Easy and Creamy One Pot Tomato Spinach Pasta Recipe
- Updated on Nov 16, 2022
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In just 25 minutes, you could be staring at a warm bowl of this creamy, filling and vitamin-packed tomato spinach pasta. Incredibly easy to make and tasty as heck, this meal is sure to delight even the pickiest of eaters in your family!
There’s just something comforting about having a quick dinner recipe in mind when I’m headed home after a tiring day at work and I live for the nights I get to enjoy this one.
Pasta is garnished with a savory and creamy yogurt-tomato sauce with spinach, seasoned to perfection, and made in one pot for a hearty 25-minute meal the whole family can enjoy.
What could possibly make a greater weeknight dinner?
Have it however you like with whatever you wish, but have a look at the main ingredients I used which I highlighted below!
Ingredients
Creamy Ingredients
To give this tomato spinach that nice, rich consistency and savour, I used some olive oil, tomatoes, thick tomato paste and some greek yoghurt but feel free to use substitutes that suit your taste better.
Any cooking oil would do and if you’d really like your tomato spinach pasta creamy, I’d recommend canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones and some sweet and tangy vegan cream cheese or heavy cream to replace the greek yoghurt.
Spices, Herbs and Pasta
Nothing spells flavour like onion and fresh garlic do, so they’re an absolute must for this easy pasta recipe.
The dried oregano and basil work wonders here, but you can easily switch them out for some dried thyme, parsley or even marjoram leaves.
Salt and pepper will always have a place in my kitchen cabinet as well as my meals and half a teaspoon of both was just what i needed to enhance the taste of this one. But, that’s just me. Feel free to use as much or as little as you please.
Use frozen or fresh spinach and for the pasta, anyone would work fine. But if you’re aiming for your dish to look like ours, I’d suggest you go for one of the tubular types.
Pick whole-grain pasta to make your meal lower in calories.
You could even consider throwing some bell peppers, some extra fresh cherry tomatoes and a bit of cayenne pepper.
Whichever route you choose, you should end up with a nice bowl of some creamy and delightful pasta dish!
How many calories are in this tomato spinach pasta?
This delicious tomato spinach pasta recipe has about 536 and 26g protein per serving.
A single portion of this meal will provide you with:
- kcal 536kcal
- Carbs 86g
- Fat 14g
- Protein 26g
And let’s not forget, this creamy tomato spinach pasta recipe just needs 25 mins. Now, that’s a hell of a great deal!
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Health Benefits
A great meal makes you feel even better when you know what you’re eating is good for you. This is why we like to pick the healthiest simple ingredients for our recipes and this tomato spinach pasta is no different.
Take tomatoes for instance; the nutritional profile of tomatoes shows us this fruit is filled with vitamins, is low in carbs and high in fibre.
Greek yogurt doesn’t just make a damn good topping for soups and mixed with berries, a great breakfast, but it’s also a great source of calcium and besides boosting metabolism, there are many other health benefits associated with greek yogurt.
And how about those leafy greens, ey? The nutritional value of spinach comes with a range of medical advantages and let’s not forget, it’s flavour adds some oomph to this pasta as well.
There are so many reasons why we love pasta and why you should too but we’ll keep this short. Asides from it’s versatility and affordability, there are so many reasons why you should eat more pasta.
All those tied together are what makes this creamy tomato spinach pasta the bomb meal it is. Find out how you can make your very own below!
How to make the best tomato spinach pasta
- Heat up a large pot of water for your regular penne pasta and while that’s happening, dice your onions, grate or chop your garlic and your tomatoes if you’re using fresh ones.
- Bring the pasta water to a boil then add some salt and oil to the bubbling water for taste. For best results, follow the package instructions.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pot or large skillet over medium-high heat and add your prepped onions and garlic. Let this cook for 2-3 minutes till they’re all nice and translucent.
- Add your canned or fresh tomatoes but note, chopped tomatoes will make the pasta a little more watery than creamy, so keep that in mind.
- Throw in your leafy greens, all your spices, the tomato paste or tomato puree, greek yoghurt and stir till everything’s well combined and all dissolved in the sauce.
- Now it’s time for the parmesan cheese. Once you’ve added the cheese, drain the cooked pasta and toss it in the creamy tomato sauce as well.
