Veggie Noodles and fat free milk, and it was still very creamy and good. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing this totally awesome recipe. Made this twice, my family love it, especially my daughter. And I certainly will make this again.
Looks delicious, and but by flour do you mean all purpose flour?
Yes, all purpose flour.