By May and early June, the garden starts giving just enough herbs and greens to make meals feel fresh again — kale, chard, spinach, chives, parsley, basil if you’re lucky. This pasta is one of my favorite ways to use all those little handfuls coming in from the garden.

The combination of garlic, cream, parmesan, lemon, and herbs creates the silkiest sauce without needing anything complicated. Cozy enough for cooler spring evenings, but still bright and fresh.

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups hearty greens (spinach, kale, arugula, chard — avoid lettuce here)
• ¼ cup basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dill, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon oregano, chopped
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup cream or half-and-half
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 pound pasta
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté garlic until fragrant.
3. Add greens and cook until just wilted.
4. Stir in cream and parmesan and cook until slightly thickened.
5. Add lemon juice and fresh herbs and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
6. Toss in pasta, adding reserved pasta water until the sauce becomes glossy and silky.
7. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

• This recipe works with almost any mix of spring greens and herbs from the garden.
• Add grilled chicken, white beans, or sausage if you want more protein.
• The pasta water is what helps create that silky sauce. Don’t skip it!

Serve With

• Garlic bread
• Arugula salad
• Roasted asparagus