PASTA WITH GOAT CHEESE, SPINACH AND WALNUTS
30 minutes
4 to 6 servings
Tangy goat cheese and starchy pasta water come together to create a light, creamy sauce that coats each pasta strand. The recipe works well with fettuccine or linguine, too. Arugula or blanched asparagus cut into bite-size pieces can be used in place of spinach. If adding the optional bacon, lightly salt the pasta water to avoid over-salting the dish.
Storage Notes: The pasta can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 pound whole-grain spaghetti or thin spaghetti (spaghettini)
2 teaspoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
8 ounces fresh goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 cup (about 1 ounce) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted if desired 3 strips crisp bacon, roughly chopped (optional)
Steps
In a large pot of salted boiling water over medium-high heat, cook the pasta about 2 minutes short of package instructions. Drain, reserving 4 cups of the pasta water.
Carefully wipe out any residual water from the pot and return it to medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
If the goat cheese is in a log, cut it into about 6 pieces. Add the goat cheese, oregano and cayenne and 2 cups pasta water and stir until the cheese is melted and well combined, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the spinach and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes, adding splashes of additional pasta water as needed.
Remove the pot from the heat and add half of the cooked pasta. Using a large fork or tongs, gently toss until the noodles are well coated.
Add the remaining pasta and repeat until all of the pasta is coated in a thin sauce. Add additional pasta water if the noodles seem too dry.
Transfer the pasta to a big serving bowl. Sprinkle it with the walnuts and bacon, if using. Gently toss once more and serve family-style. Sprinkle parsley on top.