Easy Cherry Tomato, Spinach and Parmesan Pasta

It’s almost summer and light meals are what you need!! This easy, healthy recipe is finished in the time it takes to boil the linguine! Assorted cherry tomatoes and spinach make this dish a delicious, colorful meal in minutes! Make it meatless or with chicken!

Easy Cherry Tomato, Spinach and Parmesan Pasta

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1⁄2 pound ribbon pasta, like linguine or fettuccine
2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
Optional: 3/4-pound chicken breast, 1-inch cubed
1 pound assorted or red cherry tomatoes
2 1⁄2 - 3 cups baby spinach, rough chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 - 2/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Equipment:

Large pot/saucepan for cooking pasta, 4 - 5 quart
Colander or strainer
Cutting board
Chef knife
Measuring spoons
Dry and Liquid Measuring cups
10 or 12-inch skillet
Rubber or bamboo spatula
Tongs

This recipe screams fresh! With the fresh tomatoes and spinach so colorful too... not to say delicious as well! While you’re waiting for the pasta to boil the rest of the ingredients are cooked and ready to combine... takes under 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish. Start chopping veggies and then the cooking process is so easy. I love recipes that dovetail my time and don’t need to be watched constantly. Can make a salad while everything is simmering and a healthy dinner is ready. Grab your ingredients and let’s cook!

After you dice your onions and garlic, heat the olive oil in the pan for about 3 minutes over medium high heat. Start to sauté the onions and garlic for about 3 – 5 minutes or until onions begin to soften and turn translucent and yellow. The fragrance is so good! Nothing like cooking aromatic vegetables to make your mouth water too. If using chicken in this dish, add it with the onions and garlic and cook together. The cubed chicken will be almost done about the time the onions are, if cut into small 1-inch cubes. I prefer moist chicken... not over cooked and dry, so don’t be tempted to cook the chicken too long first, as the chicken will continue to cook with the addition of other ingredients over the next few minutes. Start the pasta at the same time by placing about 3 – 4 quarts of water with about 2 tablespoons of salt, covered, over high heat to bring to a boil. Salting the water helps bring a bit of flavor to the pasta and reduces sticking too. Break pasta ribbons in half and add to boiling water. I often use squiggly pasta or fun shapes too. Check package directions for cooking times, however, many pastas from Italy don’t include time. I usually set the timer for 7 – 8 minutes. Stir pasta occasionally as it cooks to prevent possible clumping.

Cherry tomatoes are so sweet! I often by the packages of heirloom cherry tomatoes, which contain different varieties with a variety of colors and shapes too! Great meal appeal with yellow, red, green and orange mixed together. Cutting the larger tomatoes in half will make for easier eating and allow the juices to disperse into the sauce. Spinach provides for added color too, as well as great nutritional value. Rough chop the leaves first, especially the larger ones, before adding to the skillet. Sprinkle seasonings and white wine over top and continue cooking for a few minutes until the spinach begins to shrivel and soften. Don’t be alarmed thinking you have way too much spinach in the pan... It’s kinda crazy how a large quantity of spinach almost disappears as it cooks.

As your sauce simmers a few minutes, check on your pasta! Fettuccine and linguine have a tendency to cook little while longer than spaghetti, so after about 8 minutes, check a noodle for doneness. Pasta should be ‘Al dente’, meaning ‘with tooth’ in Italian... not chewy like rubber bands but not soft, mushy either. Drain pasta, reserving about 1⁄4 cup of pasta water. Use the time between sauce and pasta tasks to chop what you need to make a side salad too.

Dinner is almost ready! Place the drained pasta on top of the simmering vegetables and stir well to combine. Tongs are often helpful in the stirring process with ribbon pasta. Allow pan to simmer for a couple minutes, allowing the pasta a chance to absorb a bit of the wonderful sauce. Add the pasta water too to add moisture. Sprinkle pan with Parmesan cheese and stir again to combine well. Turn off heat and cover for a minute or two. While the pan is resting, finish preparing your side salad.

Your kitchen should smell amazing and your skillet soooo pretty! Take a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Dish up your dinner using pasta bowls or plates... sprinkle with a little more Parmesan cheese for a garnish... never too much Parm! With or without chicken, dinner will be fabulous and healthy too. Add your salad and a slice or two of crusty bread, maybe a glass of wine…Enjoy!