Pasta with Light Creamy Basil Tomato Sauce

During the COVID-19 lockdown, one of the most interesting and fun events on a weekly basis is by far grocery shopping. We went to PCC recently (a local store chain in Washington), and my mom and I could not resist getting these fun-shaped handmade pasta! They’re called lumaconi giganti, and they look like big snail shells that are about the size of a pingpong ball.

I first wanted to make spinach ricotta stuffed pasta, but my mom isn’t a fan of cheese so I decided on this light, creamy tomato sauce instead! It has a hint of smokiness from smoked paprika, and lots of fresh basil and spinach for a dose of flavor and ~health~. The sauce is creamy, but it’s not too heavy because I chose to use evaporated milk instead—you can swap it for half and half or cream for a more decadent version.

Pasta with Light, Creamy Basil Tomato Sauce
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 16 oz dry pasta, any shape (I used lumaconi giganti)
• 2-3 tsp olive oil
• 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 12 oz evaporated milk
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 shallot or 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup basil, roughly chopped
• 12 oz spinach leaves
• salt, to taste and for boiling pasta
• water for boiling
• optional, for garnish: julienned basil, feta or parmesean cheese, cracked black pepper
  
  

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and liberally salt. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to packaging. Reserve pasta water for later to add into the sauce.
2. Meanwhile, in another pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot/onion, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, smoked paprika and oregano, stirring to combine. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
4. Add in the evaporated milk, basil, and spinach. Stir until well combined and the greens are wilted.
5. 1-2 tbsp at a time, add pasta water to the sauce until you reach the desired consistency. Drain pasta and add to the pot of sauce, stirring to completely cover.
6. Serve warm with garnish of choice!

Per serving: 356 calories: 57 g carbs; 8 g fat; 14 g protein