Description
This 15 Minute Super Green Rigatoni is a quick and delicious pasta dish featuring a vibrant spinach and parmesan sauce, toasted breadcrumbs for crunch, and a touch of chili oil for heat. Perfect for busy weeknights, it's a comforting, nutrient-packed meal that combines fresh greens with classic Italian flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Topping
- 1 tablespoon chili oil (or olive oil)
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 anchovies (or 2 teaspoons white miso paste)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 9 oz/250 g spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 oz/30 g parmesan + 2 tablespoons to serve
- 1 tablespoon chili oil (for drizzling)
Pasta
- 7 oz/200 g rigatoni (or any pasta shape of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
Instructions
- Toast Breadcrumbs: Heat 1 tablespoon of chili oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir often for about 4 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer breadcrumbs to a bowl.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the diced onion and 1 teaspoon salt, cooking for a couple of minutes until soft and slightly translucent. Add sliced garlic and anchovies, pressing anchovies into the oil to dissolve them. Stir for another minute to combine flavors.
- Cook Pasta: Fill a large pot about two-thirds full with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and then the rigatoni. Cook according to package instructions until al dente, around 10 minutes. Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining.
- Cook Spinach: While onions are softening, add spinach to the pan with the aromatics. Stir for about 1 minute until spinach wilts, darkens, and releases water.
- Make Sauce: Transfer the spinach mixture to a blender along with lemon juice, parmesan, and a ladle of reserved pasta water. Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add extra pasta water if necessary for a silky consistency.
- Toss Pasta and Sauce: Return the sauce to the pan and add the cooked rigatoni directly from the pot. Toss with tongs or a spatula to coat the pasta fully, adding more pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Season to taste with additional salt and parmesan if desired.
- Serve: Divide the pasta between plates. Drizzle each serving with ½ tablespoon chili oil, sprinkle with remaining parmesan, and top with the toasted breadcrumbs. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- This dish is perfect for quick weeknight meals and works well for using up wilting greens or vegetables.
- Toast breadcrumbs carefully to avoid burning, stir frequently to ensure even browning.
- If you prefer a vegetarian version, substitute anchovies with white miso paste as indicated.
- Reserving pasta water is key to achieving a creamy sauce without cream.
- For extra heat, increase the chili oil drizzle or add chili flakes to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 250 g
- Calories: 599 kcal
- Sugar: 5.9 g
- Sodium: 1214.8 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 93.8 g
- Fiber: 7.3 g
- Protein: 25.6 g
- Cholesterol: 13.6 mg
