Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions.  This simple meatless Italian dinner is pure comfort food!  The bow-tie shaped pasta is perfectly matched with rich and buttery Parmesan sauce!

Farfalle or Bow Tie Pasta

• Farfalle pasta is meant to be used with creamy sauces, such as with chicken broccoli alfredo (with or without chicken) or with this creamy four-cheese pasta sauce.   In fact, this farfalle recipe was inspired by another family favorite that features a rich creamy pasta sauce:  spinach mushroom pasta.
• Farfalle works great both in meatless recipes and in dishes with meat.   This particular recipe is meatless.  However, you can easily add any kind of meat or seafood.  Add easy seared chicken or grilled chicken to this creamy bow tie pasta.  Who doesn’t like creamy pasta, especially if you add some chicken to it?  It’s a perfect dish to make for a family weeknight dinner.
• If you enjoy seafood, add seared scallops with bacon or trout with garlic lemon butter sauce.

Farfalle: Italian Pasta

This Italian-inspired recipe features bow-tie shaped pasta smothered with easy cream sauce along with vegetables and mushrooms.  You’ll love this simple comfort food on a plate.

• Simple ingredients.  This recipe requires basic ingredients that you can buy pretty much at any store: bow-tie pasta, spinach, mushrooms, onions, garlic, cream, and Parmesan cheese.
• Packed with veggies.  This meatless farfalle recipe uses spinach and caramelized onions.  It’s a great and delicious way to incorporate more vegetables into your dinners.
• Caramelized onions add so much flavor and sophistication to this dish!
• Weeknight dinner recipe.  This easy recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights when you don’t have much time for cooking.  It’s also a great recipe to use any leftover chicken.  Just throw in some leftover cooked chicken together with creamy farfalle pasta, and you have a perfect family dinner!
• Flexible recipe.  What I love about this creamy bow-tie pasta is that you can serve it as is, without meat!   Or, you can add protein, if you like.  Serve farfalle with grilled steak, grilled chicken, or fish.

What is farfalle?

• Farfalle is a bow-tie shaped Italian pasta. Farfalle pasta can also be described as butterfly-shaped pasta. In fact, “farfalle” means “butterflies” in Italian.
• Farfalle dates back to the 16th century in Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna Regions in Northern Italy.
• Farfalle is often used with cream sauces and in tomato-based sauces.  It’s also popular in salads.

Substitutions

• What can you use instead of farfalle?  You can substitute penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or orecchiette for farfalle without affecting the flavor.
• What can you substitute for spinach?  You can use kale, Swiss chard, or arugula instead of spinach.
• What kind of mushrooms can you use?  Use button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, portobello, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms.
• How to make this recipe gluten-free?  Use gluten-free farfalle or other types of gluten-free pasta.
• What can you use instead of half-and-half?   Use 1/2 cup of heavy cream + 1/2 cup of milk instead of 1 cup of half-and-half.

Cooking Tips

• Make-ahead tip.  Make caramelized onions ahead of time, refrigerate them in an air-tight container, and use within the next 3 days.  You can also freeze caramelized onions for up to 2 months and thaw them whenever you need them.
• If the creamy Parmesan sauce is too thick, slowly add a small amount of half-and-half to thin it out.  Make sure the sauce continues to simmer and does not come to a standstill, while you add half-and-half to thin it out.
• If the creamy Parmesan sauce is too thin, add a small amount of shredded Parmesan cheese, and stir it in, while the sauce simmers.

How long do you cook farfalle?

• Usually, farfalle is cooked in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes.
• To prepare farfalle al dente, cook farfalle for 8 minutes, or for 2 minutes less than indicated on the package instructions.

How to make farfalle pasta

1. First, caramelize onions for 30 minutes to reach a nice deep brown color.  (See: how to caramelize onions).  This step can be made ahead.  Make caramelized onions a day or two in advance and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container.
2. Next, cook the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Then, add spinach to cooked mushrooms and stir until spinach wilts.
4. Next, make the creamy pasta sauce. Add half-and-half and shredded Parmesan cheese to the skillet with spinach and mushrooms. Stir, while the sauce simmers, until the cheese melts.
5. Add caramelized onions to the skillet.
6. Add cooked and drained farfalle pasta to the skillet with the pasta sauce and reheat on low heat for a couple of minutes.

