Use your favorite pasta to make this simple yet delicious dish. It's the perfect meal for those busy days when time is short but appetites are not.
Pasta:
8 oz. favorite pasta
Tomato and Spinach Sauce:
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
9 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, cut into halves
1/2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. fine salt, plus more to taste
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper
5 oz. baby spinach
1/4 heaped c. grated Parmesan cheese
For Serving:
grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Cook the Pasta:
Fill a large pot with water; place pot on stovetop over high heat. Once boiling, add pasta; cook until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve about 1/2 c. cooking water; drain.
Prepare the Tomato and Spinach Sauce:
Meanwhile while waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat; add the garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 45-60 seconds.
Add the tomatoes, basil, salt, and black pepper; sauté tomatoes until skins burst and tomatoes begin to release their juices. Keep the heat on medium-low; stir to ensure the garlic doesn't burn.
Once the tomatoes begin to break down, add the spinach, a large handful at a time; stir into the tomatoes until the spinach is wilted but still bright green, taking just a couple of minutes.
The tomatoes should have created a sauce-like mixture on the bottom in the pan.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, as needed.
Add the cooked and drained pasta to the pan, with the Parmesan cheese and a bit of pasta cooking water until desired consistency is reached. Toss until the pasta is coated in the sauce and everything is combined.
Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
4 servings.