20 Minute Pasta Rosa Recipe

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!

You Will Love This

• It is SO quick and easy! Your favorite storebought spaghetti sauce (or my quick and easy homemade version) 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!

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 — While store-bought is fine, and in some cases more convenient (believe me, I understand how important that is!), I prefer to make homemade if time allows! Just make a big batch and keep the leftovers in the freezer to use as you need!
• 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.

Add your favorite pasta sauce.

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

Stir in fresh spinach.

Add heavy cream and stir to combine.

Add cooked penne pasta and toss to coat evenly.

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

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!

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

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

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