Side dishes

• Bread.  Serve garlic bread or baguette with creamy farfalle pasta.
• Green Salad. Make a basic green salad, such as spinach or arugula salad.  Use a simple dressing made with olive oil, coarsely ground black pepper, and shredded Parmesan cheese.
• Fresh salad.  Make this tomato cucumber avocado salad or tomato mozzarella salad.

Other pasta recipes

• Linguine with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
• Fusilli Pasta with Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
• Mushroom Ravioli with Spinach

Farfalle Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions

Creamy Farfalle with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions.  The bow-tie pasta is perfectly matched with rich and buttery Parmesan sauce!  Serve this easy meatless Italian meal as-is, or with grilled chicken!  Satisfying and comforting dinner that a whole family will love!

Caramelized onions

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 yellow onions (, large, sliced)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Creamy pasta sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10 oz mushrooms (, sliced (I used button mushrooms))
• 6 oz spinach
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (, shredded)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Pasta

• 8 oz farfalle pasta

How to caramelize onions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add sliced onions and cook on high heat for about 10 minutes, constantly stirring with the spatula.
2. The onions should start to brown, but without burning.
3. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking onions for 10 more minutes, continuing to stir, as onions brown even more without burning. At this point add a pinch of salt over onions.
4. Continue cooking for 10 more minutes on medium or low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure onions don’t stick to the bottom of the pan or burn.
5. In total, you should have cooked onions for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the skillet from heat and sprinkle the onions with a small amount of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
7. Using a spatula, stir the onions, scraping the bottom of the pan and coating onions with a pinch of balsamic vinegar you just added. Remove caramelized onions to a plate.

How to cook mushrooms and spinach:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet on medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
2. Cook mushrooms for about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until mushrooms are soft.
3. Add fresh spinach to the skillet and stir on low heat just until spinach starts to wilt.

How to make creamy pasta sauce:

1. Add half-and-half to the mushroom and spinach mixture and bring to a quick boil. Immediately reduce to simmer.
2. Add 2/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Keep stirring while the sauce simmers until the cheese melts.
3. Add caramelized onions back to the skillet with the pasta sauce.

Cook pasta:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
2. Add cooked and drained farfalle pasta to the creamy sauce. Stir on low heat for a couple of minutes to reheat.

3. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of half-and-half to thin it out. If it is too thin, add a small amount of shredded Parmesan cheese, and stir it in, while the sauce simmers.

4. Serve with more shredded parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Substitute for half-and-half:  Use 1/2 cup of heavy cream + 1/2 cup of milk instead of 1 cup of half-and-half.

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Bucatini Pasta with Spinach, Bacon, and Buttery Garlic Parmesan Sauce is an easy Italian dinner!  This simple weeknight meal takes 30 minutes!  Creamy pasta is seasoned with coarsely ground black pepper.

Bucatini: Italian pasta

• Bucatini is a beautiful thick and long pasta with the hole running through its center.  It’s perfect when cooked al dente and combined with a buttery cream sauce.
• Bucatini made with spinach and bacon and smothered in a buttery Parmesan sauce is perfect comfort food for a weeknight dinner.   Bacon and pasta always make a great combination – just take a look at my favorite chicken bacon pasta. The creamy sauce is super simple and is made with cream and shredded Parmesan cheese.  Coarsely ground black pepper adds amazing texture and flavor.
• Bucatini is similar to spaghetti and linguine and can be used interchangeably in the recipes.  For example, you can make this linguine with spinach and sun-dried tomato sauce using bucatini with excellent results!  Another recipe that will work great with bucatini is chicken broccoli pasta.
• If you wish to make this bucatini pasta more substantial, add some protein.  Serve this easy seared chicken or Mediterranean chicken with bucatini pasta.  If you like seafood, you can add pesto shrimp or seared scallops.

Bucatini with the buttery garlic cream sauce

• Creamy Parmesan sauce made with butter and garlic.  This comforting homemade sauce is rich and buttery – perfect for bucatini! And, it’s so easy to make! First, cook garlic with butter.  Then, add cream and shredded Parmesan cheese and stir until the creamy sauce forms.
• Coarsely ground black pepper is the best type of pepper to use with this pasta.  It adds texture and richer flavor!
• Bacon.  Chopped cooked bacon is added to creamy and buttery bucatini at the very end.  It adds flavor and saltiness.  You can also use pancetta or prosciutto.
• 30-minute recipe.   There is nothing difficult about this recipe.  The cream sauce is very basic, and the ingredients are simple.

