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Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta

With less than 10 ingredients, this delicious Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta couldn’t be easier to prepare. Ready in 30 minutes, it makes a fantastic weeknight meal!

A prepared Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta still in large skillet.

Not only is this Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta super easy to make but it's also quick to prepare, nutritious and delicious.

You can choose to use the recipe as is, or as a guide and adapt it to your liking. For instance, you can substitute the spinach with a different vegetable. My favourites to use are zucchini, mushrooms, peas, or even a combination.

You can also add some protein to this dish. Shrimp, chicken, sausage or ground beef are all great options.

With so many possibilities available, you can easily make this dish regularly and simply change up the protein and veggies to keep from getting tired of it. Any way you decide to make it, this pasta dish makes a fantastic mid-week meal.

Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta served in white bowl.

Fresh Tomato and Spinach Pasta

This fabulous dish came together from my desire to use up some leftover ingredients I had in the refrigerator from another meal. 

Ingredients Overview:

I used fresh spinach in this recipe, but frozen would also work. Though I added grape tomatoes, you can use any variety of tomato you have on hand.

For the pasta, I opted for Lumaca Rigata. This pasta is shaped like a snail and is grooved, which really works well in this recipe since the sauce makes its way into the cavity of the noodle and creates bites full of flavour. If you can't find it, pasta shells are a great substitute or any other short pasta. 

If you look at the ingredients for this recipe, you'll see that cream isn't listed. That's because there isn't actually any cream in this pasta dish, the creaminess comes from adding goat cheese and some of the pasta water to the skillet.

Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta in skillet.

How to Serve

Serve this pasta dish with a side of garlic bread, or a salad. Though you don't absolutely need it, the addition of fresh basil adds freshness to this dish.

How to Store

Transfer leftover pasta to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Enjoy!

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Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta

With less than 10 ingredients, this delicious Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta couldn’t be easier to prepare. Ready in 30 minutes, it makes a fantastic weeknight meal!
4.67 from 9 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 4
Calories 289 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ½ lb. (226g) approx. dried pasta * I used Lumaca Rigata
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup onion finely chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic medium, finely minced
  • 5 cups fresh spinach washed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup heaping grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • ½ cup approx. tomato puree or passata
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons goat cheese crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8-10 leaves fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese optional

Instructions
 

  • Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just short of being done since the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. Don't forget to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water when draining the pasta.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  • Cook the onion for 2 to 3 minutes stirring every minute or so. Add the garlic and keep cooking until onions are translucent.
  • Add the dried oregano, 1/4 tsp. salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Stir the onions and garlic with the seasonings.
  • Add tomato puree and enough water to thin out the sauce. Let it come to a simmer and add the halved grape (or cherry) tomatoes, simmer for a couple of minutes then add the spinach.
  • Once the spinach has wilted, add the goat cheese. 
  • When pasta is just a couple of minutes away from being cooked, drain it, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
  • Add the pasta and some of the pasta water to the sauce. Cook a couple of minutes more or until pasta is al dente. Add more pasta water if sauce is too thick.
  • Check the seasoning and adjust to taste.
  • Just before serving, add the chopped fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, or more goat cheese if desired.

Notes

*Choose a short pasta such as Lumaca Rigata, Penne, Ziti or small shells.
*Use gluten-free pasta for gluten-free recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 10gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 87mgPotassium: 589mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3940IUVitamin C: 24.4mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 2.7mg
Keyword Creamy Pasta, Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta
Tried this recipe? Have any questions, comments or suggestions? Leave a comment below!Mention @sweetandsavourypursuits or tag #sweetandsavourypursuits!

This recipe for Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta was originally published in July 2016. The post has been updated.

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Recipe Rating




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Phoebe

Tuesday 13th of October 2020

Taste nice, felt like it was missing something (not meat) but overall a good weeknight dinner.

Karen (Back Road Journal)

Monday 29th of April 2019

We had almost the same meal last night but with peas and tomatoes with rigatoni, next it will be with spinach. :)

Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Thursday 2nd of May 2019

So much fun to experiment with different flavours and textures!

Bouchra Chaoui

Saturday 20th of August 2016

What a great blog Fida, Bravo.

Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Monday 22nd of August 2016

Thank you so much Bouchra, your comment means a lot.

Karen

Friday 29th of July 2016

Perfect summer dish as we have such great tasting tomatoes now.

Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Saturday 30th of July 2016

Exactly, love to use products that are in season!

Florentina

Thursday 28th of July 2016

This looks so...divine!

Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

Saturday 30th of July 2016

Thanks so much Florentina!

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