Budget Creamy Tomato Spinach Pasta
A wallet-friendly creamy pasta packed with fresh spinach
Prep 5 min
Cook 20 min
Total 25 min
Serves 4
This creamy tomato spinach pasta is an easy, affordable meal using common pantry ingredients like canned tomatoes, pasta, and cream cheese. With fresh spinach for added nutrition, it’s a comforting and flavorful dish that fits perfectly in any budget-friendly meal plan.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 lb penne pasta
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 oz fresh spinach
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in canned diced tomatoes with their juices, dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Add tomato paste and 1/2 cup water to the skillet, stirring to combine and loosen the sauce. Lower the heat to a simmer.
- Cut cream cheese into chunks and add to the skillet, stirring continuously until it melts and creates a creamy texture.
- Mix in grated Parmesan until fully incorporated. Add fresh spinach and cook, stirring gently, until the spinach wilts, about 2-3 minutes.
- Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce, stirring to coat evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve warm.
Pro tip: Reserve a little pasta cooking water before draining to thin the sauce if needed for extra creaminess.
Nutrition
This recipe works out to about 350 calories per serving. For the full breakdown, protein, carbs, and fat included, save it in the Forkful app: nutrition is calculated automatically from the ingredient list.
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