Easy wins again! I’m on day 6 of an 8 day work week, so that means two things: I’m tired and I’m hungry. Quick skillet pasta dishes like this Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta are perfect for such an occasion. They require only a few ingredients, cook up super fast, and leave me feeling full and happy! :)
Anyway, tomorrow is Monday (again) and the week will be long, so I hope this recipe helps make dinner time a little faster, easier, and more enjoyable for you this week! Enjoy!
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
What to Serve with Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta
This Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta recipe is kind of a meal on its own, but you may want to add a side dish, like crusty Garlic Bread, No Knead Focaccia Rolls, or a light Simple Side Salad. You can also beef up the recipe by adding some Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breasts, or browning some Italian sausage in the skillet in the beginning, before the onion and garlic.
Can I Substitute the Cream Cheese?
This version of Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta uses just a touch of cream cheese and Parmesan to make a regular tomato sauce ultra-rich and creamy. If you’re not into cream cheese, you could also add a splash (1/4 cup or so) of half and half or heavy cream to achieve a similar effect.
Can I Use a Different Pasta?
I used regular pasta, but whole wheat would actually be pretty good in this and would add some extra fiber and nutrients to make it a more well rounded meal. You can also switch out the shape for another short pasta, like bowtie pasta or rotini.
Can I Use Frozen Spinach?
I was lucky enough to get spinach on sale for $0.99 per bag (score!), but if fresh spinach is just out of your price range, you can add about 8oz. frozen spinach that has been thawed and squeezed of its excess moisture. This would also be really good with sliced mushrooms. Just cook the mushrooms along with the onions and garlic in the beginning. Or, hey, you could always do a plain creamy tomato sauce. Nothin’ wrong with that!
Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. penne pasta ($0.75)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.28)
- 2 cloves 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)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper (optional) ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- freshly cracked black pepper to 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 pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and continue to boil until tender (7-10 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the creamy tomato sauce. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (3-5 minutes).
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste has mixed into the sauce.
- Turn the heat down to low. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce is creamy. Add the Parmesan to the skillet and stir until it is melted into the sauce.
- Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (2-3 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Stainless Steel Pots and Pans
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups Spoons
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Video
Love this dish? Try our Spinach Tortellini Skillet!
How to Make Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta – Step by Step Photos
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 8oz. penne pasta. Boil the pasta until tender, then drain in a colander. You’ll prepare the creamy tomato sauce while the pasta is cooking.
Dice one onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add them to a large skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, a pinch of crushed red pepper, some freshly cracked pepper, and one 15oz. can diced tomatoes (with juices) to the skillet and stir to combine.
Also, add 2 Tbsp tomato paste and ½ cup water to the skillet. This will help make the sauce thicker and with a more tomatoey punch. Continue to stir and cook over medium heat until the tomato paste has been mixed into the sauce.
Turn the heat down to low. Cut 2 oz. cream cheese into chunks and add it to the skillet. Stir or whisk the sauce until the cream cheese has melted into the sauce. It will look a little clumpy at first, but the cream cheese will eventually melt and the sauce will smooth out.
Once the cream cheese has melted in, add ¼ cup grated Parmesan. Stir until the Parmesan has melted into the sauce.
Add 4 oz. fresh spinach to the skillet. Stir the skillet until the heat from the sauce wilts the spinach (1-2 minutes).
Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and stir to combine.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Shown garnished with another pinch of Parmesan and freshly cracked pepper.
Can I add chicken strips? Will it ruin the taste? I don’t cook and I’m not sure
You could! It definitely won’t ruin the taste, but since you’re adding more to the pasta you may want to increase some of the sauce ingredients as well so it’s saucy enough!
Great recipe! How much is a serving? 1 cup?
If there’s a certain serving size to note, it will be located next to the serving amount in the recipe card. For this recipe, it’s just 4 equal servings, there’s no measurement amount provided. :)
I used Banza chickpea pasta spirals for this recipe and it is delicious and diabetes friendly. Though don’t take my health advice! I used 1 tsp Italian seasoning and rosemary olive oil.
