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    Home » Family Style Dinners

    20 Minute Pasta Rosa Recipe

    Published: Jul 8, 2020 » Modified: Jan 24, 2023 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 9 Comments

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    This quick and easy pasta rosa pasta dish comes together in just 20 minutes with only 10 ingredients. Al dente penne pasta is tossed in a light tomato cream sauce with fresh baby spinach, then garnished with grated Parmesan, and red pepper flakes for a little kick!

    Large white bowl with homemade penne rosa garnished with fresh parsley
    Table of Contents show
    You Will Love This
    Ingredients and Substitutions
    Instructions
    Tips
    Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
    FAQ
    Family Favorite Pastas
    Penne Rosa - Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe

    You Will Love This

    • It is SO quick and easy! Your favorite store-bought spaghetti sauce makes this creamy sauce a reality in just 5 minutes. You can even cook the noodles a day or two ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to put everything together. That means you can have dinner on the table in about 5-10 minutes total!
    • It doesn't require any fancy kitchen tools or cooking skills! Dicing the onion and slicing the garlic is the only real prep work required for this penne rosa. Other than that, you're just stirring sauce together and tossing it with pasta. You can totally make this easy weeknight dinner, whether you're a novice home cook or super comfortable in the kitchen.
    • It's perfect for date night or an easy family dinner! My favorite date night meal is always pasta. Whether it's Creamy Pesto Linguine, Ravioli with Peas, or a Greek Pasta Bake. If I'm being honest, pasta is probably just my most favorite meal ever! There's just something special about enjoying al dente noodles tossed in a silky smooth sauce with someone you love. However, it's such a simple meal and a total family favorite that you won't mind throwing it together on a busy weeknight too! Whenever you choose to enjoy it, just make sure you serve it with my super easy homemade garlic bread and a side salad, too!
    Large white pan with homemade penne rosa garnished with fresh parsley

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    A dish like pasta rosa may sound fancy and complicated, but it's surprisingly simple to make at home. This penne rosa recipe comes together in 20 minutes with just a handful of pantry staple ingredients!

    • Olive Oil — Try to find an olive oil that is organic and cold-pressed. If you prefer a lighter tasting oil, you could use avocado. I don’t recommend using butter because you’ll also be using heavy cream, and too much dairy in a sauce can make it overly rich. 
    • Yellow Onion — This onion variety is mild, but still with a nice bite. And it gets sweeter while it cooks, making it perfect for pasta rosa. But you can also use a white or sweet onion. Just avoid red onions here.
    • Garlic — You can’t have penne rosa without the aromatic flavor of fresh garlic. It pairs so well with all of the other ingredients in this dish, especially the onion, spinach, and heavy cream. You can use shallot in its place but opt for garlic, if possible.
    • Dried Oregano — You’ll use a whopping two teaspoons of dried oregano in this recipe, which may seem like a lot, but remember that you’re incorporating it into the marinara sauce and the heavy cream. You can substitute it with Italian seasoning or add some dried basil and dried rosemary.
    • Spaghetti Sauce — Use your family's favorite store-bought sauce for this recipe.
    • Fresh Baby Spinach — You want the baby spinach variety because it’s incredibly tender, making it perfect for this pasta dish. You can use regular spinach or even baby kale if you prefer a heartier leafy green.
    • Heavy Cream — This is what makes penne rosa pink! Combined with the spaghetti sauce, you’re left with a rich, velvety smooth tomato sauce. You can substitute coconut cream if dairy-free or vegan.
    • Cayenne Pepper — A rich dish like this benefits from some heat. Just a pinch or two will do the trick!
    • Penne — I love using penne because it’s easy to pick up with a fork, and the sauce is able to seep into every nook and cranny. But you can use whatever pasta you prefer or have on hand.

    Instructions

    Saute onion in olive oil for a few minutes. Then add garlic and oregano and saute for another minute.

    Large white pan with sauteed onion garlic and dried oregano

    Add your favorite pasta sauce.

    Large white pan with spaghetti sauce and sauteed veggies

    Stir to combine and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until the pasta sauce is heated through.

    Large white pan with spaghetti sauce

    Stir in fresh spinach.

    Large white pan with spaghetti sauce and wilted spinach

    Add heavy cream and stir to combine.

    Large white pan with cream being stirred into spaghetti sauce

    Add cooked penne pasta and toss to coat evenly.

    Al dente penne pasta being added to a tomato cream sauce in a large white pan

    Garnish with Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley. Serve with easy homemade garlic bread and enjoy!

    Large white pan with homemade penne rosa garnished with fresh parsley

    Tips

    • Salt pasta water. I recommend adding 2-4 tablespoons of Kosher salt to the pot of boiling water before adding the uncooked pasta. This is your first chance to season the pasta and it will make a HUGE difference in the overall flavor of the dish.
    • Cook noodles just until al dente and not a moment longer. If the recommended cooking time is 9-11 minutes, I set my timer for 8 minutes and then start carefully tasting the pasta until it is tender and cooked through, but still has a toothsome bite.
    • Toss cooked noodles in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. This is going to help prevent the noodles from sticking together and it also adds a little extra flavor to the dish.
    • If you want to bulk this penne rosa up a bit with more veggies, sauteed mushrooms and diced tomatoes would be a great addition. The original version served at Noodles & Company includes both of those, but I chose to keep this recipe simple with just fresh spinach.
    • Sliced grilled chicken or cooked crumbled sausage would both be great additions to this dish if you're not looking for a vegetarian dinner. Spicy turkey sausage is one of our family's favorite things to add. It's got just enough spice for my husband, but not too much for me!
    Large white bowl with homemade penne rosa garnished with fresh parsley

    Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

    • Store leftover pasta rosa in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days.
    • Freeze cooled sauce in a freezer-safe, airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 months. Don’t freeze the pasta and reheat and it can get mushy. It’s worth it to just make fresh the next time you plan to serve.
    • Reheat thawed sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through and bubbling. Can also defrost in the microwave. Toss with fresh pasta, and enjoy!

