High-Protein Spaghetti with Spinach and Tomato Sauce

Move over spaghetti with store-bought red sauce! This high-protein makeover version has enriched pasta and pine nuts in a fresh cherry tomato, spinach, and Parmesan cheese sauce.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 373 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved, or more to taste
• 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons pine nuts
• 1 (5 ounce) package fresh spinach
• 12 ounces enriched thin spaghetti (such as Ronzoni® Smart Taste®)
• 2 small shallots, julienned

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the thin spaghetti, bring back to a boil, and cook pasta over medium heat until tender yet firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.

Step 2

While pasta is cooking, place pine nuts in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Remove nuts to a plate.

Step 3

Add olive oil to the skillet and increase heat to medium. Add garlic, shallots, cherry tomatoes, and lemon zest; cook and stir until shallots have softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, lemon juice, toasted pine nuts, salt, and pepper; cook until spinach has wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add drained pasta, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and reserved pasta water; mix to combine. Serve with remaining Parmesan sprinkled on top.