Go Back
+ servings
close up shot of wooden spoon digging into pot of pasta
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Simply Delicious Tomato Spinach Pasta

This spinach tomato pasta is rich, creamy and loaded with flavour. Better still, it's all made in one pot!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Cost: £2.50 / $3

Equipment

  • Large Pot & Wooden Spoon
  • Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
  • Jug (for stock)
  • Fine Cheese Grater

Ingredients

  • 14oz / 400g Penne, uncooked
  • 4 cups / 1 litre Chicken Stock, not piping hot!
  • 1 cup / 250ml Double/Heavy Cream, at room temp
  • 1 cup / 125g Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
  • 1/3 cup / 3oz / 85g Tomato Paste (Tomato Puree in UK)
  • 1/2 cup / 40g freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup finely diced Fresh Basil
  • 4oz / 120g Baby Spinach
  • 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves of Garlic, minced/finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Oil (or Olive Oil)
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes, or to preference

Instructions

  • In a large pot over medium heat add oil and begin frying the onion. Once soft & slightly browned, add in sun dried tomatoes & garlic and fry for a further couple of minutes.
  • Add tomato paste and fry for 2-3mins, then pour in chicken stock. Give it a stir to blend in the tomato puree and deglaze the pan, then pour in cream (important the cream is at room temp and the stock isn't too hot or the cream may curdle).
  • Add a chilli flakes, salt and pepper (to taste) then add uncooked pasta. Turn heat to low medium and keep it on a gentle simmer until the pasta is about 75% cooked (stirring fairly frequently). Add in spinach & basil and continue stirring until the spinach wilts down. If the sauce soaks up before the pasta/spinach is cooked add in more hot water or stock as needed. You're looking for it to be al dente though (still a teeny bit hard).
  • Stir in parmesan, then serve up and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Stock/Cream - Try and make the stock a little ahead of time so it's not boiling hot, and make sure the cream is room temp (or close to). If you pour cold cream into a pot of hot stock you risk it curdling.
b) Basil - You could use dried basil (2 tsp should suffice) but add it in with the salt&pepper and chilli flakes, just so it's go times to infuse the sauce.
c) Calories - one portion (1/4 of whole recipe).

Nutrition

Calories: 716kcal | Carbohydrates: 98.04g | Protein: 16.32g | Fat: 31.6g | Saturated Fat: 16.49g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.511g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.339g | Trans Fat: 0.111g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 1253mg | Fiber: 14.6g | Sugar: 10.69g | Vitamin A: 4351IU | Vitamin C: 21.4mg | Calcium: 213mg | Iron: 3.8mg