    FAQ

    Is this dish vegan or vegetarian-friendly?

    My pasta rosa recipe is vegetarian as written, but you could easily make it vegan by swapping out the heavy cream for coconut cream and using vegan Parmesan cheese as well!

    Can I add meat to this pasta?

    Absolutely! Grilled chicken, traditional Italian meatballs, or even shredded braised beef would be a delicious addition to this pasta rosa!

    What does "rosa" mean?

    Rosa is Italian for pink or rosy, so this pasta rosa dish goes its name from the light red cream sauce made from marinara and heavy cream along with nutty Parmesan.

    Family Favorite Pastas

    • Easy Greek Pasta Bake
    • Quick Baked Brie Mac & Cheese
    • Creamy Basil Pesto Pasta
    • Ravioli with Peas & Asparagus
    • No Boil Baked Rigatoni
    • Garlic Butter Noodles
    Print

    Penne Rosa - Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe

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    ★★★★★

    5 from 5 reviews

    This quick and easy Penne Rosa pasta dish comes together in just 20 minutes with only 10 ingredients. Al dente penne pasta is tossed in a light tomato cream sauce with fresh baby spinach, then garnished with grated Parmesan, and red pepper flakes for a little kick!

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings 1x
    • Category: Main Dish
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: Italian
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 small yellow onion, diced
    • 6 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
    • 24 oz. your favorite spaghetti sauce
    • 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
    • ¾ cup heavy cream
    • 1-2 pinches of cayenne pepper, optional
    • 16 oz. penne pasta, cooked al dente
    • Kosher salt
    • fresh cracked pepper

    Serve with:

    • freshly chopped parsley
    • grated Parmesan 
    • easy homemade garlic bread

    Instructions

    1. Drizzle al dente pasta with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and set aside. 
    2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
    3. Add onion along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes.
    4. Add garlic and oregano, and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
    5. Add pasta sauce, stir to combine.
    6. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until the pasta sauce is heated through.
    7. Stir in fresh spinach.
    8. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream.
    9. Add cayenne pepper if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
    10. Add pasta and toss to coat evenly.
    11. Garnish with Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!

    Equipment

    measuring cup

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    Notes

    Salt pasta water. I recommend adding 2-4 tablespoons of Kosher salt to the pot of boiling water before adding the uncooked pasta. This is your first chance to season the pasta and it will make a HUGE difference in the overall flavor of the dish.

    Cook noodles just until al dente and not a moment longer. If the recommended cooking time is 9-11 minutes, I set my timer for 8 minutes and then start carefully tasting the pasta until it is tender and cooked through, but still has a toothsome bite.

    Toss cooked noodles in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. This is going to help prevent the noodles from sticking together and it also adds a little extra flavor to the dish.

    If you want to bulk this penne rosa up a bit with more veggies, sauteed mushrooms and diced tomatoes would be a great addition. The original version served at Noodles & Company includes both of those, but I chose to keep this recipe simple with just fresh spinach.

    Sliced grilled chicken or cooked crumbled sausage would both be great additions to this dish if you're not looking for a vegetarian dinner. Spicy turkey sausage is one of our family's favorite things to add. It's got just enough spice for my husband, but not too much for me!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 327
    • Sugar: 8.4 g
    • Sodium: 298.9 mg
    • Fat: 8.4 g
    • Saturated Fat: 3 g
    • Trans Fat: 0.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 52.8 g
    • Fiber: 4.3 g
    • Protein: 9.6 g
    • Cholesterol: 12.7 mg

    Keywords: penne rosa, penne rosa recipe

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jess

      November 18, 2022 at 4:26 pm

      This was excellent and I so appreciated your tips about how much salt to use in the pasta water, AND to toss the pasta with salt and pepper and olive oil! Wow. The pasta was so delicious on its own I kept sneaking bites of plain pasta while I made the sauce! I had no idea that I was cooking pasta wrong all this time! Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. MHubbard

      October 11, 2021 at 3:44 pm

      Delicious! Simple and easy. THANK YOU

      Reply
    3. Freya

      April 04, 2021 at 5:39 am

      Quick & yummy,!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Sedi

      March 16, 2021 at 3:58 pm

      Better than Noodles and Co!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Taylor

      February 23, 2021 at 3:41 pm

      This was absolutely DELICIOUS! I don’t think I’ll make any other pasta again anytime soon lol. So easy too!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        February 23, 2021 at 6:14 pm

        I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed penne rosa, Taylor! Thanks for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    6. Luke

      July 08, 2020 at 5:18 pm

      What a hit with the family! Thank you!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        July 08, 2020 at 7:20 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for leaving a review, Luke!

        Reply

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

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    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

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