Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and continue to boil until tender (7-10 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the creamy tomato sauce. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (3-5 minutes).
Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine. Add the tomato paste and a 1/2 cup (125ml) of water to the skillet and stir until the tomato paste has mixed into the sauce.
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. Use a whisk to stir the sauce until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce is creamy. Add the Parmesan to the skillet and stir until it is melted into the sauce.
Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and gently stir it into the sauce until it has wilted (2-3 minutes). Add the pasta and stir until it is well coated in the creamy tomato sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 363 kcal
Carbohydrates: 54 g
Protein: 13 g
Fat: 11 g
Sodium: 685 mg
Reviews
Sarah on 2026-10-01 (5 stars): This is one of my all time favorite budget bytes recipes - I’ve probably made it at least 20 times exactly as the recipe instructs and it’s fantastic. This time, I had some leftover Boursin cheese so subbed that in for the cream cheese. Holy moly. What was already a delicious recipe was kicked up a notch!
Cassandra on 2026-09-14 (5 stars): Amazing. Even without the freshly grated parm and some on top, it was a family favorite. I diced up some chicken and used chickpea pasta to up the protein and I'm already being asked if we can have it again next week! Great meal, easy and healthy(ish)! Haha
Tris Cammack on 2026-05-08 (4 stars): 4 Stars
Brandy on 2026-03-22 (5 stars): Delicious. I doubled the spinach and it wasn't overpowering.
Daniel on 2026-02-04 (4 stars): Delicious pasta, I personally added in some chicken to it which I feel made the pasta even better!
Kendra B on 2026-01-13 (5 stars): I loved this! It makes so much and the flavor is amazing. I will make this again
Miles on 2025-12-30 (5 stars): This is an awesome review thank you so much
Elean L on 2025-12-09 (5 stars): Love this, it’s quick and delicious. Nowadays I use protein pasta and add sliced chicken sausage (usually tomato/basil) for a heartier meal. Excellent for meal prep too, just the right amount.
MarleneB on 2025-12-05 (5 stars): This was so easy & delicious…and I had all the ingredients which was a bonus. It was exactly what I was looking for tonight to go along with my air fryer cod. Thank you for sharing!
Emily on 2025-12-05 (5 stars): This is an awesome recipe! I got a craving for pasta and managed to put it together, with a few subs, from what I had in my pantry. I used fettuccini, fire roasted tomatoes, and heavy cream. I added carrots that I had in my fridge. It was delicious! It would be good with added protein, as well.
Julia on 2025-12-04 (5 stars): It's my first time making pasta (yay, learning to cook), and gods this is amazing. It tastes delicious, super quick and easy :)
