Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta

This recipe has become one of my current favorites. Who could go wrong with a cheesy Italian pasta? This also makes dinner an easy task with little prep. It's packed with lots of delicious veggies but still has that go-to comfort dish flavor. So I hope this recipe helps make dinner time a little faster, easier, and more enjoyable for you this week!

Ingredients

• 8 ounce box pasta of choice

• 2 tbsp. butter

• 1 tsp. olive oil

• 1 medium onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 tbsp. tomato paste

• 1/4 cup water

• fresh ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• pinch crushed red pepper (or more depending on spice)

• 1 1/2 cup coconut milk or half-and-half

• 1 cup fresh or frozen cherry tomatoes

• 2 cups firmly packed spinach

• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan

• 1/4 cup parsley

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and continue to boil until pasta is tender. Drain in colander.

2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the creamy tomato sauce. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the butter, olive oil, diced onion, and garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft.

3. Add the tomato paste, pepper, salt, crushed red pepper, and water to the skillet. Stir to combine. Add the coconut milk and tomatoes and simmer the sauce on medium high heat. Stir occasionally until it becomes thicker. Add the spinach, parmesan, and parsley and stir until the spinach is wilted and cheese is melted into the sauce.

4. Once the pasta is finished, add it to the sauce and stir until well coated. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm and top with more parsley and parmesan if desired.

Serves: 4