What is bucatini?

• Bucatini is an Italian pasta that has a hollow center in the middle of each noodle. It looks similar to spaghetti but the noodles are noticeably thicker.
• Bucatini is popular in Lazio region of Italy, particularly in Rome (the capital of Lazio).
• Bucatini is typically served with buttery sauce, vegetables, cured pork (such as pancetta or guanciale).
• Popular dishes made with this type of pasta are Bucatini all’Amatriciana, Bucatini alla Carbonara, Bucatini Cacio E Pepe.

Fun fact: “Buco” means “hole” in Italian.

Bucatini vs Spaghetti

• Bucatini and Spaghetti look very similar.  Both are long, thin, cylindrical pasta.
• One big difference is that bucatini is thicker than spaghetti.
• Another noticeable difference is that there is a hole running in the middle of each bucatini noodle.  There is no hole in spaghetti noodles.

How long do you cook bucatini?

• Cook bucatini in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes.
• To prepare bucatini al dente, cook bucatini in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes less than indicated on the package instructions.

Substitutions

• What can you use instead of bucatini?  Use spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine pasta.
• What is a good substitution for Parmesan cheese?   Use Asiago cheese, shredded Mozzarella, or Pecorino Romano.
• What can you substitute for bacon? Use pancetta, prosciutto, or smoked ham.
• Don’t have spinach?  You can replace spinach with arugula or kale.

What to substitute for half-and-half?

• Substitute 1/2 cup of milk + 1/2 cup of heavy cream for 1 cup of half-and-half.

What sauce goes well with bucatini?

• Amatriciana sauce is a traditional Italian sauce made with tomatoes, pecorino cheese, and guanciale (cured pork). Garlic, black pepper, or chili pepper are also used in this pasta sauce.  Bucatini served with this classic sauce is called Bucatini all’Amatriciana.
• Marinara sauce is a great, simple tomato-based sauce to serve with bucatini pasta.
• Bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce usually made with tomatoes, onion, celery, and carrots.  Often, white wine and milk are used.  The sauce originates from Bologna, Italy.  Here is an excellent recipe for Bolognese pasta with sausage.
• Carbonara sauce is made with eggs, cream, and Parmesan cheese.   It’s one of the best pasta sauces to use with bucatini.
• Vodka cream sauce is made with tomatoes, vodka, garlic, cream, and Parmesan cheese.  This creamy sauce is perfect for coating bucatini pasta.  Try this vodka cream sauce with mushrooms.
• Alfredo sauce is a great choice for bucatini.  Here is the recipe for chicken broccoli alfredo that you can use with bucatini, with or without chicken.

Side dishes for bucatini

• Bread.  Serve Baguette, Italian garlic bread, or olive bread.
• Fresh tomato salad.  Make this tomato cucumber avocado salad or tomato mozzarella salad.
• Simple spinach salad.  Make a spinach salad drizzled with olive oil, black pepper, and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Other pasta recipes that work well with bucatini

• Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
• Four-Cheese Pasta Sauce
• Tomato Spinach Pasta

Bucatini with Spinach, Bacon, Creamy Parmesan Sauce

Bucatini Pasta with Spinach, Bacon, and Buttery Garlic Parmesan Sauce is an easy Italian dinner to make at home! Simple weeknight meal that takes 30 minutes. Bucatini smothered in a buttery Parmesan sauce is perfect comfort food!

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz spinach
• 8 oz bucatini
• 6 strips bacon (cooked, chopped)
• black pepper (coarsely ground)

1. In a large skillet, heat butter on medium heat. Add minced garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
2. Add half-and-half and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Add shredded Parmesan cheese. Keep stirring, while simmering, for a couple of minutes, until the cheese melts, and the sauce is creamy.
3. Stir in spinach. Remove from heat. Close the skillet with the lid. The spinach will wilt.
4. In the meantime, cook bucatini pasta in boiling water according to package instructions. It should be about 10 minutes for regular texture, or 8 minutes al dente. Reserve some pasta water. Drain.

5. Add cooked bucatini pasta to the skillet with the cream sauce. Reheat on medium-low heat.  The sauce should be pretty thick and should coat the noodles. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of pasta water (1/4 cup) to thin it out.

