Some days just call for something easy. You know the ones: when the to-do list is never-ending and dinner needs to happen like now. So whenever I’m tired and I’m hungry, quick skillet pasta dishes like this Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta are perfect for such an occasion. This easy spinach pasta recipe only requires a few ingredients, cooks up super fast, is perfect for any day of the week, and leaves me feeling full and happy. And judging by the rave reviews, I think it’s safe to say I’m not the only one who keeps this recipe on regular rotation! 😊
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“This dish is amazing! Was extremely impressed with how flavorful it is. Definitely will be making it again”
Sheryl
Easy Recipe for Tomato Spinach Pasta
Spinach pasta doesn’t have to be fancy to be good. I make this one with pantry staples and a few fridge basics, and it still delivers major comfort. It’s creamy, garlicky, and loaded with flavor, all without spending much at all. It’s the kind of thing I can throw together without overthinking it, and even picky eaters don’t argue whenever I make this on pasta night!
- If you’re not into cream cheese, you could add a splash (1/4 cup or so) of half and half or heavy cream to achieve a similar effect.
- I used regular pasta, but whole wheat would actually be pretty good in this and would add some extra fiber and nutrients. You can also switch out the shape for another short pasta, like bowtie pasta or rotini.
- If fresh spinach is just out of your price range, you can add about 8 oz frozen spinach that has been thawed and squeezed of its excess moisture.
- I think this recipe would be delicious with added veggies, too. Mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, and thinly sliced carrots would all work well. I’d cook them with the onions and garlic in the beginning and then carry on with the recipe as written.
- Some readers have also had success making this a one-pot pasta with spinach! To do this, they added the dry pasta with the tomatoes, seasonings, and water, but bumped the total amount of water up to about 2 cups total. Simmer until the pasta is cooked, adding more water if needed, then add the cream cheese, parm, and spinach!
Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta
- ½ lb penne pasta ($0.49)
- 1 yellow onion (small dice, 340g, 1.5 cups, $0.78)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced, 1 Tbsp, $0.12)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.18)
- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (1 can, $0.96)
- ½ tsp dried oregano ($0.12)
- ½ tsp dried basil ($0.13)
- ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- ½ tsp salt ($0.02)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.14)
- ½ cup water ($0.00)
- 2 oz cream cheese ($0.46)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan (30g, $0.51)
- 4 oz fresh spinach ($0.79)
Gather and prepare all ingredients.
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.
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Medium Skillet
Whisk
Measuring Cups Spoons
Serving: 1servingCalories: 363kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 13gFat: 11gSodium: 685mgFiber: 5g
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nutrition disclaimer here.
How to Make Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add ½ lb. penne pasta. Boil the pasta until tender, then drain in a colander. You’ll prepare the creamy tomato sauce while the pasta is cooking.
Sauté the onion and garlic: Add 1 diced yellow onion and 2 cloves minced garlic 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.
Make the sauce: Add ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper, ½ tsp freshly cracked pepper, and one 14.5 oz 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.
Stir in the spinach: Add 4 oz fresh spinach to the skillet. Stir the skillet until the heat from the sauce wilts the spinach (1-2 minutes).
Add the pasta: Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and stir to combine.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Shown garnished with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked pepper.
serving suggestions
This creamy tomato and spinach pasta is kind of a meal on its own, but I’m never one to turn down a good side. A slice of crusty garlic bread is always a win with pasta, and if you want to bulk things up a bit, you could top it with sliced baked chicken breast or brown some Italian sausage in the skillet before adding the onion and garlic. Add a simple Caesar salad, and you’ve got a full dinner spread that feels a little extra special (all while keeping to a budget, of course).
Storage & Reheating
Let any leftovers cool before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you want to reheat it, you could use the microwave or warm it gently on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen up the sauce.
Our Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta recipe was originally published on 8/13/2013. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 5/28/25.
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