This quick spinach tomato pasta recipe comes together in about 20 minutes. Enjoy it as a flavorful vegetarian meal or add your favorite protein for extra heartiness!
If you love pasta with spinach, don’t miss this sausage and spinach penne pasta bake, this one-pot chicken and spinach pasta, and this pasta with sausage and spinach, too!
I made this last night for my family and they gobbled it up! I added ground turkey and subbed mozzarella for the parmesan since that’s what I had on hand. Thanks for a great recipe!
– Natalie
This Quick Spinach Tomato Pasta Recipe is a Fresh Family Dinner
I occasionally ask blog readers to share their favorite last-minute weeknight dinner ideas with me. After all, you can never have too many easy options for those evenings when you want to avoid another trip to the grocery store! This particular pasta with spinach and tomatoes comes from a reader named Linda, who sent it to me years ago.
It’s a great option to keep in your back pocket because it only requires about 20 minutes (from start to finish!), and you probably already have most of the ingredients on hand. It’s nothing fancy, it’s just a really flavorful and satisfying vegetarian dinner! Toss some quick garlic bread in the oven, and you’ve got a complete meal the whole family will love.
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- You can use any shape of pasta in this recipe, but I love penne because the creamy tomato sauce clings to its ridges.
- I use 2 heaping cups of baby spinach leaves, which wilts down considerably and doesn’t dominate the dish (my kids prefer it this way). If you like lots of spinach in your pasta, that’s fine! Add an entire 4- or 5-ounce bag of baby spinach leaves to the skillet.
- If you like a pasta dish with meat, you can add 1 lb. of ground Italian sausage (browned and drained), 1 lb. of cooked shrimp, 1 lb. of ground beef (browned and drained), 1 lb. of ground turkey (browned and drained), or about 2 cups of cooked diced chicken. To keep it vegetarian, try tofu or more vegetables like sauteed zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, or asparagus.
- I find that freshly grated Parmesan cheese (from a wedge) melts smoother into the sauce than a jar of pre-grated cheese.
How to Make Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes
This quick and easy spinach tomato pasta recipe uses fresh ingredients and delicious flavors for a satisfying yet easy weeknight meal. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Boil a large pot of well-salted water on the stovetop and add your pasta. Cook to al dente, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, make the creamy tomato sauce. To do so, saute garlic and onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the tomatoes, seasoning, tomato paste, and water. Then stir in the cream cheese. Gradually add the Parmesan, stirring constantly until all of the ingredients come together smoothly.
- Stir in the fresh spinach (it will cook down), then slowly add the half-and-half or heavy cream, stirring just until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Use more or less cream to taste.
- Add the cooked, drained pasta. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
- Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and extra grated Parm!
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Spinach and Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, not drained
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Dash of ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 ounces diced cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (or more as desired)
- ¼ cup half-and-half or heavy cream (or more as needed)
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil; additional Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of well salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir in the tomato paste and ½ cup of water until completely combined.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese. Continue stirring over low heat until the cream cheese smoothly melts into the sauce. Gradually add the Parmesan cheese, stirring until completely combined. Stir in the fresh spinach; cook over low heat just until the spinach wilts, about 1 more minute. Stir in the cream, adding more if necessary until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
- Add the cooked pasta; toss to coat in the sauce. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
Pasta with spinach and tomatoes is delicious alongside a loaf of crusty no-knead Dutch oven bread, soft dinner rolls, or garlic bread. For a fresh, crisp addition to the meal, try a green salad dressed in Italian balsamic vinaigrette, Dijon vinaigrette, or red wine vinegar salad dressing. You might also like this garlic roasted broccoli recipe, a tomato salad with basil and balsamic, or this tomato cucumber onion salad.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- I do not recommend freezing this recipe, since pasta tends to get mushy when thawed and the cream-based sauce will break or have a grainy texture.
- To reheat, place the pasta and sauce a saucepan or skillet, cover, and warm over low heat just until the dish reaches the desired temperature. Add extra cream or even a splash of broth, warm water, or white wine, if necessary, to thin the sauce. Be careful not to boil or reheat it for too long, or the pasta will get mushy. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- The great thing about this simple pasta dish is that you can use your favorite kind and shape of pasta. Use protein-rich pasta, whole wheat pasta, or whatever lifestyle-friendly pasta you prefer. Most pasta shapes will work well in this dish, too — try rotini, fusilli, rigatoni, farfalle, or cavatappi. Even spaghetti, angel hair, or macaroni would work.
- Canned petite diced tomatoes are a quick and easy base for the creamy tomato sauce. You can substitute with finely chopped fresh tomatoes with their juices.
- I prefer to use fresh spinach, but you can use frozen spinach if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure to thaw it completely and squeeze out as much moisture as possible before adding it to the tomato sauce.
- Instead of dried oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes, season the dish with a classic Italian seasoning blend or swap out dried herbs for fresh basil and fresh oregano. If using fresh herbs, you’ll need more of them since the flavor isn’t as strong as the dried version.
- For a similar dish, try this pesto cream pasta with chicken and broccoli or this viral sensation, baked feta tomato pasta.
More Spinach and Tomato Pasta Recipes
Spinach Stuffed Shells
1 hour hr
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Spinach
40 minutes mins
Ravioli Lasagna with Ricotta and Spinach
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Originally published in January, 2020, this post was updated in April, 2025.
Pasta is my favorite comfort food and spinach is my favorite health food so a meal that mixes them both is my kinda meal. Thanks for this easy spinach pasta recipe!
Thanks, Scarlet! I hope that you get a chance to try it!
I’m trying this tonight, or later this week. Looks and sounds delicious!
Wonderful! Enjoy, Betsy! 🙂 I think I’m going to make it again later this week, too!
I made this last night for my family and they gobbled it up! I added ground turkey and subbed mozzarella for the parmesan since that’s what I had on hand. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks, Natalie! I’m so glad that it was a hit with your family! 🙂
Healthy pasta
Organic Moringa exporters in India
Hi! Do you Cho your spinach first before you add it or remove the stems?
Hi Kayla! We don’t. We just add it in whole. We hope you enjoy!