This lovely pasta with tomatoes and spinach is ready in less than 20 minutes and it's packed with fresh spinach and cherry tomatoes. It's delicious, juicy, garlicky and makes a great meatless meal.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time13 minutesmins
Total Time18 minutesmins
Course: pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Pasta with tomatoes and spinach
Servings: 4
Calories: 291kcal
Author: Katia
Ingredients
PASTA
8oz(220 grams)pasta
TOMATO AND SPINACH SAUCE
1Tbspolive oil or extra virging olive oil
3garlic cloves, minced
9oz(250 grams)cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
½tspdried basil
¼tspfine salt, plus more to taste
⅛tspfreshly cracked black pepper
5oz(150 grams)baby spinach
¼ heaped cup(30 grams)grated parmesan cheese
To serve (optional)
grated parmesan cheese
freshly cracked pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat to bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve about ½ cup of cooking water, and drain the pasta.
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 45-60 seconds).
Add the tomatoes, basil, salt and a freshly cracked pepper. Sauté the tomatoes until the skins burst and the tomatoes begin to release their juices. Keep the heat to medium-low, stir and make sure the garlic doesn't burn.
Once the tomatoes begin to break down add the spinach, a large handful at a time, and stir it into the tomatoes until the spinach is wilted but still bright green (it should take max a couple of minutes).
At this point the tomatoes have created a sauce-like mixture on the bottom of the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Add the cooked and drained pasta to the pan, the parmesan cheese and a touch of pasta cooking water. Toss until the pasta is coated in the sticky sauce and everything is combined (you don't need all the reserved cooking water, but use just as much as needed to make everything nice and moist).
Serve with some grated parmesan cheese, seme freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if you wish.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS
Pasta - any short or long pasta is fine here, spaghetti, penne, fusilli etc.
Frozen spinach: it's ok, although fresh spinach and its texture is the best for this recipe. If you use frozen spinach make sure you defrost it and squeeze the excess water before adding it to the pan.
Canned tomatoes: if you can’t find fresh tomatoes, you can substitute one can of diced tomatoes in its place. Make sure to let it simmer a bit longer so the juices reduce and concentrate in flavor.
Herbs: fresh parsley or basil are great instead of dried basil, of course. But skip them if you wish. but you can use Grana Padano cheese instead, similar in taste to Parmesan but less expensive. Feel free to skip the cheese and keep it vegan if you wish!
Cheese: you can use Grana Padano cheese, similar in taste to Parmesan but less expensive. But skip the cheese if you wish to keep it vegan and dairy-free.
STORAGE
It keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Gently reheat in a non-stick pan with some olive oil over medium-low heat.
Nutrition facts: Please note that the nutrition values are based on an online nutrition calculator. It’s an estimate only and it should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. The nutrition value is for one serving (the extra parmesan cheese for serving and the final drizzle of olive oil are not included).