This Pasta Recipe With Creamy Spinach Sauce May Help Lower Blood Pressure (20 Minutes, 5 Ingredients) by Ann Marie G. Halstead

Take a break from pesto and try this healthy spaghetti with spinach sauce recipe that is packed with so much spinach Popeye would be impressed. (Shh! Don't tell the kids it's in there!) The easy spaghetti recipe with spinach sauce is on the table in about 20 minutes.

Not only is this pasta recipe quick, easy and delicious, but it may help lower your blood pressure. According to EatingWell, "2023 research published in Nutrients, three specific minerals that can positively impact blood pressure are potassium, calcium and magnesium. Dark leafy greens are a good source of all three of these nutrients. Magnesium helps manage blood pressure by increasing nitric oxide levels, which helps blood vessels relax. Calcium can influence blood pressure through its actions on the smooth muscle cells that line artery walls. Just 1 cup of cooked spinach has 37 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of magnesium and almost 10 percent DV of calcium."

The high-fiber, high-protein spinach sauce is made by cooking garlic and spinach in olive oil until soft and wilted. The spinach is put into a blender with 1/2 a cup of grated Parmesan cheese and pasta water. Blend until it is pureed but still has some chunks of spinach. The sauce is poured back into the skillet and the remaining cheese is added along with heavy cream (the cream is optional). You can toss the cooked spaghetti in the sauce or ladle the sauce over the pasta. Serve with additional grated Parmesan, pine nuts and crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.

If you want a creamier sauce, be sure to add the heavy cream at the end. Serve this easy spinach spaghetti recipe for dinner with garlic bread and a salad. 

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 20 ounces (2 bags) fresh spinach
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (divided)

Optional Ingredients

• crushed red pepper flakes
• pine nuts, for serving 
• 1/4 cup heavy cream 

Here's how to make it: 

1. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions for al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Set both aside. You could use linguine, fettucine or your favorite long pasta instead of spaghetti noodles. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds. 
3. Slowly start adding the spinach, cooking it down and adding more until all the spinach is in the pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until all the spinach has wilted. 
4. Put the spinach into a blender along with a 1/2 cup of cheese and a 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Pulse until blended, but still leaving some chunks of spinach, adding more pasta water if needed. Pour the sauce back into the pot. 
5. Add the remaining Parmesan cheese and pasta. Toss to combine. If adding the cream, pour it in now and heat through. Serve with more Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. You could also spoon the sauce over the pasta if you don't like tossing pasta in sauce.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography. The content on 30Seconds.com is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. 

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