Again, it’s easy! It’s day 6 of my 8-day work week. That means that I’m exhausted and hungry. These quick skillet pasta recipes, such as Creamy Tomato Pasta and Spinach Pasta, are ideal for such occasions. These pasta dishes are quick to prepare, require very few ingredients and leave me satisfied and happy. 🙂

Tomorrow is Monday again, and the week will be very long. I hope that this recipe makes dinner easier, faster, and more enjoyable. Enjoy!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SPINACH PASTA AND CREAMY TOMATO

Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta is a great side dish to this recipe. You can also add crusty Garlic bread, No-Knead Focaccia rolls or a simple Side Salad. The recipe can be more flavorful by adding Garlic Herb Baked Chicken breasts or browning some Italian sausage right before adding the onions and garlic.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE CREAM CHEESE?

Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta are made with a little cream cheese and Parmesan. This makes regular tomato sauce rich and creamy. To achieve the same effect, you can add 1/4 cup of half and heavy cream.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT PASTA?

Although I used regular pasta for this recipe, whole wheat would be great and add more nutrients and fibre to make it a better meal. Alter the shape to make a shorter pasta like rotini or bowtie pasta.

FROZEN SPINACH – CAN I USE IT?

I was able to score spinach for $0.99 per bag. However, fresh spinach can be purchased at approximately 8oz. Frozen spinach has been thawed and then squeezed out any excess moisture. This recipe is also great with sliced mushrooms. You can cook the mushrooms in the same way as the onions and garlic at the beginning. You could also make a simple creamy tomato sauce. There’s nothing wrong with that!

SPINACH PASTA AND CREAMY TOMATO

This creamy tomato and spinach pasta recipe are much easier than buying a box. It’s also delicious and more flavorful than any other type of meal. 100% real ingredients.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 lb. penne pasta ($0.75)
  • 1 yellow onion ($0.28)
  • 2 cloves of garlic ($0.16)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
  • 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.59)
  • 1/2 tsp dried Oregano ($0.05).
  • 1/2 tsp dried Basil ($0.05)
  • One teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional). ($0.02)
  • 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
  • Freshly cracked black pepper for taste ($0.03)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste ($0.08)
  • 2 oz. cream cheese ($0.20)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.31)
  • 4 oz. fresh spinach ($0.65)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Bring a large saucepan of water to boil on high heat. Boil the pasta until it is tender (7-10 minutes). The pasta should be strained into a colander.
  • Prepare the creamy tomato sauce while the pasta is still cooking. Chop the onion and mince garlic. Place the onion, garlic and olive oil in a large skillet. Cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
  • Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), Basil, crushed red peppers, salt, and freshly cracked pepper to the skillet. Mix well. Stir in the tomato paste with 1/2 cup of water. Continue to stir the sauce until it is well combined.
  • Reduce the heat to low. The cream cheese should be cut into small pieces. Stir the sauce with a whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Stir in the Parmesan and continue to stir the sauce until it is incorporated into the cream cheese.
  • Stir the fresh spinach into the skillet. Continue to stir until the spinach is wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Stir the pasta in the tomato sauce until it is coated. Adjust the salt and flavour to taste. Serve warm

NUTRITION

Serving Size: 1 Serving Calories: 309.43 Kilocalories: 54.15 G Protein: 11.53 G Fat: 5.75 G Sodium: 348.9 M Fiber: 5.75 G