Calabrian Chili Spinach Pasta

5 from 1 vote

Calabrian Chili Spinach Pasta

This Calabrian chili spinach pasta is a fast, flavorful weeknight dinner made with garlic, shallots, baby spinach, and a buttery chili-infused sauce. It comes together in just 20 minutes and is simple enough for busy nights, but bold enough to feel special.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: 30 Minutes or Less, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Shallot, Spinach

Servings:

Author: Carolyn Stilwell

Equipment

Ingredients

8 ounces Pasta
1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Shallot minced
4 cloves Garlic minced
1 tablespoon Calabrian Chili Paste adjust to taste
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper to taste
2 cups Baby Spinach
1 tablespoon Salted Butter
¼ cup Fresh Parsley finely chopped
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese freshly grated (for serving)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and softened.
Bloom chili paste: Add Calabrian chili paste along with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, to bloom the flavors.
Wilt spinach: Add spinach to the pan and stir until just wilted, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Finish pasta: Add cooked pasta to the skillet along with a few splashes of reserved pasta water. Toss to combine. Add butter and parsley and stir until the butter melts and the sauce lightly coats the pasta. Add more pasta water as needed for a glossy finish.
Serve: Divide among bowls and finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Pasta shape: Shells and shellbows (also called lumache or pipe rigate) both work well for this recipe because they hold onto the chili butter sauce. Other short pasta shapes like orecchiette or rigatoni also work.
Butter: This recipe was originally tested with a salted, infused Kerrygold butter blend that is no longer available. Salted Kerrygold butter works perfectly and is now what I recommend.
Salt levels: Because salted butter and Parmesan both add salt, start light with kosher salt and adjust at the end.
Calabrian chili paste: Heat levels vary by brand. Start with 1 teaspoon if you are sensitive to spice and increase as needed.
Pasta water: Use hot reserved pasta water to help emulsify the sauce and coat the pasta evenly. Reserve the pasta water before draining, or cook the pasta alongside the sauce and transfer it directly from the pot to the skillet so some pasta water comes along with it.

Nutrition