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A close-up of a healthy pasta dish with fettuccine, peas, spinach, and toasted breadcrumbs, perfect for quick weeknight meals.

Healthy Meals Recipes in 20 Minutes: Weeknight Winner

This recipe is a quick and nutritious meal perfect for busy weeknights. It combines fresh pasta with spinach and peas, topped with a flavorful toasted breadcrumb mixture.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Topping
  • 1.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese divided
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
For the Pasta
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • 0.5 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 1 9 ounce package fresh tagliatelle or linguine
  • 8 cups baby spinach
  • 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
  • 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese remaining

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large skillet
  • Small bowl
  • Medium bowl
  • Large bowl

Method
 

  1. Boil 10 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.
  2. While the water heats, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and the parsley. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, egg yolks, egg, pepper, and salt.
  4. Cook the pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the spinach and peas. Cook until the pasta is tender, about 1 minute more. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta, spinach, and peas and place them in a large bowl.
  5. Slowly whisk the reserved cooking water into the egg mixture. Gradually add this mixture to the pasta, tossing with tongs to combine. Serve topped with the reserved breadcrumb mixture.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 20gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 223mgSodium: 586mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 8gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 8198IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 246mgIron: 6mg

Notes

This recipe is designed for speed and flavor, making it an ideal choice for a quick and healthy weeknight meal.

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