Creamy Spinach and Sundried Tomato Penne
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bertolli®. The opinions and text are all mine.
Sometimes the day gets away from me and I forget to plan for dinner. The weeknights can be hectic with school, homework and my kids’ activities so I have a few go-to dinners that I can make in a pinch. Today I’m sharing a delicious pasta dish that all of my picky eaters enjoy – Creamy Spinach and Sundried Tomato Penne! This meal can be made with or without meat, so if your chicken is still in the freezer at 5 o’clock don’t worry – you can still make this delicious dish!
Let’s start by gathering a few ingredients. I like to use the Bertolli® Garlic Alfredo sauce for this recipe along with an 8 oz bag of spinach, 1/2 c of sundried tomatoes and 8 oz (about 2 cups) of dried penne pasta.
Cook your pasta according to the package instructions. I like to add a splash of olive oil and a dash of salt to flavor the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, slice your sundried tomatoes. Sometimes you can find them already sliced, these would work for this recipe too and will save you some time!
Next, cook the spinach in the microwave according to the package instructions. Let the spinach cool a bit, then transfer to a clean towel. Squeeze out all of the excess water and then rough chop the spinach. It’s important to complete this step, if you skip it your sauce will be watered down!
Once the pasta is cooked, drain but don’t rinse it. There is a starch that clings to hot pasta and this will help the sauce stick to it. In a large pan, heat your Bertolli® Garlic Alfredo sauce just until warm – don’t let it boil or your sauce will burn.
Next, add your sundried tomatoes and spinach to the sauce. Then stir in your noodles. Once all of the components are warm, you are ready to serve!
I add a bit of shaved Parmesan cheese to the top for myself, the kids prefer their pasta without. You can also add Romano cheese if you prefer!
I shopped for all of the ingredients found in this recipe at my local Ralph’s. Right now Kroger, and their affiliated stores, are hosting a Taste of Italy promotion. You can find more delicious Italian inspired recipes on the Bertolli® website: Villa Bertolli. Enjoy!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bertolli®. The opinions and text are all mine.
