Elevated Garlic Butter Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs and Spinach
This recipe transforms simple garlic butter pasta into an elegant and satisfying meal with the addition of toasted breadcrumbs and fresh spinach. It's a quick and flavorful dish perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Small pan
- Large skillet or deep pan
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound linguine (450g)
Sauce
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (113g)
- 7 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil good quality, plus 1 tablespoon for breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 cup Fresh Parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese grated, plus more for serving
- 1 cup Pasta Water reserved
Seasoning & Fresh Elements
- Salt To taste
- Black Pepper To taste
- 3 cups Fresh Spinach packed
Topping
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
Instructions
Cooking
- Cook linguine in heavily salted boiling water until al dente, then reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.
- Toast panko breadcrumbs with olive oil and a pinch of salt over medium heat until golden brown, then set aside.
- Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet, then sauté minced garlic and red pepper flakes for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, and bring to a simmer.
- Combine drained pasta, fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese, and spinach in the skillet; toss vigorously, adding more pasta water until a creamy sauce forms and spinach wilts.
- Season with salt and pepper, then serve immediately, garnished with toasted breadcrumbs, extra Parmesan, and fresh parsley.
Notes
Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your Spice preference. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese makes a big difference in flavor. Do not overcrowd the pan when sautéing garlic to prevent it from steaming instead of browning. If you don't have linguine, any long pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine will work well. The pasta water is key for creating a creamy sauce, so make sure not to skip reserving it.