Blue Cheese Pasta with Spinach and Walnuts

Ready in just 15 minutes, this blue cheese pasta with spinach and walnuts is perfect for those busy days when all you want is a treat. The blue cheese sauce is made lighter with creme fraiche, and the toasted walnuts give this pasta just the right amount of crunchiness.

This blue cheese pasta with spinach is one of the easiest pasta dishes I know how to make. You can have the sauce ready in the time it takes for the pasta to boil and dig into a bowl of luscious, creamy pasta in just 15 minutes.

I love how quick and comforting this blue cheese pasta is, and the simplicity is just the icing on the cake. You can also customise it to your liking by throwing in some peas if you want or a handful of rocket just before serving.

What do you need to make blue cheese and walnut pasta?

This super simple blue cheese pasta sauce delivers a lot of flavours with just a handful of ingredients.

Blue cheese

I use Saint Agur blue cheese in this pasta, but any kind of blue cheese is great here. You can use Gorgonzola, Roquefort or Stilton — they all result in a super creamy sauce. If you're not a fan of blue cheese, you can substitute it with goat's cheese.

Creme fraiche

I use full-fat creme fraiche for an extra creamy sauce, but half-fat creme fraiche is a good way to cut the calories. The result won't be as creamy, though.

Spinach

Baby spinach is perfect for this recipe. You can also substitute it with some wild rocket and enjoy that peppery taste that pairs great with blue cheese.

Walnuts

Toasting the walnuts before chopping them is a step that you should definitely not skip. Toast some extra walnuts to sprinkle on the pasta just before serving.

Pasta

The pasta you see in the pics is Fiorelli, a shape that's great for this sauce to cling on. Any type of short or long pasta works for this sauce, though.

How do you make it?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan and fry the shallot over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until it softens. Add in the creme fraiche and cook for 2 minutes until it bubbles, stirring often.

Stir in a bit of pasta water, then add the spinach and cook for a minute until it wilts a bit. Next, add the blue cheese and stir to combine.

When the sauce starts bubbling, stir in the cooked pasta. Toss it to cover well in sauce, then stir in the parmesan and toasted walnuts. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Can you reheat blue cheese pasta?

Blue cheese pasta is best served immediately, and the sauce would just not be the same if you reheat it. Plus, I'm pretty sure it's difficult to have any leftovers.

Extra recipe notes

• White wine is the best choice for blue cheese pasta. Anything from a Soave, a light Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio would be excellent choices.
• If you want the blue cheese flavour to be extra pronounced, add more than 80 grams.
• Stir in some parsley at the end for a bit of extra flavour.
• If the sauce looks too thick, add some extra pasta water.
• There's usually no need to add any extra salt to this pasta because it has enough from the cheeses and pasta water.

If you liked this blue cheese pasta with spinach and walnuts, you might also like these easy vegetarian pasta recipes:

Creamy Lemon Gruyere Pasta

Halloumi Stroganoff

Radiatori Pasta with Cannellini Beans and Tomatoes

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