This Spinach & Tomato penne in a creamy roasted red pepper sauce is packed with veggies and tastes great! It’s a quick and easy recipe that’s a go to in our household. The kids love the taste and I can throw it together in less than 20 minutes. You can make this dish with any type of pasta, I usually prefer to make it with penne. We use Barilla pasta in our home – it’s a great tasting high quality pasta, at a reasonable price point.
What you will need for this spinach and tomato penne (makes 4 servings):
- 3 cups penne pasta
- few handfuls of fresh spinach
- 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic
- few chopped mushrooms (optional)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
- 1 bottle of roasted red peppers (210ml)
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream (or milk for a lighter version)
- 1/2 cup of chicken stock
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- handful of fresh basil leaves
Directions:
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add a splash of olive oil and cook the pasta to your liking (I used Barilla penne pasta cooked for 12 minutes) Drain and set aside
- While the pasta is cooking, add a teaspoon of olive oil to a heated pan over medium heat. Throw in the cherry tomatoes and let them cook until the juices burst. Add in the spinach and stir until wilted. If you are using mushroom, add then and stir for a little bit. Add the veggies to the cooked pasta
- Combine the roasted red peppers, heavy cream, chicken stock, parmesan cheese, chili flakes and basil leaves and blend until pureed
- Add the sauce to the hot pasta. Enjoy!
Looking for an appetizer to enjoy with this pasta? Check out my maple roasted beet salad recipe here!