Description
A quick and nutritious 15-minute Super Green Rigatoni recipe featuring a vibrant spinach and parmesan sauce, topped with crispy chili oil breadcrumbs for a flavorful and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Toppings
- 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 cook, stirring continuously for about 4 minutes, until golden brown and toasty smelling. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
- Sauté Onions and Aromatics: In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the finely diced onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for about 2 minutes until onions soften and turn slightly translucent. Add sliced garlic and anchovies (or miso paste), then crush the anchovies into the oil with the back of your spoon. Stir for another minute until combined.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot filled two-thirds with water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the rigatoni pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes or until al dente, following the pasta package instructions for precise timing. Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining.
- Cook Spinach: Add the spinach to the pan with the onions and garlic, stirring for about 1 minute until it wilts and darkens in color.
- Blend Sauce: Transfer the pan contents to a blender along with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 oz parmesan, and about one ladleful of pasta cooking water. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Return the smooth green sauce to the pan. Add the drained pasta directly into the sauce. Toss gently with tongs or a spatula to coat all the pasta. Add more pasta water if the sauce needs thinning. Taste and season with extra salt or grated parmesan if desired.
- Serve and Garnish: Divide the pasta between serving plates. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon chili oil, sprinkle the reserved parmesan, and top with the crispy toasted breadcrumbs. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- This meal is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and great for using up wilting greens or other vegetables.
- Chili oil adds a lovely spicy kick, but you can substitute with olive oil if preferred.
- Anchovies can be swapped with white miso paste to keep the umami flavor without fish.
- Don’t discard the pasta cooking water; it helps to create a silky smooth sauce without needing cream.
- To speed up boiling water, pre-boil water in an electric kettle before adding to the pot.
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
