Spinach Dip Pasta

I stand corrected…there is a reason for frozen spinach. Spinach Dip being that reason, although that isn’t something I eat very often because it isn’t exactly low in calories or fat. I made an inspired version of it for dinner – all the flavors of the dip tossed with pasta. It still is far from being health food, although I adapted what I could – yogurt for sour cream, lower fat cream cheese for full fat (even organic cream cheese has gums/stabilizers added, so you might as well use the lower fat, there isn’t anything else added to it) and a lower fat milk (I used unsweetened almond milk).

Spinach Dip Pasta

Ingredients:

• 12 to 13.25 ounce box whole-grain or whole wheat pasta, small shapes
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp garlic, minced (2 cloves)
• 8 ounce package lower fat cream cheese
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream (used goat yogurt)
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 16 ounce bag frozen chopped spinach, semi-thawed
• ½ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese + more for topping

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, add pasta and cook for time on package, drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium, sauté the onion in the oil, when tender add the garlic, sauté for a minute. Add the cream cheese and stir until it softens and melts, whisk in the milk and yogurt, lemon juice and seasoning. As it starts to simmer add in the spinach, stirring in. Turn down to medium-low, let gently simmer, stirring often till the spinach is cooked through. Add the Pecorino Romano, stirring till melted. Toss with the hot pasta, add salt if desired and serve, passing more cheese.

Serves 4.

~Sarah