- Lower the heat to let it all simmer and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Remember to taste and add some extra salt and pepper to make it even tastier if you wish.
Take it off the heat and that’s about it. Your delicious meal is all done!
FAQs for Tomato Spinach Pasta
How can I make the tomato spinach pasta ahead?
If you’d like to make this tomato-spinach pasta ahead, all you have to do is prep the pasta, chop the garlic, onions and tomatoes (if you’re using fresh ones) and grate the hard cheese. Bring everything together when you’re ready to have your meal.
How to store and reheat the tomato-spinach pasta?
You can keep this for a day or two in an airtight container and store in the fridge and throw it in the microwave when you’re in the mood for some again. It’s best served fresh though, so I’d recommend you don’t make portions greater than you can eat.
What to serve with the tomato spinach pasta?
This tomato spinach pasta is a full meal on its own so you won’t be needing any sides or toppings for this. What you can have is a nice and chilly refreshment to go with it, but that’s optional and completely up to you.
Is tomato pasta healthy?
Tomato pasta is incredibly healthy, with the two main ingredients providing a range of health benefits. It’s important to note though, creamy tomato pasta usually has more calories than regular tomato pasta, so keep that in mind.
More Tubular Pasta Recipes
What Our Readers are Saying
Just made this tonight and it was DEEEEE-Lish! 🙂 Super easy and fast and good for you. This will become a classic for me Im sure, thank you very much 🙂
Lisa ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wowwww this was quick yet amazinggggg! Thanks so much !!
Zeeze ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Good damn, never made pasta in my life before. Made it, ate it to my hearts content.
Meet Shah ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Looking for other healthy dinner ideas? Check out our list of vegetarian main course recipes for some inspiration. If you loved this pasta dish, our vegan chickpea curry and creamy broccoli pasta are also sure to be weeknight dinner hits.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 oz wholegrain pasta
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3.5 oz spinach (frozen spinach works too)
- 1 can tomatoes, diced (~14 oz/400g)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1.5 oz hard cheese, grated
- 1 tsp oregano, dried
- 1 tsp basil, dried
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 5 tbsp low fat Greek yogurt (2%; or cream cheese, if you want to be naughty)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions.6 oz wholegrain pasta
- Dice the onion, grate or chop the garlic.1 small onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, cook until translucent.2 tsp olive oil
- Add the diced tomatoes and spinach.3.5 oz spinach, 1 can tomatoes, diced
- Add the tomato paste, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, sugar and pepper.2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp oregano, dried, 1 tsp basil, dried, 1 pinch red pepper flakes, Salt and pepper to taste
- Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add the Greek yogurt. Stir until both are dissolved into the sauce. (The lower heat stops the Greek yogurt for overcooking)5 tbsp low fat Greek yogurt
- Now add the hard cheese.1.5 oz hard cheese, grated
- Drain and add the pasta.
- Stir occasionally for 1 minute. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
- Dinner is ready!
NOTES
Nutrition
Here at hurry the food up, creating quick, easy, tasty and nutritious meals is our forte and this tomato spinach recipe is testament to that (more quick veggie dinners here).
And we’re not even done; there’s a lot more in store for you.
Just subscribe to any of our free meal plans and enjoy a world of exciting, easy and wonderful vegetarian recipes!
Dave
I’m not a foodie, although I do love eating. I believe food should serve us and our goals, not hinder. Taking control and responsibility for what I eat is important to me. Lots of veggie protein is my way forward.
Comments
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48 comments
Pasta is my comfort food par excellence. I wouldn’t be able to pour one tablespoon of olive oil only, I ready need to control myself when it comes to oil! I like the idea of adding Greek yogurt, I only recently add it to my tomato sauce and I was really pleased of the final result. Yum!
You are completely right, just 1 tbsp of olive oil is definitely calculated too tight! Actually using more of it shouldn’t do you any harm at all. I heard that some women in the mediterranean areas actually drink 2 or 3 tablespoons of pure olive oil per day for their health. Not sure how true the story is though 😉
I played around with it a lot in order to find a healthier option than cream cheese that still tastes good. Greek yogurt is my favorite “substitute” so far:-)
This is probably the best looking pasta I have seen.. words cannot describe how badly I am craving a bowl to devour right now. Love how simply and quick the recipe is to, definitely will be recreating it!
