Creamy pasta with spinach and ham is a cozy, comforting meal that tastes great on a cold winter night. No need for dairy to make this rich, smooth sauce that pairs perfectly well with gluten free pasta and salty, savory ham.
Some days just seem to require a little comfort food, especially in the winter time.
This pasta is the perfect comfort food. It’s not too heavy or rich, but it still has a nice creaminess from coconut milk. If you’re avoiding dairy and gluten, this is the pasta recipe for you!
It’s always nice to have some easy, allergy friendly noodle recipes on hand for those days when you need to make something quickly! A big batch of pasta salad with pesto is great for packing in lunches, or a nice simple ragu sauce can be a family friendly dinner that’s also perfect for guests.
We made this on a chilly day last month, and it was eaten in no time flat. It’s one of those dishes that you keep going back for a little bit more, and a little bit more, until it’s all gone. I made this with ham, but it would also be very tasty with bacon instead.
If you love comforting pasta recipes, try this dairy free pasta with creamy kale sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta – Any brand of gluten free pasta that is safe for your diet should be fine! Jovial makes rotini, and there are other brands to look into as well, like Ancient Harvest. If you are not gluten free, go ahead and use your regular pasta.
- Full Fat Coconut Milk – This is what makes the sauce so creamy. If you can’t have coconut, you can try using any dairy free milk that works for your needs. The sauce will be slightly less rich if you don’t add full fat coconut milk, but it should still be flavorful and creamy.
- Ham – The saltiness of ham is a nice contrast to the rich sauce. You can use leftover holiday ham or packaged ham from the grocery store. If you don’t have ham, bacon would also work well.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this with:
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for about 3 days.
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Recipe
Creamy Pasta with Spinach and Ham (Dairy Free).
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach about 1 ½ cups
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 15 ounces full fat coconut milk
- 2 Tablespoons vegan buttery spread
- ¾ cup ham chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- red pepper flakes optional
- 10 ounces gluten free pasta I used fusilli
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil and the chopped onion in a medium sized pot. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic powder and vegan buttery spread to the onion and stir. Add the spinach and stir until it is cooked through.
- Add the can of full fat coconut milk, the cooked ham, salt and pepper, and simmer for about 5 minutes until everything is heated through.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
- Put cooked pasta in bowls and top with sauce before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Catharine
Amazing ! The combination of the sweet coconut milk, bitter spinach and spicy red pepper flakes is a winner !
I actually used 2c of thick ham chunks, a sm Red onion and added 4c of Fresh baby spinach at #4
Also Gemelli pasta – al dente – as it is a bit denser of a pasta
So Good !
Darryl
A great tasty meal
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens
This really does look like a perfect, cozy, comfort-food dish (for Netflix binges – haha!) with the huge benefit of being a little lighter and healthier! Bonus! And thanks for the tip on Aldi’s gluten-free pasta! We have an Aldi’s pretty nearby, but I’ve never tried that pasta – thanks for the heads-up!
Kelly
It’s worth seeking out, because it’s good, and it’s cheap!
juliaroastedroot
Oh my gosh, those spiraaaaaals! It’s been far too long since I’ve made pasta, so I’ll have to pick up some of that gf fuseli and do as Kelly does! I’m loving this creamy-spinachy-hammy combo and am totally up for a pasta and Netflix binge. Bring on the weekend!
Kelly
Pasta is such a comfort food for me! Enjoy!