Spinach Artichoke Pasta Salad
Light, lemony spinach artichoke pasta salad is perfect for summer.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 225kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. short pasta
- 5 ounces baby spinach about 3 big handfuls
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil Sliced into strips (julienne cut)
- ¾ cup marinated artichoke hearts in olive oil Cut into quarters
- 1 lemon - zest and juice
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese grated + shaved for garnish
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon salt + salt for pasta water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup pasta water reserved
Instructions
- Cook the pasta - Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. (The extra pasta water may be used for reheating later.)
- In a medium sized bowl, add butter to drained pasta along with the spinach. Toss to combine - the heat from the pasta will slightly wilt the spinach.
- Add artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, grated Parmesan, lemon zest and juice. Toss immediately while the pasta is still hot.
- Add hot starchy pasta water, while stirring, to make a light, glossy sauce. Add as much or as little pasta water as you like to get the desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a few curls of Parmesan on top and garnish with a little extra lemon zest. Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
- There are endless variations on this pasta dish. Try it with broccoli instead of spinach. Add a few handfuls of broccoli to the pasta during the final 3 minutes of cooking, drain with the pasta and continue on.
- Another addition that is delicious is ricotta cheese. Stir in a half cup of ricotta just before adding the pasta water.
- Finally, one of my favorite stir-ins is this lemon herb sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 705mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g