Creamy Tomato And Spinach Pasta

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 15 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 lb penne pasta
• 9 ounces fresh spinach

Recipe

• 1 bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
• 2 add the pasta and cook until tender (7 to 10 minutes). drain the pasta in a colander.
• 3 while waiting for the pasta to cook, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
• 4 cook both in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened and transparent, about 5 minutes.
• 5 add the diced tomatoes with juices, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet with the onions and garlic.
• 6 stir to combine. add the tomato paste and a 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste is dissolved into the sauce.
• 7 turn the heat down to low. cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and then add them to the skillet with the tomato sauce.
• 8 use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted in and the sauce is creamy.
• 9 add half of the parmesan to the skillet and whisk until it is melted inches add the remainder of the parmesan and whisk until melted in again.
• 10 add the fresh spinach and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (3 to 5 minutes). add the pasta and stir until it is well coated with the creamy tomato sauce.
• 11 taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. serve warm.