Pasta With Creamy Herb Sauce
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- Kosher salt
- 1½cups heavy cream
- 3sage leaves
- 3sprigs thyme or oregano
- 1small rosemary sprig
- 1cinnamon stick (or a grating of nutmeg)
- Black pepper
- 1pound linguine, fettuccine or another long noodle
- 1bunch dark leafy greens, such as kale, mustard greens, broccoli rabe or mature spinach, stems removed and cut or torn into 2- to 3-inch pieces
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
766 calories; 38 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 88 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 601 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream, sage, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium and cook until the cream has thickened slightly and is reduced to about 1 cup, 12 to 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat until the pasta’s ready.
- Step 2
When the cream is at the halfway point, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until a minute or 2 shy of al dente. About 3 minutes before draining the pasta, add the greens to the water. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and greens with a colander and return to the pot.
- Step 3
Place the just-used colander over the pot of pasta, then strain the infused cream through the colander into the noodles. (Discard or compost the herbs and cinnamon stick.) Add the ½ cup pasta water to the pasta, set over medium-high heat, and cook, tossing, until the sauce glosses the noodles, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Greg
I might try this with coconut cream instead of heavy cream...
Pony T
Gives me a separate idea to just toss these greens & spices in with some olive oil and pasta.
Audrey
More herbs, some shallot and maybe porcini mushrooms for the sauce; can be generous with the greens (I used spinach).
ciino
Answering my own question, yes. And this was very delicious. I used string beans instead of the greens, since we have a bumper crop coming in. Use lots of ground pepper; it adds a nice zing.
Pat
Add toasted pine nuts and a crushed garlic clove for a bit of texture and, well, garlic!
stephanie
try nutmeg instead, it's always a welcome addition in cream sauces!
LEF
Afi -- Of course it would change the flavor -- coconut creams tastes nothing like dairy cream, but it might be deliciously different. Maybe with coconut-friendly spices or herbs -- chile, lemon peel, garlic, shallot, cilantro?
Olivia J
I made this with the suggested herbs and served it over spinach linguine and bay scallops cooked in butter. Delicious!
e
Doubled the herbs and also used shallots and leeks. Added lemon zest and juice off the heat at the end and tossed in roasted cherry tomatoes. Fantastic!
Amber Puga
Gave the recipe a go for my male friend for dinner last night. My goodness, this meal was beyond delicious. In fact, it was spectacular.
ciino
Could I use creme fraiche?
Melani Carty
Would this work with soy milk or almond milk? I am severely lactose intolerant.
Afi
Would that change the flavor? I am lactose intolerant and cream is out of the question.
Katrina
I made this with thyme, bay leaves, cinnamon and garlic. It was soooo good! I served it with cherry tomatoes sautéed with red pepper flakes, and my husband said it was the best thing he’s ever eaten. :D
Beatriz
Whole Foods carries a non dairy Heavy Cream Alternative. I am lactose intolerant and have tried it and it works well in most recipes.
india
I made as directed and it was much too light in flavor. I would up the herbs and more black pepper. I agree with adding lemon at the end, it lightens it up
Brim
Easy, flavorful, and delicious. The infusing of the heavy cream works well to impart the flavors of the herbs and cinnamon. We used spinach for the greens. It is like a light Alfredo sauce. Everyone enjoyed.
Brushjl
I made it just as instructed. I always like to have a batch of pasta around to prevent no. 1 son from wasting his money in the fast food desert. This did the trick.
Martha
This dish was improved enormously by the addition of grated Parmesan.
Emily
Absolutely beautiful! Cooked with kalettes as I prefer their sprout-y flavour, apart from that cooked as-is, but I agree that a squeeze of lemon juice would go well and brighten it all up.
Naomi
Has anyone tried this with half and half instead of heavy cream?
jorgina
Great recipe! Love the idea of using the colander to strain the sauce. However, I added a smashed garlic clove to the sauce and let it simmer with the herbs. I have a family that is very hungry at dinner time. In order to bulk this up for my family I also added a can of garbanzo beans and let those simmer in the sauce too. Was easy enough to fish the herbs out with some tongs. Topped with a little Parmesan. Family loved it!
Alanna
Sauteed some sliced baby bella mushrooms, diced shallot, and garlic in olive oil in a separate pan and added to the cream/pasta/kale mixture at the end. Threw in some grated parm for good measure. Didn't end up needing the reserved pasta water and I just did a dash of cinnamon instead of a stick. Shrimp would go well too. I might find it to be a bit plain without the mushroom/shallot additions. It was great, I'll make it again in the same way.
Sage
This came out really well but next time I’ll leave out the cinnamon stick.
Weslie
I used 3 small sage leaves, thyme, few mint leaves and 1/2 of finely chopped shallot. For the green…..large handfuls of boxed spinach. How can this be so delicious? Again and again, I suspect
Weslie
Addendum to my comment, please combine, if possible the cinnamon stick added a new flavor which may have made its success. I just added the sauce to the plated pasta and tossed it lightly. Laziness won!
Beatriz
Whole Foods carries a non dairy Heavy Cream Alternative. I am lactose intolerant and have tried it and it works well in most recipes.
Karekin
Tossing the cooked pasta (any type) with the cooked greens (your choice) and an uncooked sauce of plain whole milk yogurt, garlic mashed with salt, chopped fresh mint & parsley, along with two cups of canned chick peas, is another very tasty variation that I've made for many years.
Carolyn Siegal
I’d like to make this ahead to serve my book group. Thoughts?
Lisa
I make a pepe e cacio with infused cream. First toast the peppercorns in a dry pan, then crush in mortar/pestle, and add to cream, then add crushed garlic. Most delicious.
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