6. Add chopped cooked bacon.
7. Season each individual serving plate with coarsely ground black pepper.

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Italian Fusilli with Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Capers, Garlic, and Pine Nuts!  This meatless, vegetarian pasta dish has only 8 ingredients and takes 30 minutes to make!

This fusilli pasta recipe was inspired by Italian ravioli I made some time ago.  It features the same ingredients: spinach, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers.   So refreshing and Mediterranean!  I loved cooking with fusilli.  This spiral pasta is so pretty when combined with veggies!   It’s a perfect recipe if you want to make a delicious, meatless, vegetarian dinner.  If you crave some protein, you can easily turn this fusilli into something more substantial.  Just make easy seared chicken or this Mediterranean chicken.  If you like seafood, add pesto shrimp or seared scallops.

Why you’ll love this Italian pasta

• 30-minute recipe.  To make this easy recipe, first, saute spinach together with other veggies in the skillet.  Then, combine it with cooked and drained fusilli.   And, finally, sprinkle toasted pine nuts over the pasta, if you like.  That’s it!   Pretty simple! 30 minutes from start to finish!
• Packed with veggies.  This is a healthy fusilli recipe since it has so many veggies.  Spinach, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes taste amazing when combined together!
• Beautiful presentation.  This is one of those recipes that you don’t have to work hard to make them look pretty on a plate.  With so many colorful vegetables, it’s easy to make this dish look beautiful!

What is fusilli?

• Fusilli is a spiral-shaped Italian pasta.   It is also described as a corkscrew-shaped pasta.  Twists help fusilli to retain sauces better.
• Fusilli is often used for pasta salads and with tomato-based sauces.  It also works great with vegetables.

Substitutions

• What is a good substitution for fusilli?   Use rotini or farfalle.  You can also use penne or rigatoni.
• What is a good substitute for spinach?  Swiss chard has dark green leaves and an earthy flavor.  It belongs to the same family as spinach, and you can use it to replace spinach in recipes.  Arugula also has green leaves but a lighter flavor than spinach or Swiss chard. Arugula wilts just like spinach and is great to use for cooking.  Another alternative for spinach is kale.
• What to substitute for capers?  Use pitted green olives.  Chop them up into smaller pieces.

Fusilli vs rotini

• Both fusilli and rotini are short, corkscrew-shaped pasta.   They look similar; however, rotini has a tighter twist than fusilli.
• Both types of pasta are popular in pasta salads, with vegetables, or with tomato-based sauces.

Sauces that go well with fusilli

If you wish to add sauce to fusilli dish, below are some ideas:

• Carbonara sauce is usually made with egg, cured pork (such as pancetta or bacon), and grated cheese.  Usually, Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese are used.
• Bolognese sauce is a tomato-based sauce with sausage or minced beef.  Italian Bolognese pasta will be great with fusilli.
• Creamy pesto sauce works so well with short pasta.  You can make this pesto chicken pasta recipe with fusilli.
• Alfredo sauce is a creamy sauce made with Parmesan cheese.  It’s perfect for short, spiral-shaped pasta.  Here is the recipe for chicken broccoli alfredo that you can make with fusilli.  You can keep the chicken or omit it if you would like a meatless dish.

What to serve with fusilli

• Garlic bread.  Buy garlic bread at the store or make your own.  You can also serve olive bread or a baguette.
• Simple salad.  Make a basic salad, such arugula or spinach salad mixed with olive oil, black pepper, and shredded Parmesan cheese.

How long do you cook fusilli

• Usually, fusilli is cooked for 10 minutes in a large pot of boiling water.   Also, make sure to follow the package instructions, as some kinds of pasta take shorter or longer times to cook.
• To make pasta al dente, cook fusilli in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes less than what the package instructions say.

How to toast pine nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spread the pine nuts in one layer over the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
3. Roast for 5 minutes.
4. Note: pine nuts get burned really quickly.  Watch them closely and remove promptly from the oven.

Why toast pine nuts?

Pine nuts have a sweet, almost buttery flavor.  When toasted, that flavor gets even stronger. Toasted pine nuts are also crunchy.

How to make fusilli with vegetables

1) To a large skillet, add minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichokes, and capers with olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes.

2) Add fresh spinach.

3) Cook until the spinach wilts.

