Spring is coming! This past weekend it was almost 70 degrees outside and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We spent Saturday at Alki Beach in Seattle and the boys loved watching the waves and playing in the sand. We enjoyed lunch at Spud Fish & Chips, which is a Seattle landmark and it was such a great day. After living in Washington for over 7 years, I’ve gotten used to the rainy and cloudy winters, but I certainly love when we get a peak of spring because the summers here are so incredible.
But I have friends who live all over, and everyone I know who is in the Northeast is still getting dumped on with snow! I know that no matter where you live, you’ll love this light spring pasta dish that comes together in just 30 minutes. I put chicken in it because I had some leftover shredded chicken to use up, but it’s certainly delicious without it as well if you’re looking for a meatless dish.
My kids are funny when it comes to pasta. Lleyton loves his with marinara sauce and will easily eat three plates of it. Easton doesn’t care for pasta at all, unless it’s macaroni and cheese. When I served them this dish, Lleyton only ate the chicken, and Easton ate the chicken and sundried tomatoes. He absolutely loved them, and I don’t blame him! Sundried tomatoes are like candy. The boys are not normally picky eaters, but it made me laugh that neither of them wanted these creamy, delicious noodles.
No matter what the weather is like where you are, you’ll be happy to have this easy dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Enjoy!
- 16 oz. dry pasta of choice
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 8 oz. jar sundried tomatoes
- 3 cups milk
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- 6 heaping cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups shredded chicken (optional)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in the same pot. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in flour.
- Add sundried tomatoes (no need to drain, the oil they're packed in adds great flavor), milk, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened.
- Add spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in chicken if using.
- Return pasta to pot and stir to coat. Enjoy!
[…] you want another chef-tested variation with slightly different technique and seasoning, read this Creamy Sundried Tomato and Spinach Pasta for ideas to tweak timing and […]