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One Pot Creamy Spinach Tomato Pasta Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 119 reviews

This One Pot Creamy Spinach Tomato Pasta is a comforting, flavorful dish featuring tender tomatoes cooked down into a smooth, creamy sauce enriched with parmesan and fresh herbs. Combining fresh spinach and basil with perfectly cooked pasta, this recipe offers a quick and satisfying meal perfect for weeknights or casual dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Produce

  • 6 medium tomatoes (about 780 g / 1 lb 11 oz), bottoms trimmed flat
  • 1 small red onion (100 g / 3.5 oz), finely chopped
  • 3–4 garlic cloves (12 g / 0.4 oz), minced
  • 2 cups fresh spinach (60 g / 2 oz)
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (loosely packed, 12 g / 0.4 oz)

Dairy & Vegan Alternatives

  • 1/3 cup vegan parmesan or regular parmesan (35 g / 1.2 oz)
  • 1/2 cup soy cream or regular cream (120 ml / 4 fl oz)
  • Extra parmesan for serving (optional)

Pantry

  • 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste (30 g / 1 oz)
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup water (120 ml / 4 fl oz)
  • 500 g pasta of choice (1 lb 2 oz)

Instructions

  1. Arrange & Cook Tomatoes: Place whole tomatoes, trimmed-bottom side down, in a large pan. Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic to the center of the pan. Season everything with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and their bottoms are lightly charred.
  2. Optional – Remove Skins: For a smoother sauce, carefully peel off the tomato skins after cooking and before adding the tomato paste. This step is optional but improves the texture of the sauce.
  3. Make the Sauce: To the cooked tomatoes and aromatics, add the tomato paste, vegan or regular parmesan, Italian seasoning, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Pour in the cream and water. Blend everything together into a smooth sauce using an immersion blender directly in the pan, or transfer to a blender. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  4. Thicken Sauce: If you used a separate blender, return the sauce to the pan and simmer it for 3 to 4 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce and meld the flavors.
  5. Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 8 to 12 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
  6. Combine: Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly. Stir in the fresh spinach and basil leaves, allowing the spinach to just wilt into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it and add extra creaminess.
  7. Serve: Serve the pasta hot, topped with extra parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves for garnish.

Notes

  • Removing tomato skins is optional but recommended for a smoother sauce texture.
  • You can substitute vegan parmesan and soy cream for a dairy-free version.
  • Use any pasta shape you prefer; shorter pasta like penne or fusilli works well to hold the sauce.
  • Reserve some pasta water before draining to adjust sauce consistency if needed.
  • For a richer sauce, use heavy cream instead of soy or regular cream.

Keywords: One pot pasta, creamy tomato pasta, spinach pasta, vegetarian pasta recipe, easy weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://thehungrymason.com/one-pot-creamy-spinach-tomato-pasta-recipe/