Mascarpone cheese is a wonderful ingredient for making a smooth and creamy sauce for pasta because it coats the noodles so nicely. We've combined it with some milk to cut the richness a bit and added a small amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano for extra flavor. Be sure to include the nutmeg. You only need a little, but it adds a subtle, delicious touch. Serve with a salad for a complete meatless meal.
PrintLinguine with Spinach and Mascarpone Cream
Linguine tossed with fresh spinach and a simple, creamy sauce made with mascarpone cheese makes a delicious meatless meal in very little time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Dishes
Ingredients
- 12 ounces linguine
- 2/3 cup mascarpone
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup onion, very finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
- 10 ounces fresh spinach
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the linguine.
- Whisk the mascarpone and milk together in a small bowl.
- Start the pasta cooking and heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until pale golden in color, 2 minutes.
- Add the spinach and toss with tongs until completely wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mascarpone-milk mixture, combine well and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to bubbling and cook just it until starts to thicken, 2 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the spinach mixture along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Toss to combine well and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Plate individual servings and top with additional nutmeg if desired.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
We chose linguine for this dish because we like the way the mascarpone sauce coats the long strands, but penne and rotini would be good choices as well.
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