Sour Cream Pasta
Sour cream pasta is a delicious side dish with a light, tangy sauce, that’s perfect for both lunch and dinner. Made in less than 20 minutes for those busy weeknight dinners.
You know I eat pasta for breakfast on a regular basis and it’s usually with a red sauce. But my husband leans more toward a garlic and olive oil or a light and creamy sauce. Just something without tomatoes. So when I’m feeling nice, I will make him something special.
That’s where this recipe comes in!
A light and tangy sauce, made from sour cream and a little milk, is perfect for coating those pasta noodles. And the addition of the sweet onion and tender spinach leaves makes for one perfect bite. Or bowlful in my case!
It’s light enough for lunch, but rich enough to be a side dish for dinner or top it with some grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a complete meal.
This recipe is right up there with my cafeteria noodles, this parmesan orzo, and this spaghetti carbonara in that it’s quick (under 20 minutes) and perfect for any occasion.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta – I like to use a small shaped pasta like shells, ziti, or penne. But feel free to use any pasta noodle shape you like.
- Sour cream – Regular sour cream will give you that rich and creamy flavor, but feel free to use the low fat or fat free version. Substitute plain Greek yogurt if you don’t have sour cream on hand.
- Spinach – Fresh spinach gives the best texture but you can also use frozen spinach. Just be sure to thaw and drain it as much as possible.
- Spices – This recipe uses just salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Variations
Switch up the flavor with some Cajun seasoning, taco seasoning, or Italian seasoning. Leave out the red pepper flakes if you don’t want the extra kick of heat. Try adding different vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, peas, and even fresh sliced mushrooms.
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How To Make Sour Cream Pasta
- Cook the pasta in salted water, according to the package instructions, until al dente. Remove from water and set aside. Save 1 cup of the pasta water for making the sauce. This can be done while cooking the onion and spinach, or ahead of time.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1-2 more minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Add the fresh spinach, cook while stirring gently, until the spinach is mostly wilted.
- Move the spinach and onion mixture to one side of the pan and add the sour cream and milk. Stir on that side of the pan to warm the sour cream and incorporate the milk. Fold the spinach and onion mixture with the sauce until it all comes together. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the pasta to the pan and stir to coat the noodles with the sauce. If the sauce is clumping or separating, slowly add the pasta water and stir to combine.
- Remove the pan from the heat and serve warm. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, grated parmesan, more red pepper flakes.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Serving Suggestions
I like this straight out of the pan just as it is, but some grilled chicken, shrimp, or even some sliced steak make it a full meal.
If you want to keep it meatless (I usually do!) then serve it with some grated cheese on top, an Italian salad, and some garlic knots or garlic bread to soak up any extra sauce.
Throw in some roasted vegetables too if you want to add more color and texture!
Storage & Reheating
This is best eaten right after you make it. But if you happen to have leftovers, cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
You can reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals until heated through, but the best way to reheat is in a pan on the stove over low to medium low heat.
The sauce will thicken from the starch in the pasta when it’s cold so you need to loosen it up a bit. To thin it back out and return to its original consistency, slowly add 1-2 tablespoons of milk until it’s creamy again and heated through.
You can also use hot water or chicken broth if you don’t want to use milk.
I do not recommend freezing this because the sauce will separate and get grainy. It only takes 20 minutes to make so you really don’t need to freeze it.
Easy Pasta Cooking Tip
When I’m making pasta sauce in a pan and want to add the cooked pasta directly to it (which is the best way!), I have a trick I learned while cooking in my parent’s restaurant.
Boil the water and cook the pasta to where it’s almost done. This is 1-2 minutes before it’s al dente. Be sure to use a pot that has a built in strainer so you don’t have to drain the water.
Once the pasta reaches the doneness you want, pull the strainer up and set the noodles aside. Be sure to leave them in the strainer and keep the water in the base pot on the stove and turn to medium to keep it hot.
After I make the sauce in the pan just how I want it, I dunk the pasta back into the hot water and finish cooking it. Then when it’s the perfect texture, I pull the noodles back out and put them directly into the pan.
When you do this, the pasta is still covered in starch so the sauce sticks to it but you also bring a little of that starchy pasta water with the noodles since they weren’t drained completely.
If you do this you might not need to add any of the pasta water to the sauce. But if you still want it thinner, you have that water still there, hot, next to your pan.
Tips For No Leftovers
- Choose smaller, bite-sized pasta shapes for easier eating.
- Reserve more warm pasta water than you think you’ll need. It makes it super creamy!
- If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with the hot pasta water.
- Keep the temperature in the pan to medium or medium low because the garlic can burn quickly and the cream can scorch.
- Don’t overcook the spinach, you just want it wilted a little.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
This quick and delicious sour cream pasta recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight when you want comfort food without all the fuss.
Sour Cream Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta noodles ¼ cup pasta water reserved from the cooking process
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 6 ounces fresh spinach
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water, according to the package instructions, until al dente. Remove from water and set aside. Save 1 cup of the pasta water for making the sauce. This can be done while cooking the onion and spinach, or ahead of time.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1-2 more minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the fresh spinach, cook while stirring gently, until the spinach is mostly wilted.
- Move the spinach and onion mixture to one side of the pan and add the sour cream. Stir on that side of the pan to warm the sour cream and get it smooth. Slowly add the milk to the sour cream and stir to mix.
- Slowly incorporate the spinach and onion mixture until the sauce comes together. Taste and add the salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the pasta to the pan and stir to coat the noodles with the sauce. If the sauce is clumping or separating, slowly add the pasta water and stir to combine.
- Remove the pan from the heat and serve warm. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, grated parmesan, more red pepper flakes
Notes
- Choose bite-sized pasta shapes for easier eating.
- Thin out your sauce with reserved pasta cooking water.
- Add in extra vegetables like green peas, asparagus spears, or green beans.
- Cook the sauce on low or medium low to avoid burning the sauce.
Nutrition
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