4) Add cooked fusilli and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring, for about 1 minute.

5) When serving, top with toasted pine nuts.

Other delicious pasta recipes to make with fusilli

• Italian Sausage Pasta with Vegetables
• Pesto Chicken Pasta with Mushrooms
• Rigatoni Pasta with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Fusilli with Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Italian Fusilli with Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Capers, Garlic, and Pine Nuts!  This 30-minute vegetarian pasta is packed with veggies!

• 8 oz fusilli pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 cup artichoke hearts (chopped)
• 3 tablespoons capers (drained)
• 5 oz spinach (fresh)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted)

1. Cook fusilli until al dente. Drain.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat. Add minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichokes, capers. Cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add fresh spinach, and continue cooking and stirring until the spinach wilts.
4. To the skillet with sautéed vegetables, add cooked fusilli and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring, for about 1 minute.
5. The dish should be salty enough from capers. If it’s not, add more salt (or capers), if needed.
6. When serving, top with toasted pine nuts.

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Easy and quick Ravioli with Basil Pesto, Mozzarella cheese, and Vegetables takes only 30 minutes to make, with just 6 ingredients!  This simple and healthy Italian pasta makes a perfect family weeknight dinner!

This pesto ravioli was inspired by a delicious pesto mozzarella salad.  Colorful cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, Mozzarella cheese are all combined together with ravioli and smothered with basil pesto.   This recipe couldn’t get any easier!  Just chop the veggies, cook the ravioli, and mix everything with pesto.  Perfect meatless pasta recipe for a busy weeknight!  Crave some protein with ravioli?  Try this chicken ravioli with veggies.

I used store-bought cheese ravioli.  There are so many kinds of high-quality ravioli sold in the grocery stores these days.   You can use any type of ravioli – stuffed with ricotta cheese, spinach, or pesto.  They will all work great!

Want to make your own ravioli?  If you like goat cheese, try Homemade ravioli with goat cheese and spinach filling. Or, if you prefer ricotta cheese, make Ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese filling, in tomato cream sauce.

Pesto ravioli

Here is why you’ll love this recipe as much as I did:

• 6 ingredients. Yes, this recipe requires only 6 ingredients. You need red cherry tomatoes, yellow cherry tomatoes, small Mozzarella cheese balls, avocado, basil pesto, and ravioli. Pretty basic, isn’t it?
• 30-minute recipe. It takes only 30 minutes to make pesto ravioli from start to finish. All you need is get the vegetables ready and cook the ravioli. Then, just toss everything with basil pesto. So easy!
• Use any kind of ravioli.  I used cheese ravioli.  You can use ravioli stuffed with anything.  Cheese, pesto, spinach, etc.
• Basil Pesto. I used store-bought basil pesto.  I have stopped making my own pesto because the one I buy at the store is so good.  However, if you do want a recipe for homemade pesto, try this basil pesto.

What to serve with pesto ravioli

• Chicken.  If you want to add some protein to this meatless recipe, make this easy seared chicken.
• Seafood. If you crave seafood, add salmon with asparagus or make baked halibut.   Or, serve pesto ravioli with seared scallops and bacon or with pesto shrimp.
• Bread.  Get a fresh loaf of Italian bread or baguette, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with pesto ravioli!
• Salad.  Tomato Mozzarella Salad is a great choice.  Or, make a pesto salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado.

Other delicious pasta recipes with pesto

• Chicken Ravioli with Pesto and Veggies
• Chicken Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms
• Pesto Chicken Tortellini and Veggies

Amazing ravioli recipes

• Italian ravioli
• Pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and pecans
• Homemade ravioli with goat cheese and spinach filling
• Ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese filling

Ravioli with Pesto and Vegetables

Ravioli with Basil Pesto, Mozzarella cheese, and Vegetables – quick, healthy, and delicious! This easy 30-minute recipe requires only 6 ingredients. This meatless pasta is packed with veggies – perfect for a family weeknight dinner!

• 1/2 pound red cherry tomatoes (, halved)
• 1/2 pound yellow cherry tomatoes (, halved)
• 1 avocado (, diced)
• 6 oz small fresh Mozzarella cheese balls
• 8 oz ravioli
• 1/4 cup basil pesto

1. In a large bowl, combine halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, small fresh mozzarella cheese balls.
2. Cook ravioli according to package instructions. Drain.
3. Add cooked and drained ravioli to the bowl with vegetables.
4. Add basil pesto to the bowl. Toss gently to combine.