Now that is a compliment! Thanks a lot 😀
I’m halfway through this…Can I add the cream cheese well in advance or is it best to add at the last minute? Thanks!
Hi Helena, sorry we didn’t get there quicker! I’d add it at the last minute, and give it a good stir while still on a low heat 🙂
Found this recipe, my 2 year old loves it and gets all her veggies in. Thanks for such a simple yet delicious recipe. I end up using while tomatoes rather than canned to lessen the salt context cause toddler. Lol
Ha! Funny enough my 4 year old enjoys this recipe a lot as well! (more than others on this site lol)
Wow this pasta looks delicious! Love the addition of spinach in there, I bet kale would be great as well.
Thanks! Great to hear 😀
Yes, I’m sure kale would be good as well. I tried the dish with chard the other day, but I wasn’t convinced.
Just made this tonight and it was DEEEEE-Lish! 🙂 Super easy and fast and good for you. This will become a classic for me Im sure, thank you very much 🙂
Great! We’re very happy to hear that. You’re welcome! 🙂
I added olives, simply because I love olives! 🙂 Great recipe… A delicious and simple weekday meal. Thanks!!
This is a great recipe – so tasty and quick. I love pasta beyond all measure, and this one is going to be staple from now on. I didn’t have dried basil, so I added a cube of frozen pesto instead. By George, I think it worked!
Thanks a lot George!!
Yess, this one is deffo one of my go to recipes for a weeknight dinner 😀
Tomato pasta is one of my favorite; I love tomato pasta of my mom’s hand. She is very expert in cooking. I will tell her to cook this recipe for me.
Thanks Anders, hope she’ll like the recipe 😀
Why do the ingredients say 3 tbsp of olive oil but the actual instructions say 1 tbsp? Which is it? I’m in the process of making it now 🙂
Hi there, Katie! Deffo the three tbsp! Will update it right now. Thanks for catching the mistake.
Had the recipe yesterday as well. Excellent way to get some spinach in 😀
Also, if you like the dish now, then you’ll like the leftovers tomorrow even more!
Wowwww this was quick yet amazinggggg! Thanks so much !!
Awesome to hear Zeeze!! 😀
Thanks a lot for commenting!
Super excited to cook this tonight and eat as I sit down to watch Game Of Thrones! Excellent recipe, hope it’s as good as it looks!
Niceee GoT is awesome 😀
I’m fan of the Hound, my favorite anti hero at the moment.
Woahh, I’m as excited as you are now, I hope you like the dish!! *fingerscrossed*
Good damn, never made pasta in my life before. Made it, ate it to my hearts content.
Hahaaa, love your comment! Thanks for the props, man 😀
This recipe is great. I was scrambling for what to make for dinner and I didn’t have all the ingredients, but it still turned out well. I had to skip the onions, use cream cheese instead of greek yogurt, and cherry tomatoes instead of a can of tomatoes.
It turned out well, however, the instructions could have been written better to help the cooking process:
1. While the water is heating, dice the onion, prepare the garlic (as desired), and chop the tomatoes (if not using a can).
2. Add the pasta when the water is boiling (and salt to taste & a small amount of oil).
3. Once the ingredients are prepared, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 5 minutes or until translucent. Stirring occasionally.
5. Add the tomatoes.
6. Add the fresh spinach. (It cooks better if you put it in before the sauce).
7. Add the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
8. Add the tomato paste and the greek yogurt. Stir until both are dissolved into the sauce.
11. Now add the parmesan.
12. Drain the pasta.
13. Lower the heat of the skillet to a simmer and add the pasta.
14. Stir occasionally for 1 minute. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
15. Dinner is ready!
Fair shout V! I just gave our recipe a complete re-haul, also including most of your suggestions. Check it out 😉
Thanks for the props as well!
I just found your blog while looking for a quick dinner that works with the random recipes left in my fridge on the night before I shop. 😉 Not only do I love the name (haha!!) but I love this recipe! I’m subbing canned coconut milk for the yogurt/cream cheese bc we have it in the house at all times. Thanks for the recipe! xo
ingredients…not recipes…I’m so hungry, haha!
Excellent pasta dish! Used labneh instead of greek yogurt and it turned out delicious. I also used fresh tomatoes and it was perfect.
Really awesome to hear, Jasmine!! Glad you liked the pasta 😀
Hi how much coconut milk did you use?
