The Simple Way To Wilt Spinach For Pasta That Doesn't Require An Extra Pan

Spinach is a mild and easy to love vegetable that features beautifully in a range of classic Italian pasta dishes with fascinating origin stories, from a rich tortelloni to wedding soup, or in more contemporary dishes like spinach pasta with za'atar, lemon, and parsley. Not only is spinach rich in taste, adding a toothsome bite to your pasta, but it takes next to no time to prepare.

Fresh spinach is best served barely wilted, which means that a quick visit with any heat or even hot water is enough to do the trick. Enter a hack that will leave you wondering why you've ever dirtied an extra pan with prep. Toss your fresh spinach leaves into a colander and once your pasta is cooked to your al dente desire, pour the pasta and its ample cooking water (not using enough water is a common pasta mistake you should never make) over the waiting greens. As the water drains out, you will be left with perfectly wilted spinach leaves.

This move will also work with other similarly textured greens such as Swiss chard or you could even cut thin asparagus into one-inch segments and slowly pour the pasta and water over it in the colander, giving it time to blanch, and then cook through as the warm pasta surrounds it.

The simplicity of this wilted spinach trick does not mean the resulting pasta dish will be basic or boring. In fact, Taylor Hester, executive chef of Roscioli NYC, gave Chowhound the secret to the best simple pasta dishes: Make straightforward pasta memorable by choosing high quality ingredients that let each element shine. Wilted spinach and freshly cooked pasta only need a few intentionally chosen accents like freshly grated Parmesan cheese and tomatoes, or lemon, herbs, and white wine to become a requested supper time favorite.

Beyond being flavorful, easy to prepare, and inexpensive to source, spinach punches above its weight in health benefits. Dieticians have long sung the praises of dark, leafy greens, and spinach rates high for its fiber, vitamins, and mineral content, which aid in improving heart health, reducing diabetes, and fighting inflammation and aging. The fact that it's good for you and has a seriously modest amount of calories makes adding fresh, tender spinach to your pasta just about the smartest dinner duo ever.