This creamy tomato and spinach pasta is an "almost" one-pan wonder that brings together roasted garlic, juicy tomatoes, and melty cream cheese for the perfect cozy dinner. It looks fancy enough for guests yet is incredibly budget-friendly, making it the kind of dish you'll crave again and again.
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This baked pasta sauce combines the sweetness of roasted cherry tomatoes with the boldness of garlic, creating a flavor-packed base for creamy pasta. It's the kind of dish that feels like a luxury but is still easy enough for a busy weeknight.
This creamy roasted garlic and tomato pasta turns simple ingredients into a rich, flavorful dinner you can make any night of the week.
Sheet pan meals are a great way to make a simple meal without a lot of work. For more sheet pan dinners, check out my Sheet Pan Sausages and Brussel Sprouts, Chicken Leg Sheet Pan Dinner, and Sheet Pan Chicken, Brussel Sprouts, and Potatoes Dinner.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Minimal cleanup. Most of the magic happens right on a single sheet pan, line it with foil for even faster cleanup.
- Incredibly creamy. The roasted cream cheese blends perfectly with the tomatoes and garlic, making every bite rich and velvety.
- Simple pantry ingredients. With cherry tomatoes, garlic, cream cheese, pasta, and spinach, you've got everything you need for a show-stopping dinner.
🛒 Ingredients
Cherry tomatoes - These roast beautifully, turning sweeter and juicier as they cook down. If you still have cherry tomatoes left, be sure to try them in our Tilapia with Spinach and Tomatoes.
Garlic cloves - Roasted garlic gives the sauce a mellow depth of flavor that ties everything together.
Cream cheese - A brick of cream cheese creates a creamy, luscious sauce when combined with roasted tomatoes.
Spinach - Fresh spinach adds a pop of color and nutrition while balancing the richness of the sauce. If you don't have fresh spinach, thawed and well-drained frozen spinach works too.
Reserved pasta water - Helps adjust the creaminess of the sauce so it coats every noodle perfectly.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Tomatoes: You can swap cherry tomatoes for grape tomatoes or even diced Roma tomatoes. Each gives a slightly different texture and sweetness.
Cheese: Don't love cream cheese? Try ricotta for a lighter flavor or feta for a tangier twist.
Pasta: Short pastas like penne or rotini hold onto the sauce best, but spaghetti works in a pinch.
Add protein: Add baked chicken breasts or cooked Italian sausage to make it heartier.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use seasonal or store-brand tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes taste great roasted and are often less expensive when bought on sale or in bulk.
Skip the chicken: This pasta is delicious meatless, leaving out the optional chicken saves money and keeps it simple.
Add in greens: Spinach (or other leafy greens you already have) boosts nutrition and volume without extra cost.
🥄 Instructions for Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Step 2: In a 9x13 baking dish or large baking sheet (lined with foil or well-greased), add your whole cherry tomatoes, whole garlic cloves, and diced red onion. (Image 1).
Step 3: Nestle a brick of cream cheese in the center of the pan, pushing everything else out of the way so that nothing is underneath. (Image 2).
Step 4: Sprinkle the seasonings and olive oil evenly over the top of everything in the dish. (Image 3). Use your clean hands or a spoon to gently roll the tomatoes around so they're evenly coated. (Image 4).
Step 5: Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Prepare the pasta during this time.
Step 6: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add in your dry pasta. (Image 5). Cook until al dente. When the pasta is almost finished, add your clean spinach leaves to the pot. (Image 6). Reserve up to 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Step 7: When the oven finished, your tomatoes will look like (Image 7), but a few minutes 3-5 under the broiler can make it look more like (Image 8). This helps to give a little more depth of flavor as well.
Step 8: Using the back side of a large wooden spoon (or a potato masher) smush everything in the pan until well crushed (Image 9) and then stir to mix together (Image 10).
Step 9: Add in your drained pasta and spinach (Image 11), and then stir well to combine and evenly coat all of the pasta. (Image 12). If needed, stir in some of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Serve warm and enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Line your pan. Foil or parchment makes cleanup much easier.
- Use hot pasta water. It helps the sauce blend smoothly and cling to the noodles. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it before serving.
- Baked version: Turn this into a pasta bake by transferring the finished pasta to a casserole dish, topping with mozzarella or breadcrumbs, and baking until hot and bubbly.
- Veggie boost: Roasted zucchini, mushrooms, or bell peppers can be stirred in for extra color and flavor.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
Storage: Refrigerate leftover Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of water or reserved pasta water to loosen sauce, or microwave in short bursts until heated through.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve this Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta with a crisp green salad or steamed broccoli for a balanced meal. Garlic bread or a simple baguette is delicious for soaking up extra sauce at the table.
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❓ Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta FAQs
You can use some frozen spinach if you warm it up, drain the liquid and then store it into the sauce and pasta at the end.
Yes, for this creamy roasted tomato pasta, you can use any pasta variety of choice, but I prefer the noodles that are shorter in length versus a full length spaghetti or linguine noodle.
Yes, you can use a brick of feta cheese in place of the cream cheese if you want. This will change the flavor profile, but if you like feta cheese, it's a great option!
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🐝 If you tried this Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes - ($2.98)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled - ($0.18)
- ½ large red onion, diced - ($0.45)
- ¼ cup olive oil - ($0.56)
- 1 brick (8 ounces) cream cheese - ($1.86)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning - ($0.08)
- 2 teaspoons salt - ($0.01)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder - ($0.08)
- 16 ounces pasta noodles - ($0.98)
- 1-2 handfuls fresh spinach - ($0.10)
- 1 cup reserved pasta water, as needed - ($0.00)
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Assemble. In a 9x13-inch baking dish or large rimmed baking sheet, add the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, and diced red onion. Place the cream cheese brick in the center with nothing underneath it.
- Season. Drizzle the olive oil over everything and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Gently toss the tomatoes to coat evenly.
- Roast. Bake for 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered and the cream cheese is softened.
- Cook pasta. While the tomatoes roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. During the last minute of cooking, add the fresh spinach. Reserve up to 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Broil. Place the baking dish under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until lightly charred. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Mash sauce. Use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to crush the roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, and cream cheese until well combined.
- Combine. Add the drained pasta and spinach to the pan and stir to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve. Serve warm.
Notes
- Pasta water. Add a little at a time to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles.
- Roasting matters. Let the tomatoes blister and the cream cheese soften fully for the best flavor.
- Spinach timing. Add at the end so it stays bright and tender.
- Cheese swaps. Feta, ricotta, or mascarpone work well in place of cream cheese.
- Add-ins. Roasted zucchini, mushrooms, or bell peppers are easy upgrades.
- Protein option. Stir in cooked chicken or sausage for a heartier meal.
- Storage. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk or pasta water to restore creaminess.
Nutritional Information
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