Did this exact same thing for more protein and it was amazing! This recipe is such a keeper
It’s a great base. We added more seasoning. We garden – so in the summer we will slow roast tomatoes, onion, basil, rosemary and garlic. We then freeze in ice cube trays, break out, vacuum seal the cubes; then add to any savoury dish those flavours would work in. Also added more cream cheese to make it creamier. Salt and pepper too.
I would make this again. Thanks!
I’m not a fan of onions, so I didnt use it. But man, this is DELICIOUS. So much so that I invited a friend over just so I could make this for her. Thanks, Beth! One thing I might suggest.. I’m a new mom and new to the working of cooking homemade meals as my parents rarely did: can you add if you can make your recipes ahead of time, or more importantly how long your meals can last in the fridge as leftovers? Thanks again, Beth!
We try to add that info when available, but a lot of times it’s hard to predict without testing and it can depend a lot on several factors, including personal preference, so there isn’t always a definitive answer.
For dairy free, could I use a half can (or so ) of full fat coconut milk?
We haven’t tried it but I think that should be just fine! I usually hear good things about the Country Crock Plant Cream in creamy sauces as well.
This is such a good, quick weeknight meal, and I especially love it because I usually have most of these ingredients on hand. In case else anyone is wondering if you can “one pot” it, I tried it out this week and it came out great!
This is what I did:
-skipped step 1 of boiling the pasta and went right to sauteing the onions and garlic.
-added all of the ingredients from step 3 (tomatoes, spices, etc) – stirred to combine
-added about a cup and a half (I just used the can the diced tomatoes came in, to be honest) of chicken broth – I use better than boullion – plus the uncooked pasta
-followed the usual BudgetBytes guidelines for cooking one-pot pasta (brought to a boil, lowered to a simmer, covered and cooked until the pasta was al-dente and sauce had thickened slightly
-added the cream cheese, parmesan and spinach as described in the recipe
Quick and very tasty. The whole meal can be done in 25 minutes, my family loved it. Best with a pasta with grooves on it.
Delicious! This was my first time making this recipe, but it’s so easy that I’m adding it to my veggie week rotation menu. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe has been a favorite in our meal rotation for months! Reliable, pretty quick, and easy to modify to your liking (I use double the amount of cream cheese and about a cup of shredded parmesan).
I also have started making a variation with quinoa instead of noodles and chopped zucchini to make a delicious and satisfying meal prep lunch for the week!
So tasty! Only change I’ll make is that my garlic didn’t have as strong of a flavor as I like, so I’ll add more next time. I love how quick and easy this recipe is. Definitely adding this one to my recipe box.
I’ve made this dish many times and each time it’s a hit. This one of my husband’s favorites!
I’ve made this many times. It’s one of my go to recipes. Today I substituted spaghetti squash for the pasta. Really good!
Very good recipe, and easy to tweak! I used a 28oz can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (they make the best sauce in my book!) and eliminated the diced tomatoes and paste. Also, simmered fresh basil from the garden until wilted, then discarded. Used about a cup of water to rinse the can of tomatoes into the sauce, and reserved about a cup of pasta water to thin it out and add some body towards the end. Wife loved it, I loved it, it’s a winner! Thanks!
I followed recipe perfectly. It did not have much flavor. Very bland. Will not make again. I wouldn’t recommend, it’s not a memorable dish.
I got it down to 1 pot by making in the pressure cooker, for those interested. Saute onion and garlic with the saute setting, add pasta (I doubled everything, so 1 lb pasta), add tomatoes and seasonings. Add 3.5 cups of water, top with spinach. Note- don’t stir. Pressure cook for 6 minutes. Then add cream cheese, tomato paste, and parm. Thanks for the easy, cheap, and family pleasing dinner!