Before Ree Drummond was the empress of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, she was a vegetarian living on the coast of Southern California. But no matter where she’s lived (and what she’s eaten) over the years, there is one thing that has always stuck with Drummond—a pure and deep love for comfort food.
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Drummond shared her favorite vegetarian meal on a pasta-related episode of The Pioneer Woman—Pasta ai Quattro Formaggi, which is Italian for “four-cheese pasta.” Drummond said this recipe was inspired by her favorite dish at her go-to restaurant, Intermezzo, in Los Angeles, when she and her college friends would occasionally treat themselves.
“Intermezzo was a dreamy, wonderful place with an outdoor covered patio peppered with trees and tiny white lights,” Drummond said in a blog post. “But it was the pasta—not the atmosphere—that I’ll remember the rest of my life. I dream about the pasta at Intermezzo regularly.”
So she set out to create her own recipe to enjoy back home in the Midwest, and it has become a family favorite in the Drummond house. This recipe is extremely rich—four kinds of cheese, heavy cream, and butter round out the ingredient list—but, we have our own four-cheese pasta recipe that tastes just as indulgent, but packs much less saturated fat.
Creamy Four-Cheese Pasta With Spinach
This creamy comfort food is given a nutritional boost by using chickpea-based pasta and spinach for protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients. However, you could use a whole-wheat pasta if you like.
Low-fat ricotta and cream cheese help lighten this dish while still tasting decadent. Our version clocks in at 409 calories, 15g fat, 7g sat fat, 17g protein, and 7g fiber per serving. This is a vast improvement from a standard pasta ai quattro formaggi dish, packing 541 calories and 14g sat fat per serving!
View Recipe: Creamy Four-Cheese Pasta With Spinach
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