Easy Tomato and Spinach Pasta! Loaded with juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, olive oil, and a kick of red pepper flakes! This quick and easy pasta recipe is fast, flavorful, and budget friendly!
Recipe by Ashley Manila on May 15, 2026
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT35M
Rating
4.95 stars (74 reviews)
Ingredients
1 lb penne (or your preferred pasta variety)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 pints grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup white wine or chicken broth
2 cups fresh spinach
Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Categories
Dinner
Cuisine
Italian
Steps
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add oil to a large, wide pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add in the crushed red pepper flakes, tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst and give off their juices, about 9 to 10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to gently press the tomatoes if they're not bursting on their own.
Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in the wine and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Finally, stir in the spinach and cook until slightly wilted.
In the meantime, add the penne into the boiling water and cook for 9 to 10 minutes, or until al dente.
Drain the pasta, reserving a 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Toss the pasta immediately into the pot with the sauce and stir well to combine. Add in some of the reserved cooking water, if needed. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Remove from heat and divide among serving bowls. Top with cheese and serve at once!
Reviews
Kellye on 2026-07-14 (5 stars): This was wonderful!!
Judy on 2026-07-03 (5 stars): I only have ravioli available presently. Do you think it will hold up in this recipe?
Robin on 2026-05-23 (5 stars): I made this recipe.I added mushrooms and white tuna. So much flavor!!! Delicious!!! Very filling, made enough to have leftovers.
Karen on 2026-05-13 (5 stars): Delicious!
JB on 2026-02-18 (5 stars): I came here to reprint this recipe because my current copy is so splattered from making this recipe so many times. This recipe is delicious! We make it monthly in our family and we devour it. We have made tweaks along the way. I always add chicken (baked & shredded chicken breasts). I sometimes use 2 cans of diced tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes because it's what I have on hand. We always double it for leftovers or lunches. Sometimes I add extras veggie, especially in the summer. As written it's delicious and even tweaked it's delicious. Thank you for a wonderful staple recipe!!
Jill on 2025-10-29 (4 stars): I made a half recipe. It was plenty for 3 servings. I added extra spinach and felt I could have added twice as much. Also added some kielbasa. We enjoyed it and I will make it again, perhaps with chicken or shrimp
Kris on 2025-07-01 (5 stars): This is delicious and so so easy! I added sautéed chicken breast and some heavy cream to make the sauce a bit richer (and a little less healthier)
Janet Chapman on 2025-06-23 (4 stars): I made a half recipe which was just enough for two as a main course with a big salad. I added halved mushrooms. Next time I’m adding sugar snap peas. It needs more veggies.
