Tomato and spinach pasta
Tomato and spinach pasta with onion, garlic and a tinned-tomato sauce. Wilt the spinach into the sauce and loosen it with reserved pasta water before serving.
An original Recipe From Fridge editorial recipe idea. Timings are estimates; check doneness as described, not by the clock alone.
Ingredients
- 160g dried pasta
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 80g spinach, washed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- Black pepper, to taste
Method
- Soften the onion and garlic
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat. Cook the onion for 6–8 minutes until soft, stirring regularly, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
- Simmer the tomato sauce
Add the tomatoes and oregano. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens rather than looking watery.
- Cook the pasta
Meanwhile cook the pasta according to its packet instructions. Before draining, carefully scoop out a mug of the cooking water and set it aside.
- Wilt the spinach and combine
Stir the spinach into the sauce and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted and hot. Add the drained pasta and two tablespoons of reserved water, then toss over a low heat.
- Season and serve
Add another spoonful of water only if the sauce is too thick. Taste, add pepper and divide between bowls. Let the remaining pasta water cool safely before discarding it.
Make it work with what you have
- Frozen spinach works too: use its packet cooking instructions and simmer off extra water before adding the pasta.
- If you have cheese, grate a little over each bowl rather than adding it to the whole pan, so each person can choose.