This vegetarian penne rosa is a perfect dish to make on such days when you don’t have the energy to cook but want to eat something delicious. You can prepare this simple, hassle-free pasta recipe in just 20 minutes with some easily available ingredients.
The rosa sauce is a delicious tomato cream sauce because of which the dish got the word rosa in its name. Rosa means rose in Italian.
How to make (step-by-step instructions)?
To make this easy pasta dish, follow the simple step-by-step instructions given below:
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
Pasta: Generally penne pasta is used to make this dish but you can use any pasta of your choice. Use whole wheat pasta to make a healthier penne rosa pasta dish. Mushrooms: Mushrooms go really well in this dish but if you don’t like mushrooms skip them or add some vegetables of your choice instead of mushrooms. I have used white button mushrooms, you can use cremini mushrooms too. Tomatoes: Plum tomatoes (Roma tomatoes) are used in pasta rosa but if you don’t have that cherry tomatoes or large chunks of any other tomato can also be used. Heavy cream: Heavy cream helps in making a rich creamy penne rosa sauce but for a lighter version you can use half and half or just some milk too. Baby spinach: Use roughly chopped regular fresh spinach if you don’t have baby spinach. Seasonings: I have used dried oregano, red chili flakes, salt, and ground black pepper to flavor this dish. You can use any other Italian seasoning of choice too. Olive oil: Use good quality extra virgin olive oil. You can also use butter if you prefer a more creamy and buttery sauce.
Other ingredient details and nutritional information is given in the recipe card. Step 1: Cook penne al dente following the package instructions. Step 2: While the pasta is getting cooked, heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until they are no longer raw. It will take 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Step 3: Add finely chopped garlic and saute for around 30 seconds. Step 4: Add red chili flakes and dried oregano. Saute for a few seconds. Step 5: Add marinara sauce. Step 6: Mix and cook for a minute. Step 7: Add quartered plum tomatoes. Step 8: Add salt, ground black pepper. Mix and cook until the plum tomatoes start turning soft. It will take around 4 minutes. Step 9: Add cooked and strained pasta and baby spinach. Step 10: Mix everything and cook until the spinach leaves start wilting. Step 11: Add cream. Step 12: Gently stir until everything gets mixed. Turn off the heat. Your quick, easy, and comforting penne rosa is ready to be enjoyed.
How to serve pasta rosa?
Serve pasta rosa warm. It’s served with some parmesan cheese on it but as I am a vegetarian, I don’t use parmesan cheese. You can use it if you want. The dish can be garnished with fresh basil too. Penne rosa can be paired with some garlic bread, crispy garlic cheese toast, a salad, or soup on the dish.
Storing leftovers and reheating
Store the leftover pasta in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. This dish tastes even better the next day. To reheat add a splash of water or some cream/ milk then either microwave for a few minutes or reheat covered in a pan on the stovetop until heated well. Keep stirring in between to make sure that the pasta doesn’t stick to the pan.
Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
Cook penne al dente in a large pot following the package directions. Though heavy cream is the best option to make a rich creamy tomato sauce, you can also add half and half or a little full cream milk to make the lighter version of the creamy sauce. Marinara sauce also has salt in it so add more salt carefully and only if needed. However, because of the sweetness of the cream, you may feel the need to add some additional salt to the sauce. Instead of using quartered plum tomatoes, you can also use roughly chopped tomatoes in the recipe. Just make sure that the tomatoes you are using are juicy and ripe. If your sauce is too thick, use some pasta water to adjust its consistency.
Vegan note: To make a vegan version of pasta rosa, add some almond or cashew milk instead of cream. You can also garnish it with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
Frequently asked questions
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I really enjoy pasta dinners and love collecting or creating different pasta recipes. They are easy to make, tasty, and enjoyed by almost everyone. If you also love pasta dishes, don’t miss checking out some of my family favorite pasta dinner recipes below:
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