Penne noodles tossed in creamy tomato sauce is everyone’s favorite on pasta night! Enjoy this Penne Rosa recipe that’s just like the menu favorite from Noodles & Co., only better because it’s cheaper!
Testing this recipe was a labor of love. I had to repeatedly go to Noodles & Co. to keep doing comparisons. I truly believe my version is so much better!
When it comes to deciding what pasta recipes to make for dinner, I’m always faced with a quandry: cream sauce or tomato sauce?
This Penne Rosa recipe brings you the best of both worlds! Inspired by the Noodles & Co. menu favorite, this red sauce is about to change your pasta game forever.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
Taste & Texture: creamy garlic sauce with zesty tomatoes, paired with pasta and fresh spinach and mushrooms.
Like it spicier? Add more red pepper flakes to taste! Or, swap out the tomatoes for Rotel Tomatoes (my favorite)!
Top Tip: Cook the pasta to al dente to avoid the noodles getting soggy when you add them to the sauce.
Penne Rosa Ingredients
To make my Penne Rosa Noodles and Company recipe, I started with these ingredients:
{Ingredients at a glance; scroll down for amounts and full printable recipe]
- Penne pasta noodles
- Marinara sauce
- Sliced mushrooms
- Garlic, pressed
- Roma tomatoes, diced
- Heavy whipping cream
- Fresh spinach leaves
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Served on its own, this pasta recipe happens to be vegetarian. It has so much flavor you won’t even miss the meat!
How to Make Penne Rosa
STEP 1. Cook penne pasta according to package directions.
STEP 2. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, until mushrooms are tender.
To the skillet, add the pressed garlic and cook for an additional minute.
STEP 3. Stir in cooked and drained penne pasta, marinara sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes.
STEP 4. Add in fresh diced tomatoes and spinach. Stir to combine and cook until spinach is mostly wilted. Stir in the heavy cream. Add kosher salt and pepper. Heat just until warm.
Serve hot with plenty of fresh parmesan cheese grated on top! This would be delicious served with a side of Garlic Bread and a simple homemade Olive Garden salad for a full Italian feast.
Tips & Tricks
- This is a meatless meal that’s full of flavor! If you want to add some meat, go for it. Parmesan crusted chicken, tilapia , Italian sausage or pork chops would all taste wonderful in Penne Rosa.
- Any marinara sauce or tomato-based spaghetti sauce will be delicious in this recipe. Make your own or use your favorite store bought sauce.
- This is not the time to substitute skim milk or other lower fat alternatives to the cream. Real whipping cream is what gives this sauce the silky texture and incredibly creamy flavor. It’s worth it, I promise!
- Don’t have penne? You can still make this dish with other shaped noodles. Farfalle Rosa, Ziti rosa, linguini rosa. . . whatever pasta you have in your pantry can go right into this sauce. Or serve it up with zoodles!
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Try Instant Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu for its cheesy, creamy flavor!
- Make these sweet and juicy Apple Stuffed Pork Chops! Never eat dry chops again!
- Get out your slow cooker for this sweet and tangy Crockpot BBQ Chicken!
- Make this Southern classic Mississippi Pot Roast, juicy, tender, and melt in your mouth delicious!
- Stuck in a dinner rut? Try my Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole recipe. Total comfort food! Or whip up these Zucchini Meatballs for a vegetarian dinner.
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Penne Rosa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 roma tomatoes diced
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook penne pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, until mushrooms are tender.
- To the skillet, add the pressed garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in cooked and drained penne pasta, marinara sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add in fresh diced tomatoes and spinach. Stir to combine and cook until spinach is mostly wilted.
- Stir in the heavy cream. Add salt and pepper. Heat just until warm.
- Serve hot with parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Add parmesan crusted pork chops for a complete protein packed dinner.
- Skip the pasta and serve over zoodles.
- Like it spicier? Add more red pepper flakes to taste! Or, swap out the tomatoes for Rotel Tomatoes (my favorite)!
- Any marinara sauce or tomato-based spaghetti sauce will be delicious in this recipe. Make your own or use your favorite store bought sauce.
- Cook the pasta to al dente to avoid the noodles getting soggy when you add them to the sauce.
- This is not the time to substitute skim milk or other lower fat alternatives to the cream. Real whipping cream is what gives this sauce the silky texture and incredibly creamy flavor. It’s worth it, I promise!
- Don’t have penne? You can still make this dish with other shaped noodles. Farfalle Rosa, Ziti rosa, linguini rosa. . . whatever pasta you have in your pantry can go right into this sauce.
Nutrition
Easy Dinner Recipes
If you’re tired to making the same old pasta dishes, try my Penne Rosa recipe to shake things up! Zesty and creamy with the summertime flavors of fresh Roma Tomatoes, this pasta dinner is about as irresistible as it gets.
merci
A favorite in our household!
Fantastic!! Tastes exactly like Noodles & Co
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
made this just now with my roommate, accidentally doubled the amount of pasta recommended but ended up with the perfect ratio actually. used half as many mushrooms as recommended but minced them and that was a great call for us too, honestly delicious, not mad that i accidentally made 16 servings for 2 people lol.
This was terrific! Very easy and quick to pull together, and super delicious! Thank you for the fantastic recipe.
You’re welcome, glad you love it!
I’m planning to make this dish for my family. I do not like mushrooms and neither does my dad or brother mushrooms, but my sister and mother do. Do you have any suggestions or tips for being able to cook their portions with mushrooms and the rest without mushrooms?
My daughter was craving this Noodles & Co meal so figured I’d try to make it. It turned out so amazing I’m making it for the second day in a row. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Great recipe! Super fast & really delicious!
I used to work at Noodles and Company and this is pretty accurate! The only difference is that we would sauté the noodles with the veggies and about 1/2 to 1 tbsp of white wine per serving. It really compliments the rest of the sauce!
That sounds like a delicious tip!
So easy and so good!
So so good! Spot on noodles and co copycat! Reheats amazingly too!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Oh, I could so take a huge bowl of this! Looks SO yummy!