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Linguine with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce takes just 30 minutes to make! This simple Italian pasta is a great choice for a weeknight dinner! Linguine is generously coated in a comforting creamy sauce made with garlic and Parmesan cheese.

This delicious linguine has been inspired by the sun-dried tomato pasta I made a while back.  This recipe features the best homemade pasta sauce you’ll ever try!  It’s full of flavor and color!  The creamy linguine Alfredo sauce is made with garlic, paprika, cream, and shredded Parmesan cheese.

This linguine recipe makes a great meatless dinner.  If you crave some protein, you can easily add grilled chicken or cooked shrimp to the dish.  Just like in this simple chicken pasta or this shrimp pasta.

Linguine with creamy alfredo sauce

• Creamy comfort food. In this recipe, linguine is smothered in a simple homemade alfredo sauce made with cream, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. The silky sauce coats the linguine to produce one of the most comforting and decadent pasta dishes you’ll ever try! Sun-dried tomatoes and spinach add so much flavor to the creamy deliciousness!
• 30-minute recipe. This beautiful pasta dish takes only 30 minutes to make.
• Only 9 ingredients. Simple recipes are the best! This recipe uses basic ingredients that you can easily buy in any grocery store.
• Beautiful presentation. This easy pasta makes a beautiful and colorful presentation. Creamy alfredo sauce has a light pink color thanks to sun-dried tomatoes and paprika. Spinach also adds vibrancy to the linguine!

What is linguine?

• Linguine is a long, thin, ribbon-style pasta of Italian origin.  It’s similar to fettuccine and spaghetti.  Linguine is like flattened spaghetti and not as wide as fettuccine.
• Linguine originated in Genoa of Liguria region, Italy.
• Linguine is usually served with seafood or with pesto sauce.  Other common dishes made with linguine include puttanesca sauce, linguine carbonara, and linguine with clams.
• Linguine is made with durum wheat semolina.

Fun fact: Did you know that “linguine” in Italian means “little tongues”? “Linguina” means “little tongue” in Italian, and “linguine” is plural of “linguina”. The root of the word is “lingua” (Latin) which means tongue.

Linguine vs. fettuccine

• Both linguine and fettuccine are ribbon style, long strand pasta.  Fettuccine is a flat thick pasta.  Fettuccine is noticeably wider than linguine.  Linguine is more like flattened spaghetti.
• The most common dish made with fettuccine is fettuccine alfredo.  Linguine is usually served with seafood, pesto, carbonara sauce, or with clams.

Linguine vs. spaghetti

• Both linguine and spaghetti are ribbon-style long-strand pasta.  They are very similar in shape.  Linguine is like a flatter version of spaghetti.
• Spaghetti is usually served with tomato sauce or meat.  Linguine is traditionally served with seafood or pesto.

Sauces that go well with linguine

• White cream pasta sauce.  Linguine tastes amazing when coated in the white cheese Italian pasta sauce.   Make simple white cream pasta sauce for linguine or any other pasta!
• Sun-dried tomato cream sauce.   Sun-dried tomatoes and basil in a homemade creamy Mozzarella sauce will make a perfect sauce for linguine.  This sun-dried tomato pasta recipe shows you how to make it.
• Alfredo sauce.  Make linguine alfredo by following this recipe for chicken broccoli alfredo.  You can even add chicken and broccoli, or keep them out of the recipe and just follow the steps for the alfredo sauce.

Gluten-free friendly recipe

• You can easily make this recipe gluten free by using gluten free linguine.

What to serve with linguine

• Bread.  Serve Baguette or Italian garlic bread.
• Fresh salad.  Make this tomato cucumber avocado salad or tomato mozzarella salad.
• Spinach salad.  Because this linguine has spinach, it would be a great combination to serve it with a basic spinach salad.  Just toss together some spinach leaves with shredded Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Or, if you want something more sophisticated, try this spinach salad with prosciutto and pears.  Or, make a spinach salad with beets.

How to cook linguine al dente

• To cook pasta al dente, cook linguine in salted boiling water about 2 minutes less than indicated on the package instructions.   I cooked linguine for about 9 minutes in boiling water.

