We’ve paired a ricotta spinach pasta with a fresh chunky tomato sauce for a healthy, satisfying side or main dish. Add some hot crusty bread and a salad and you have yourself a simple, rustic weekday meal. It’s quick to prepare and even quicker if you use leftover fresh tomato sauce or your favourite bottled sauce. The tomato sauce in this recipe (which we use all the time) is a very easy and basic one, but excellent when you use good quality canned tomatoes, good olive oil and fresh garlic. For this pasta dish, we leave it chunky.
The creamy mild ricotta contrasts nicely with the acidity of tomato sauce. We like to add some chili flakes to our tomato sauce to give it a bit of a kick, but you can, of course, leave out the spice or even add other options like basil or onions.
Ricotta Spinach Pasta with Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ricotta spinach pasta with tomato sauce makes a healthy lunch or vegetarian dinner with some crusty bread and salad. Buy the tomato sauce for a shortcut.
- Prep Time:10m
- Cook Time:20m
- Total Time:30m
- Yield: 3-4 main dish servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups small pasta (fusilli, ziti, baby penne)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 clove garlic minced (you will need two more for the sauce)
- 2 1/2 cups frozen spinach (to make 3/4 cup cooked)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup ricotta (not light)
- 1 cup half and half cream (or milk)
- up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/2 teaspoon each, salt and pepper (or to taste)
Tomato Sauce
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 can diced tomatoes (540 ml)
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced (2 cloves)
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (or to taste)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE: Use a good bottled or canned sauce if you want to take a shortcut. Otherwise.... In a medium saucepan, heat olive on medium, add garlic and stir for a minute (make sure it doesn't burn as it will become bitter). Add the diced tomatoes, chili flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes until thickened. Adjust seasonings (and add others if you like).
- MAKE THE PASTA: While the tomato sauce is cooking, boil the pasta in salted water in a medium-large sauce pan according to pasta directions for al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- MAKE THE SPINACH-RICOTTA SAUCE: Microwave frozen spinach covered for 3 minutes. Drain and squeeze out water in paper towel. In the same saucepan you boiled the pasta, melt oil over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, cream and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Cook for a few minutes, stirring until smooth. Mix in the cooked pasta. Add a bit of pasta water at a time, if needed, to create the right consistency. Continue stirring until pasta is heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings, keeping in mind the tomato sauce topping.
- SERVE: Spoon into bowls and top with a few tablespoons of tomato sauce or pass the tomato sauce on the side. Pass additional grated Parmesan cheese as well if desired.