Pasta with Spinach Pesto Sauce

Ingredients and Weight:

• 1 lb (454 g) dried pasta (such as penne, rotini, or fusilli)
• 2 cups (500 ml) fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
• 1 cup (120 g) pine nuts
• 1/2 cup (60 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation Time:

15 minutes

Cooking Time:

15 minutes

Difficulty Level:

2 (Easy)

Preparation Method Steps:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, make the pesto sauce. In a food processor or blender, combine the spinach, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, heavy cream, garlic, salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth.
3. Drain the pasta and add it to a large bowl. Pour the pesto sauce over the pasta and toss to coat.
4. Serve immediately with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving (1/8 of recipe):

• Calories: 450
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated fat: 5 g
• Cholesterol: 30 mg
• Sodium: 300 mg
• Carbohydrates: 50 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Sugar: 5 g
• Protein: 15 g

Dish Characteristics:

• Creamy and flavorful
• Vibrant green color from the spinach
• Nutty flavor from the pine nuts
• Rich and savory from the Parmesan cheese

User Comments:

• "This pasta dish was delicious! The pesto sauce was so flavorful and the pine nuts added a nice crunch."
• "I love how easy this dish was to make. It's perfect for a quick and healthy weeknight meal."
• "This is my new favorite pasta dish! The combination of spinach, pine nuts, and Parmesan is simply irresistible."

Special Precautions and Tips:

• If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can chop the spinach, pine nuts, and garlic finely by hand.
• You can use any type of pasta you like for this dish.
• If you want a thicker pesto sauce, add more olive oil.
• If you don't have heavy cream, you can use milk instead.