Creamy Tomato Spinach Pasta
One skillet Creamy Tomato Spinach Pasta is a weeknight winner. This dish has simple ingredients that combine beautifully when simmered down together in one pan.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- large skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta
Creamy Spinach Tomato Sauce
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes optional
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 Tbsp full-fat cream cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan an cheese
- ⅓ pasta water reserved from cooking the pasta to thin the sauce
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
- 1-2 cups fresh baby spinach I would not use frozen spinach
- fresh basil for topping
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve ⅓ cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile start the creamy sauce. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes and sauté for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, and dried basil. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors come together.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese until completely melted, then add the heavy cream and Parmesan. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just until the spinach has wilted.
- Toss with the pasta. Add the cooked penne directly to the skillet and toss until well coated. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time as needed until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta nicely.
- Finish and serve. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm topped with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.
Notes
- If you forget to reserve some pasta water, no worries a little veggie or chicken broth will work just fine.
- Keep the heat low once you add the cream cheese, cream, and Parmesan. This helps keep the sauce smooth and prevents the dairy from separating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5 cups | Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 800mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1448IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 3mg