Good Morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I am so excited to finally have some warmer temperatures outside. It’s been between 40 and 50 degrees here during the day, and with the snow melted, this weekend I was finally able to put on my mud boots and take a look around our yard and garden. It’s an absolute mess and I have a lot of work ahead of me, but being able to just get outside and have a plan of attack makes me happy. I also love seeing my daffodils and tulips starting to pop up through the ground. Have you seen any signs of Spring in your yard yet? If you are looking for some Spring lawn & garden ideas, head over to my Gardening board on Pinterest! If you have your own gardening board on Pinterest, I would love to take a peak at what your are busy doing outdoors as well. I am always looking for great new ideas to apply in and around my home. With hours of yard and garden work ahead of me, a lot of simple, quick dinners are going to be on my family’s menu this month.
Today I am sharing this tasty Lemon & Spinach Pasta with you. This meal takes only minutes to prepare and is perfect for Spring! The light and fresh flavor from the lemon is mixed with cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic and scallions, then tossed with your favorite pasta, fresh spinach and of course topped with even more freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a great, satisfying week night dinner. If your family prefers a heartier meal, you can always add some juicy grilled chicken to this dish. Served with a fresh salad and bread, this meal is sure to please on a busy evening when you have limited time to spend in the kitchen!
Ingredients
- zest from 1 lemon & the juice from that lemon
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 lb. thin spaghetti
- 2 (5 oz.) packages organic spinach
Instructions
- In a stock pot, bring salted water to a boil.
- Add your pasta and cook for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, bring the lemon juice, zest, scallions, and garlic to a simmer, then add the half and half, whisk together and simmer for 1 more minute, being careful not to scald.
- Remove from the heat.
- Add the spinach to the pasta while still cooking, and continue to cook for 3 more minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Drain the pasta and spinach, return to the pot and toss with the lemon mixture.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and toss.
- Serve hot ( or room temperature if you like) and with more Parmesan if desired along with fresh bread.
- Serves 4-6.
- *Also tastes great with grilled chicken!
*Linking up at:
Skip To My Lou
Shannon, now this dish is lookin’ AMAZING! (That’s me singing.) I love your gardening board, by the way! I’m just waiting for the snow to melt. And, although the tulips are peeking out… the deer will soon be over to eat them right off. Pinning and making this dish from the leftover lemons I have from this week… can’t wait!! Great pics, too!
Gloria @ Simply Gloria recently posted…Show Stopper Saturday Link Party, Featuring Easter Printables
Thank you Gloria! Spring is definitely long overdue! I know all to well about the deer! Ugh- I just checked some of our apple trees yesterday and all of the buds and delicate branches were eaten of the lower part of the trees!
This pasta would be a fabulous dinner! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Karly recently posted…Hot Ham and Cheese Dip
Thank you Karly!
Hi Shannon, I love this recipe since I love lemons! Thanks for sharing with us at MM – pinning!
Deb @ Cooking on the Front Burner recently posted…Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Thanks Deb! I love quick and easy pasta dishes and lemon makes them even better:)
Yum I could eat this everyday!
Jennifer Johnson recently posted…Comment on Weekly Link Parties by 30 Places to Submit Food Blog Posts and Drive Traffic to Your Blog » My Family Mealtime
Thanks Jennifer! Me too:)
This. Is. Fabulous!! Three of my favorite foods together–yum!
Annie recently posted…Burger Saturday: LoDo’s Bar & Grill
Thank you Annie!
Our snow is melting too! This pasta looks simply amazing! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Julia recently posted…Creamy Sweet Pea Salad
Thanks Julia! I felt like it was never going to stop snowing here! I am so happy to see Spring:)
Looks good and fresh! 🙂
tinajo recently posted…Sleepless night with flowers in my thoughts
Thank you Tina Jo! Now if the weather would just stay like Spring:) I’m ready to move on to more fresh, Springy meals!