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Looking for an amazing Spinach Pasta recipe that will exceed your expectations? My version of a creamy pasta loaded with healthy spinach is a healthier alternative to heavy pasta dishes but maintains all the flavors that make you want to make it all the time. The combination of your favorite whole-wheat pasta, spinach, cottage cheese, and a lighter sauce make this a hit!
If you love the creamy Alfredo flavor, make sure to check out our homemade light Alfredo sauce recipe. It is so delicious you won’t even know it’s healthier!
Spinach Pasta with Creamy Sauce
Pasta meals are a go-to option for many people. They are inexpensive and an easy meal to make, but also delicious. Not to mention, as a Mom, it is a great way to get added vegetables into the meal plan. That’s why I just love this easy meal that is loaded with vegetables and a creamy sauce, without being high in fat.
Spinach is a mild flavor addition to this pasta dish that packs a ton of nutrients. Spinach and Alfredo pair wonderfully to create a creamy sauce over whole-wheat pasta that even my pickiest of eaters asks for seconds.
Can I add chicken to this Alfredo pasta recipe?
While you don’t have to add any additional protein to this recipe, I do love the addition of some chicken breasts. They pair beautifully with the flavors and add healthy protein to make this dish even more satisfying. For a healthy option, grilled, baked, or roasted chicken is the best choice.
If you want something different than chicken but still protein, the addition of shrimp to this recipe is a great choice. Light, low calorie, high in protein, and mild in flavor, shrimp is a beautiful pairing with any alfredo sauce.
What is the best Alfredo sauce for this spinach pasta recipe?
You can use any lightened sauce for this recipe. I prefer using my homemade light alfredo sauce, but another great option is the Prego Light Alfredo Sauce often easy to find in your grocery pasta sauce section. There may be other lower-fat sauce options you can find by other brands at your market. Feel free to test out any sauce you want to make this recipe delicious.
Variations to this spinach pasta recipe
When it comes to pasta, there are a lot of ways to change a dish to fit people’s taste buds. Most pasta dishes are forgiving, so even when the flavor combination seems strange to someone, it usually still tastes fantastic. Remember, whenever you make changes it does change the calorie, fat and Weight Watchers points.
- Don’t like cottage cheese? You can change the cottage cheese to ricotta cheese and still maintain the same flavors and texture
- Need more protein? Add chicken breast, ground turkey or even shrimp to this dish
- Don’t want to add meat? If you do not want to add meat, whether to keep the cost down, to have it be vegetarian, or don’t want it to overpower the taste of the spinach pasta, you can add nutritional yeast. This gives a recipe the taste and texture associated with parmesan cheese
More Popular Pasta Recipes
Below you will find some more of our family-favorite pasta recipes. Pasta is a great addition to your weeknight menu as it is filling while being healthy and inexpensive.
- Tex-Mex Casserole with Beef and Pasta
- Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
- Healthy Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe with Bacon
- Healthy Chicken Parmesan Casserole Bake
- Three Cheese Lasagna Casserole
Ingredients
- whole wheat penne pasta
- light Alfredo sauce
- cottage cheese
- milk
- egg
- garlic powder
- and black pepper
- frozen chopped spinach
- reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
How to Make Spinach Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the Alfredo sauce, cottage cheese, milk, egg whites, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Stir in the spinach to combine.
Gently fold in the cooked pasta into the Alfredo mixture until evenly covered.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.
Spinach Pasta with Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 14.5-ounce jar light Alfredo sauce
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup fat-free milk
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
- ½ cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Alfredo sauce, cottage cheese, milk, egg whites, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sir in the spinach to combine.
- Gently fold in the cooked pasta into the Alfredo mixture until evenly covered.
- Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.
Notes
SmartPoints: 9
did you make this recipe?
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