Cooking Tips

• Reserve some pasta water.  Use it to thin out the cream sauce if it gets too thick.
• Make sure to season the creamy linguine sauce with just the right amount of salt.   That means you might have to add more salt than indicated in the recipe.  Salt really helps to bring out all the flavors!

How to prepare the sauce for linguine – step-by-step

1) Cook chopped sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic with olive oil on medium heat, for about 30 seconds.

2) Add 1 cup of half-and-half, paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.

3) Add shredded Parmesan cheese.  Stir for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts.

4) Add spinach.

5) Keep stirring on medium heat until the spinach wilts, about 1 minute.

6) Add cooked and drained linguine to the sauce.   Stir well. Taste the linguine, and season with more salt, if needed.

Other pasta recipes

Below are other meatless pasta sauce recipes that will go great with linguine.  What’s beautiful about these recipes is that you can easily add protein.  Add grilled chicken, pan-seared scallops or seared shrimp.

• Creamy Spinach Mushroom Pasta with Caramelized Onions
• Sun-Dried Tomato Mushroom Pasta
• Four Cheese Garlic White Cream Pasta Sauce

Linguine with spinach and sun-dried tomato cream sauce

Linguine with spinach and sun-dried tomato cream sauce takes only 30 minutes to make! This simple Italian pasta requires only ingredients!  This creamy linguine is a perfect weeknight dinner!  Serve it as-is or with grilled chicken or seafood.

• 8 oz linguine
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (, chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (, minced)
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (, shredded)
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 oz spinach
• 5 basil leaves (fresh, finely chopped)

1. Cook linguine according to package instructions.  Drain.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.
3. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic.  Cook on medium heat for about 30 seconds, constantly stirring.

4. Add 1 cup of half-and-half, paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.

5. Add 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese (half of what the recipe calls for).  Stir for about 30 seconds or longer until the cheese melts.  If the sauce is too thin, gradually add more cheese.  Keep stirring around all of the skillet for a couple of minutes.
6. Note: if the sauce gets too thick, add more half-and-half.
7. Add spinach.  Keep stirring on medium heat until the spinach wilts, about 1 minute.
8. Add cooked and drained linguine to the sauce.   Stir well.
9. Taste the linguine and add more salt, if needed.  Top with finely chopped fresh basil leaves.

What is half-and-half? To substitute for 1 cup of half-and-half, do this: combine 1/2 cup of whole milk with 1/2 cup of heavy cream.

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Chicken and Spinach in Puff Pastry – a perfect appetizer or dinner!  Your family will love these puffs stuffed with chicken, spinach, and Parmesan!  An easy meal made with just 6 ingredients!

Chicken and spinach go so well together. Just take a look at this Hasselback chicken with Spinach, Bacon, and Cream Cheese.  And, if you wrap the chicken and spinach into a flaky puff pastry and add Parmesan cheese – you get cute chicken puffs that you see on the photos.

This chicken puff pastry is so ridiculously easy to make.  You don’t even have to make your own puff pastry.  Just buy it at the store.  You can use skinless boneless chicken breast, tenderloins, or chicken thighs.  Or, use leftover cooked chicken, shredded chicken, or rotisserie chicken.  This simple recipe is totally flexible on what kind of chicken you can use.  Just throw in whatever you have in your fridge!

The flavors are amazing.  The chicken is seasoned with paprika.  Then, it’s mixed with spinach and shredded Parmesan cheese.  Flaky puff pastry wrapped around the chicken is so delicious!  These chicken puffs are a great party food.  Or, make them for dinner.  Your family will fall in love with these!

Chicken Puff Pastry

• 6 ingredients.  Here is what you need to make chicken puffs: olive oil, chicken, paprika, spinach, Parmesan cheese, puff pastry sheets.  That’s it! Comfort food made with only 6 ingredients!
• 30 minutes of prep.  Make the simple chicken and spinach filling and assemble the puff pastry pockets in 30 minutes!  Then, bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes.
• Party food.  Want to make something easy that looks great to impress your friends?  This chicken puff pastry is a great choice for parties, picnics, or potlucks.
• Perfect for leftover cooked chicken.  This is a perfect recipe to use up any chopped cooked chicken that you already have in your fridge.   You can also use shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken.
• Make ahead meal.  Chicken puff pastry can be made ahead and refrigerated.  You can also freeze these.

