Lemony Pasta With Goat Cheese and Spinach

Our creamy goat cheese pasta is a simple, delicious way to pack plenty of nutritious greens into your dinner. You won’t believe how quickly this recipe comes together or how light and lovely it is. When whisked with pasta water, goat cheese forms a creamy, silky sauce, and it really pops with the addition of lemon zest and juice. Baby spinach, cilantro, and parsley bring the green factor while chopped walnuts add toasty warmth and a welcome crunch. Be sure to have your greens prepped and nuts toasted before the pasta comes off the stove—once the noodles are cooked, the rest of the dish comes together in seconds.

Ingredients for Lemony Goat Cheese Pasta

Pasta: We like pairing long, thin noodles like spaghetti or spaghettini with light-bodied cream sauces, and this recipe is no exception. That said, you can use whatever type of pasta—long or short—you have on hand. Since you'll be using the starchy pasta water to build the sauce, you'll want it to be pleasantly seasoned but not so salty that it's unpalatable. For this recipe, it should taste like well-seasoned soup, not seawater.

Cheese: This recipe calls for four ounces of goat cheese, which you should be able to find sold as a small log at the grocery store. It forms a silky yet light sauce that will cling to the noodles without weighing them down. For a richer, creamier sauce, whisk in an additional two to four ounces of cheese.

Greens: You'll need 10 ounces of baby spinach for this recipe, which comes out to about 10 cups. Don't be alarmed when you start portioning it out—it does look like a lot of greens, but it will wilt down to a small amount in no time. There's no need to chop the spinach before adding; just be sure to give it a thorough rinse if it hasn't been pre-washed.

Herbs: A mix of fresh parsley and cilantro adds a bright, herbal lift to this simple dish. Since you'll be chopping them up before adding them to the pot, you can use both the leaves and tender stems of both herbs. If you or anyone you're serving is sensitive to the taste of cilantro, you can swap in a big handful of fresh basil, chives, or even mint instead.

Citrus: We love the zingy boost that grated lemon zest and freshly squeezed juice lend to this recipe. If you're not using organic lemons, be sure to scrub the skin well under hot water to remove their wax coating before zesting.

Crunch: Half of a cup of toasted walnuts provides a satisfying crunch and nutty flavor. Toast them either in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently, or on a baking sheet in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Equipment Needs for Making This Recipe

You'll only need to gather a few basic pieces of kitchen equipment for this recipe, including:

Large pot: Grab one of your largest pots for this recipe. Besides cooking the pasta, it needs to be capacious enough to hold the 10 cups of baby spinach. If you don't have a pot large enough to hold all the spinach in one go, add as much as you can, then place a lid on top and let the greens wilt down, then stir in whatever's left.

Liquid measuring cup: A 2-cup (or 16-ounce) liquid measuring cup is a great tool for scooping out the pasta water you'll need for making the sauce. If you don't have a large enough measuring cup, simply ladle the water into a heatproof bowl instead.

Colander: You'll need a colander or fine-mesh strainer to drain the pasta. In a pinch, use tongs to transfer the noodles to a separate bowl, then drain the remaining liquid from the pot.

Microplane or zester: A microplane is a great tool for zesting citrus, but you can use the fine holes of a box grater or a vegetable peeler instead. If using a peeler, trim off any white pith from the strips of zest, then use a sharp knife to mince the zest as finely as possible.

Whisk: A large whisk will make quick work of blending the goat cheese and pasta water into a sauce.

Wooden spoon or tongs: When it comes time to stir together the noodles and greens with the creamy sauce, reach for a wooden spoon or, even better, a pair of tongs, which will make tossing the mixture a cinch.