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Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta is the perfect quick meal to make for dinner. I describe it as a meatless lasagna pasta. It has all the creaminess from the ricotta cheese along side the tomato base with added parmesan cheese and spinach. This dish was so quickly consumed that I was concerned that i just dreamed making it.

This pasta is the perfect recipe for a busy night. Start by adding your water, pasta, tomatoes, and spices. Let that cook until your pasta is al dente. Next stir in your spinach until it wilt and finish off with your cheeses, and basil. Presto! You have got creamy tomato basil pasta.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 ¾ cups hot water, plus more if needed
  • ¾ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to serve
  • 8oz (220 grams) short pasta shapes (I used penne)
  • 1 small bunch of fresh basil leaves, shredded
  • ½ cup ricotta (Vegan or dairy free ricotta will work here too)
  • ⅓ cup grated parmesan, plus more to serve (Vegan or dairy free parmesan will work here too)
  • pinch of chili flakes, to serve

Tips & Tricks for Tomato Basil Pasta:

  • Cooking the pasta: Make sure to follow the instructions on the pasta you use.
  • Adding the Cheese: Wait until the pasta has absorbed all the water before adding the cheese.
  • Basil: If you add basil during the cooking process it will wilt into the mixture. If you want to maintain its integrity and keep that lovely green colour add the basil at the end of the dish.
  • Water: Add more water to the pasta at any point if you notice it has run out and the pasta is not ale dente.
One-Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
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One-Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

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Recipe by Nicole Quiring Course: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Calories

325

kcal
Total time

20

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp Olive oil

  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

  • ½ tsp oregano

  • ½ tsp paprika

  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

  • 1 ¾ cups hot water, plus more if needed

  • ¾ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to serve

  • 8oz (220 grams) short pasta shapes (I used penne)

  • 1 small bunch of fresh basil leaves, shredded

  • 1 handful of spinach

  • ½ cup ricotta

  • ⅓ cup grated parmesan, plus more to serve

  • pinch of chili flakes, to serve

Directions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil then add garlic, paprika and oregano. Saute’ for about 45 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add the tomatoes, hot water, salt, pepper, the pasta, give a good stir and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook until al dente (start checking the doneness according to the cooking time stated on the package, although it might take a bit longer with this method).
  • Stir every 3-4 minutes and keep an eye on the amount of liquid. It might look a lot at first, but magically the pasta will absorb it by the end of the cooking time. But if at some point you think it needs more, just add a little bit of hot water.
  • When the pasta is still al dente add the spinach leaves and give a good stir.
  • Then finish with ricotta, basil, and parmesan cheese, stir to combine and serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese if you wish, and a good pinch of chili flakes. Enjoy!

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Tomato Basil Pasta