Italian
Creamy Tuscan Pasta
Penne cooks in one pan with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach, then finishes with cream and parmesan. The skillet stays meatless, and a splash of broth is what loosens the sauce.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- There is no chicken in this pan. Spinach and sun-dried tomatoes are the bulk.
- The penne cooks in broth, so you do not need a second pot of water.
- Cream and parmesan go in off a hard boil so the sauce stays smooth.
- Spinach is added at the end so it wilts without turning olive-brown.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Warm the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir for 1 minute, until the garlic smells sweet and has not taken on color.
- 2
Stir in the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pour in the broth and bring it to a boil.
- 3
Add the penne and stir. Lower the heat to a lively simmer. Cook uncovered 11 to 13 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pasta is tender and most of the broth is absorbed.
- 4
If the penne is still firm and the pan is dry, add 1/4 cup water and keep simmering. The pasta should be saucy, not stuck to the metal.
- 5
Add the spinach in handfuls. Stir until it wilts, about 1 minute.
- 6
Drop the heat to low. Stir in the cream and parmesan until the sauce looks glossy and coats the penne. Do not let it boil hard after the cream goes in.
- 7
Take the pan off the heat. Taste, add salt if the broth was unsalted, and rest 2 minutes so the sauce thickens before serving.
Pro tips
- Chop the sun-dried tomatoes small. Large pieces dominate a bite and stay chewy.
- Vegetable broth keeps the recipe meatless. Chicken broth will work for flavor, but then it is no longer vegetarian.
- Grate the parmesan yourself if you can. Pre-grated cheese sometimes stays powdery in a cream sauce.
Easy substitutions
- penne
- rigatoni of the same weight
- heavy cream
- 3/4 cup half-and-half for a thinner sauce
- sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. The cream sauce sets up firm, which is normal.
Reheating
Warm in a skillet over low heat with 2 tbsp water or broth, stirring until the sauce flows again. Avoid a rolling boil or the cream can separate.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop, One Pan
You might also like
Tuscan Shrimp Pasta
Penne is tossed with shrimp, burst cherry tomatoes, spinach, and a light Parmesan cream. The shrimp are cooked first so they stay at a safe temperature without turning rubbery in the sauce.
40 min · Medium
View recipe
Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine
Fettuccine coated in a garlic cream sauce loaded with browned mushrooms. The sauce thickens on the stove without flour.
40 min · Easy
View recipe
Roasted Red Pepper Farfalle
Blended roasted red peppers make a smooth pink sauce for bow-tie pasta with a little cream and garlic. It tastes bright and mildly sweet without long simmering.
30 min · Easy
View recipe
Sausage Kale Orecchiette
Orecchiette with browned Italian sausage, wilted kale, and garlic in a light pan sauce. The little cups catch bits of sausage and greens.
35 min · Easy
View recipeStill hungry?
More in the same lane, not a random mix.
Broccoli Cheddar Shell Pasta
Small shells cook with chopped broccoli, then get coated in a sharp cheddar sauce made on the stovetop. It is a plain, filling pasta that leans on pantry cheese and one pot of water.
30 min · Easy
View recipe
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Shrimp are seasoned with Cajun spices and tossed with bell peppers and linguine in a light cream sauce. The pasta tastes smoky and spicy, with the shrimp staying tender instead of rubbery.
35 min · Easy
View recipe
One-Pan Cheeseburger Pasta
Elbow pasta simmers in the same skillet as seasoned ground beef, tomato, and a cheddar finish. Dill pickle chips stay on the side so the sauce stays savory instead of briny.
40 min · Easy
View recipe
Bacon Pea Carbonara Spaghetti
Spaghetti is tossed off the heat with eggs, Parmesan, crisp bacon, and sweet peas. The residual heat makes a glossy sauce without scrambling the eggs.
35 min · Medium
View recipeFind something else
From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
Read the affiliate disclosure.