Introduction
This is one of my go-to side dishes because it’s ridiculously easy, takes barely any effort, and somehow still tastes like something you’d get next to an overpriced steak at a restaurant with dim lighting and cloth napkins.
Also, linguine is probably my favorite pasta shape. It just feels superior. Angel hair is fine, but linguine actually has substance. That being said, I have made this with angel hair pasta before for Patrick because he prefers it, and honestly? It still turned out really good. So use whichever pasta makes your little carb-loving heart happy.
This recipe is one of those “I don’t really measure anymore” meals in my kitchen. The kind you throw together while half-distracted, standing barefoot in front of the stove, wondering if garlic counts as a personality trait.
Spoiler alert: it does.
Ingredients
- 1 lb linguine pasta
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½–1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2–3 handfuls fresh spinach
- Optional: parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. Boil the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook linguine according to package directions until al dente.
Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
Drain pasta and set aside.
2. Melt butter and cook garlic.
In the same pot or a large skillet:
Melt butter over medium-low heat.
Add minced garlic and cook about 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Do not let the garlic burn unless you enjoy emotional devastation.
3. Add seasoning.
Add:
Garlic powder
Salt
Black pepper
Stir well.
4. Add pasta.
Add cooked linguine back into the pot and toss until coated in the buttery garlic mixture.
5. Add parmesan, spinach, and pasta water.
Slowly sprinkle in parmesan cheese while tossing.
Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce becomes silky and coats the noodles.
Then toss in fresh spinach at the very end. The heat from the pasta will wilt it naturally without turning it sad and mushy.
6. Serve.
Plate immediately.
Optional: top with more parmesan and parsley because we support drama in this household.
Results
Super simple. Super cheesy. Super garlicky.
This is the side dish I make when I need something reliable that everybody will eat without acting like tiny food critics. It goes with basically everything, reheats well, and somehow tastes even better when eaten standing at the stove straight out of the skillet at midnight.
Honestly, if pasta has a love language, this one is physical touch.
Storage
Refrigerator:
Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
When reheating, add a splash of water or milk before microwaving so it loosens back up instead of turning into one giant parmesan brick.
Freezer:
Technically you can freeze it, but the texture is definitely better fresh.
If freezing:
Store up to 1 month and reheat gently with extra liquid.
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