Yes to Yolks

a food journal

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policies

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

March 30, 2020 by Molly Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

I have the easiest dinner idea for you today!

It’s perfect for meatless Monday.

It’s ideal for using up some of the pantry staples we inevitably have all stocked up on.

It’s made with a limited ingredients list.

AND it comes together in 30 minutes.

Oh, and most importantly, it’s DELISH.

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

Yup, we’re winning on all fronts with this one.

I, unlike a lot of people, did not go nuts with the pasta aisle when it was time to go into lock down mode, but I DID already have a well-stocked pantry in the pasta department. I had boxes upon boxes of pasta, and when I did a quick inventory and realized just how much pasta I had, I decided it was time to throw together a quick and easy meal for all of you.

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

This simple pasta dish comes together with a lemony-garlicky olive oil sauce, baby spinach, and cheese. Creamy goat cheese, to be exact. Oh, and parmesan! Because I can’t eat pasta without some parm thrown into the mix.

This type of meal always amazes me. It’s so simple and still has incredible flavor. This particular dish has some health thrown into the mix in the way of whole wheat pasta (you can use whatever kind you like!) and loads of baby spinach, garlic, olive oil, and fresh lemon. Really, the most indulgent part of things is the cheese, and even that isn’t anything crazy.

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

So, you can feel pretty good about serving this to your family during this uncertain time. I take comfort in knowing that I am still feeding my family and using healthy, nutritious ingredients. It’s not lost on me how fortunate I am to be able to do this. Especially right now.

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

And even though it feels like the cooking is ENDLESS right now – I mean, I’m cooking for four all day long, every day – it still brings me such comfort. It’s something I have control over, and it distracts me from more worrying things.

I do miss going out to eat and getting take out (which we still do from time to time), but I am loving cooking through my pantry and fridge, using up what I can find and create new recipes based off our usual staples.

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

That’s how this meal came to be – and as soon as I tasted it, I knew I needed to share it with you all!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Molly
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese comes together in a half hour, uses a limited ingredients list, and tastes like heaven! A garlicky and lemony olive oil sauce coats the noodles and wilted spinach and creamy goat cheese add health and heft! A simple but delicious meal!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb pasta (any shape you prefer! We went with whole wheat rotini)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
  • ½ cup toasted pine nuts (or other nut of choice)
  • Chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley or basil

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until el dente, according to package directions.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
  3. After a minute or so, add the baby spinach and cook for a few minutes or until it is wilted and tender.
  4. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
  5. Add the pasta to the skillet with the spinach. Toss well to combine. Add another drizzle of olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Toss and then add a little bit of the pasta water, continuing to toss until everything is well combined and moistened.
  6. Grate in the parmesan cheese and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as needed.
  7. Right before serving, top with crumbled goat cheese, toasted nuts, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Serve hot.
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: pasta

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @yestoyolks on Instagram and hashtag it #yestoyolks

 

Lemony Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

Related

Filed Under: Entrée, Healthy, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: baby spinach, goat cheese, healthy, healthy pasta, lemon, olive oil, pantry ingredients, quick and easy meals, vegetarian

« Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Salmon and Veggies
Lemon Blueberry Crumble Bars »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi there. I’m Molly. Welcome to my little space devoted to all things FOOD! More about me...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Blueberry Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
  • Strawberry & Pistachio Galette
  • Sesame Ginger Pork with Wasabi Soba Noodles
  • Crispy Halloumi Grain Bowls with Creamy Dill Dressing
  • Guinness Brookies
  • Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna Rolls

Archives

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Connect

Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg! Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
Copyright © 2025 Yes to Yolks