Hi there, I don’t think we used any coconut milk at all in this recipe, but about 3-4 tbsp of Greek yogurt. If you want to I’m sure you could replace the yogurt with the milk – and use probably 7-8 tbsp instead. I hope that helps!
I was wanting to make something for dinner tonight using ingredients I already had on hand. I googled “recipes using tomatoes and spinach” and yours came up. I had about 6 oz. of raw chicken in the freezer that I diced and added to the veggies. I only used about a teaspoon of oil to cook it all out. Also, I added a little chopped bell pepper and shallot to the veggies. The sauce was a little thick so I added the remains (about a cup) of a jar of salsa I had in the fridge, and it all came together wonderfully! Hubby raved.
Awesome, versatile recipe. Thank you so much!!
I LOVE this pasta but the rest of my family is very picky and traditional and I can’t eat all of it alone. So I’m wondering does it keep well in the fridge till tomorrow. My mother was always shouting about not reheating spinach….?
Hey Suki! How are you? Haha well, I’ve heard exactly the same about reheating spinach and I have looked into it a couple of times. This is the best site I found on it so far: https://foodsguy.com/reheating-spinach/. I personally have reheated spinach and nothing happened to me – see what you think after reading the points here. I’m glad you liked the recipe so much!
I’m just fine (having more time these days for cooking and exercising than ever- so when this quarantine ends no one will recognise me :-P) How are you? …thank you for the article it was very informative and looks sound to me so I say hello to slowly reheating spinach and finally stop kicking it out of the meals because I supposedly cannot store them if the green guys in it. 🙂
Btw, reading you’re alive and well after trying also helps :)))
Hahahaha yes, so far so good re reheated spinach :D. I’m glad you’re doing well too – exercise and cooking sounds great! The same here really, only that I can’t travel to the studio kitchen in Berlin right now for the photography and videos with Hauke. But we’re working on recipe development and keeping busy with that, so in a few weeks (or whenever things or more normal) we should have a new big supply of recipes coming through! Stay healthy, Suki 🙂
I made this recipe for my whole family and everyone LOVED IT so much!! Everyone agreed it tasted better than you get at a lot of restaurants (a lot of them eat at Olive Garden regularly tho so that’s not surprising lol) and it was so easy to make!
I used rigatoni pasta instead of penne cause that’s what it looked like in the pictures and it looked delicious! I thought it would hold the sauce better and it worked really well, it looked just like the picture and tasted even better than I expected. The only thing was the onions should’ve cooked a bit longer than 5 mins for me, cause I thought they were translucent enough and they still ended up pretty crunchy. So when it says translucent it MEANS translucent lol so being patient there would’ve been worth it for me. Unless you like the onions a little more crunchy, then it’s fine! It didn’t really take anything away, still absolutely loved it 🙂
Thank you so much for the amazing recipe, it’s definitely gonna be one of my all time favorites to make :)) Also I really love the feature that lets you choose how many servings you need!! I can’t tell you how useful it is to not have to do the math when you’re cooking for 7!
Wow, thank you Em! So happy to hear you all enjoyed it – and thank you for the feedback! Yes, the servings feature has been a game-changer for us too, we use it all the time! Haha yes, a little patience for the onions does pay off :D. Thanks for writing, Em!
When I tried to make it, it did not taste good so I followed the instructions again and I found I forgot to put spinach and Greek yogurt. I tried again and it was so tasty.
Oh! Haha yes, integral indeed. I’m glad it worked out well in the end!
This was really good. The only thing I would changed is I added the frozen spinach a little later in the recipe to keep the spinach looking nice and bright green. Very delicious. As the recipe indicated that using fresh tomatoes would require letting the recipe stand for 24 hours, but I just simmered it a bit longer to consume the liquid, and it was fine!
Sounds like you made it amazingly Natalie! Yes, with the spinach, if they’re leaves, they could go in at the very end. Here we often get it frozen in big lumps and it needs a bit more time . I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for writing!
Made this tonight for dinner. Was easy to make and so delicious!! I can’t stop eating it! Great recipe!
Awesome!! Really glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for writing 🙂
Made this tonight for dinner. We enjoyed it very much. Very tasty recipe. Love the added spinach and yogurt. Thanks.
Ah, that’s great to hear, Isabel! Glad the pasta turned out tasty 🙂