Penne with Creamy Spinach Sauce

Jon’s mom, Teresa, passed along this recipe. It originally comes from Food Network personality Giada De Laurentiis. But as is the case with many of the recipes I work from, I found ways to bastardize this one. Perhaps most significantly, you’ll notice that I recommend brown rice pasta. I have nothing against whole wheat, multi-grain, or any other sort of pasta, I just like to limit my gluten intake and I’ve kind of grown to love the succulent texture of rice-based pasta.

This is a fantastic and easy recipe. It’s a great meal for a weekday evening or a summer lunch—but the clean up from the sauce preparation can be a bit of a downer.

½ pound brown-rice penne pasta
3 garlic cloves
3 ounces chevre (goat cheese)
1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook about 8-9 minutes (or according to package instructions) until the pasta is tender, but still al dente. Stir periodically.

While the pasta is cooking, mince the garlic in a food processor. Add chevre, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and about half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is creamy and smooth.


With the remaining spinach leaves, arrange a fist-sized bed of greens in each serving plate.

Drain the pasta and then toss it with the spinach cream sauce, until the penne is thoroughly and evenly coated. Spoon servings of pasta onto each bed of spinach leaves. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve warm.

(Yields: 4 servings; Ready In: 15 minutes)