Spinach Tomato & Olive Oil Pasta

Pasta is such a sneaky dish, because you can make something that looks super fancy and tastes amazing with very little time and effort. Whether you want a quick and easy weeknight dinner, or you’re cooking to impress for a special occasion, pasta is a winner for home cooks of any skill level. Especially this simple spinach tomato and olive oil pasta.

This dish is the perfect healthy pasta that looks and tastes like it could have been a lot of work, but secretly isn’t. Literally all you need is the four ingredients in the name – spinach, tomatoes, olive oil, and pasta – and a few seasonings. It doesn’t require making any complicated sauces, and it comes together in about 20 minutes. All of which makes for a simple, delicious, and approachable dinner that just about anyone can cook!

Healthy Spinach Tomato and Olive Oil Pasta Ingredients

Using fresh produce along with some pantry staples and seasonings, this Italian spinach tomato and olive oil pasta is very easy to make. We generally have all of these ingredients on hand as we cook with spinach and tomato frequently, but if you don’t, no worries! You likely already have everything else and just need to go get the fresh produce. 

Here’s everything that goes into this easy pasta dish:

• Pasta noodles – spaghetti, linguine, or angel hair work best
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Roma tomatoes
• Baby spinach
• Minced garlic
• Dried basil
• Dried parsley
• Dried oregano
• Crushed red pepper
• Salt
• Pepper
• Grated parmesan

If you would like to add extra freshness to the dish, feel free to substitute fresh herbs for any of the seasonings. We always believe fresh ingredients are the right way to go when possible! But we also love the simplicity of this recipe and being able to cook it without a huge grocery run.

Lastly, if you don’t like (or can’t handle) added heat, leave the crushed red pepper out. It can always be added to single servings later for those in your family who do like some heat!

How To Make Spinach Tomato and Olive Oil Pasta

This easy vegetarian spinach tomato pasta recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, making it the perfect easy weeknight dinner recipe. Here are step by step instructions for how to make this healthy pasta dish:

1. First, salt a large pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
2. In the meantime, heat some of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the spinach leaves in batches and sauté until wilted, stirring frequently until all the spinach has been cooked down.
3. Then, lower the heat and add the tomatoes and garlic. Stir to combine, then season with basil, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until the tomatoes are slightly softened and the juices have released, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Once the pasta has finished cooking, strain and add the pasta to the frying pan. Add the remaining olive oil and an extra sprinkle of crushed red pepper if desired, and stir to combine.
5. Serve hot, optionally topped with grated parmesan cheese.

The spinach and tomatoes cook quickly, so we recommend starting these once the pasta has already been boiling for a few minutes. You don’t want the spinach and tomatoes sitting in the hot pan for too long, otherwise they’ll become overcooked and mushy. Cook the spinach until it’s just wilted, then cook the tomatoes just long enough for them to become soft and juicy. Once everything looks ready, you can keep it warm over very low heat until the pasta is done cooking.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Any leftover vegetarian tomato and spinach pasta should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If stored properly, leftovers will keep for up to 3 or 4 days. Since there’s fresh spinach and tomatoes in this pasta, it won’t last quite as long as some other leftovers – so it’s best to enjoy it quickly!

When you are ready to eat your leftovers, reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes per serving (stir halfway through), or enjoy it cold. Don’t forget to add on any extra red pepper flakes or grated parmesan if you’re looking for a little extra flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Vegetarian Pasta

First off, this healthy tomato and spinach pasta is so easy to make. With just two pans and 20 minutes, you have a healthy and unique pasta dinner that is a great option to shake up pasta night at home.

Second, this spinach and tomato pasta makes a great easy date night dinner. It’s much more impressive than pasta with jarred sauce and feels more elevated – so it’s perfect for impressing your partner if you’re still early on in your cooking journey!

Finally, this dish can be easily customized to your tastes. Whether you want more or less tomato and spinach, or a different combination of herbs, you can easily adjust the ingredients to make this pasta your own! You can even take it a step further and add to it. If you are looking for more protein, a simple grilled chicken can do that. Or if you want a different flavor profile, try adding pesto instead of, or in addition to, the herbs. 

It is really hard to mess this dish up – so it’s the perfect pasta recipe for any skill level. Plus, it allows for you to make a “fancier meal” with just a tad more work than pouring jarred pasta sauce over your noodles. Oh, and it tastes so much better.

Try our simple spinach tomato and olive oil pasta recipe and let us know your favorite variations in the comments below! Don’t forget to rate and share if you love this recipe.