How to thaw frozen puff pastry

Puff pastry is usually kept frozen.  Here is how to quickly defrost frozen puff pastry:

1. Remove frozen puff pastry from the freezer.
2. Separate puff pastry sheets from one another.
3. Place each puff pastry sheet on a separate plate.
4. Allow the puff pastry to thaw.  It should take about 30 minutes.

Variations and Substitutions

• Don’t have spinach?  Use other greens, such as kale or Swiss chard.
• Use either uncooked or cooked chicken.  You can use skinless boneless chicken breast, tenderloins, or chicken thighs.  Or, use leftover cooked chicken, shredded chicken, or rotisserie chicken.
• Use any type of cheese.  Cheddar, Feta, Parmesan, Goat cheese, Swiss cheese, or Mozzarella.
• Spices.  Use paprika, chili powder, or Italian seasoning.

Cooking tips

• Do not overfill the puff pastry rectangles with the filling.  Make sure there is enough space around the edges for you to seal the puff pastry pockets.
• Do not overstretch the puff pastry.  This will result in holes and the filling with leak out of the puff pastry pockets.
• Make ahead tip. Make the chicken and spinach filling ahead of time and then assemble chicken puffs right before you’re ready to bake and serve!

How to store and reheat chicken puff pastry

• Refrigerate for up to 5 days.  Store chicken puff pastry refrigerated in a covered air-tight container.
• Freeze in air-tight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags for up to 2 months.
• Reheat in the microwave oven for 30 seconds. 
• Reheat in the preheated oven at 350 F for 15 minutes.  The texture is better if you reheat in the regular oven vs. in the microwave oven.
• If reheating after having frozen chicken puff pastry, bake in the preheated oven at 375 F for 35 minutes or a bit longer, without thawing.

Side dishes

Below are side dishes that go well with chicken puff pastry:

• Garlic Green Beans and Bacon
• Roasted Asparagus with Asiago Cheese and Bacon
• Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad with Basil Pesto
• Strawberry Spinach Salad

How to make an egg wash

• Ingredients for egg wash: 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water.
• To make an egg wash, lightly beat 1 egg in a small bowl with a fork.  Mix thoroughly with 1 teaspoon of water.
• Why make an egg wash?  Egg wash adds shine and golden color to the pastry.  It’s optional to use egg wash.
• Why mix the egg with water?   Mixing the lightly beaten egg with a small amount of water will result in a lighter golden color once applied to the pastry surface.  Using just the egg will result in a darker color.

How to make chicken puff pastry

1) First, make the chicken and spinach filling. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet, add 1/2 pound of chicken. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of paprika. Cook for about 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  Shred the chicken.

2) Add 6 oz spinach to the same skillet.

3) Cook, constantly stirring until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

4) Add 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and combine with the chicken and spinach.

5) Next, assemble chicken puff pastry. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 rectangles.  Place rectangles on the parchment paper lined sheet.

6) Place chicken and spinach filling on one half of each rectangle.  Make sure to not overfill. You might have leftover filling.

7) Fold the other half of each rectangle over the filling to close.  Pinch the edges to seal.  You can quickly dip your fingers in a glass of water to help seal the edges.

8) Brush with egg wash (OPTIONAL).

9) Bake for 20 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown.

Chicken and Spinach in Puff Pastry

Chicken and Spinach in Puff Pastry – a perfect appetizer or dinner!   Your family will love these cheesy puffs stuffed with chicken, spinach, and Parmesan!  Only 6 ingredients!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound chicken breast (or tenderloins, skinless boneless)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 6 oz spinach
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 2 sheets puff pastry (thawed)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

Make chicken and spinach filling

1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet on medium heat.
2. Add chicken breasts or tenderloins.  Season with a pinch of salt and paprika.  Cook for about 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  Shred the chicken.

3. Add spinach to the same skillet.  Cook, constantly stirring, on medium heat until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Add shredded Parmesan cheese and combine with the chicken and spinach.

Assemble puff pastry

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 rectangles.  You will have 8 rectangles in total.  Place these rectangles on a parchment paper lined sheet.

3. Place chicken and spinach filling on one half of each rectangle.  Make sure to not overfill.  You might have leftover filling.

4. Fold the other half of each rectangle over the filling to close.  Pinch the edges to seal.  You can quickly dip your fingers in a glass of water to help seal the edges.
5. Bake for 20 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown.

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