My favorite dish to order at the restaurant Noodles & Company is Penne Rosa. It’s an absolutely delicious pasta dish involving penne pasta, Roma tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach doused in a creamy tomato based sauce with freshly grated parmesan on top!
Every time I go to Noodles & Company, I think about ordering something else. But, I end up always getting Penne Rosa because I simply love it. I loved it so much that I created a copycat version of this recipe.
This has become one of my go to pasta dishes to make! It’s super simple to make and within minutes you have a creamy, comforting bowl of tastiness. Yum!
1: Switch It Up
Request yours be made with our tender, tasty parmesan-crusted chicken breast.
When it comes to deciding what pasta recipes to make for dinner, I’m always faced with a quandry: cream sauce or tomato sauce?
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 Italian salad for a full Italian feast.
Sometimes I know for sure I’m in the mood for a simple marinara sauce. Other times, nothing sounds better than a creamy cheesy sauce like Alfredo.
I first sampled Penne Rosa at the restaurant Noodles & Company. a while back. A friend of mine recommended I order it next time I found myself at a Noodles & Co. and I’m glad she did.
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.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A dish like pasta rosa may sound fancy and complicated, but its surprisingly simple to make at home. This penne rosa recipe comes together in 20 minutes with just a handful of pantry staple ingredients!
Olive Oil — Try to find an olive oil that is organic and cold-pressed. If you prefer a lighter tasting oil, you could use avocado. I don’t recommend using butter because you’ll also be using heavy cream, and too much dairy in a sauce can make it overly rich.
Yellow Onion — This onion variety is mild, but still with a nice bite. And it gets sweeter while it cooks, making it perfect for pasta rosa. But you can also use a white or sweet onion. Just avoid red onions here.
Garlic — You can’t have penne r osa without the aromatic flavor of fresh garlic. It pairs so well with all of the other ingredients in this dish, especially the onion, spinach, and heavy cream. You can use shallot in its place but opt for garlic, if possible.
Dried Oregano — You’ll use a whopping two teaspoons of dried oregano in this recipe, which may seem like a lot, but remember that you’re incorporating it into the marinara sauce and the heavy cream. You can substitute it with Italian seasoning or add some dried basil and dried rosemary.
Spaghetti Sauce — While store-bought is fine, and in some cases more convenient (believe me, I understand how important that is!), I prefer to make homemade if time allows! Just make a big batch and keep the leftovers in the freezer to use as you need!
Fresh Baby Spinach — You want the baby spinach variety because it’s incredibly tender, making it perfect for this pasta dish. You can use regular spinach or even baby kale if you prefer a heartier leafy green.
Heavy Cream — This is what makes penne rosa pink! Combined with the spaghetti sauce, you’re left with a rich, velvety smooth tomato sauce. You can substitute coconut cream if dairy-free or vegan.
Cayenne Pepper — A rich dish like this benefits from some heat. Just a pinch or two will do the trick!
Penne — I love using penne because it’s easy to pick up with a fork, and the sauce is able to seep into every nook and cranny. But you can use whatever pasta you prefer or have on hand.
FAQ
How many calories in Penne Rosa from Noodles?
Penne Rosa pasta is a dish served at a restaurant called Noodles and Company. The dish consists of penne pasta tossed in a spicy tomato cream sauce, fresh tomatoes and spinach, mushrooms, and parmesan crusted chicken.
Are Penne Rosa Noodles vegan?
There are 360 calories in 1 serving of Noodles & Company Penne Rosa (Small).
How many calories are in Penne Rosa Parmesan crusted chicken?
How to order it vegan: The default Penne Noodles are vegan and so is the Penne Rosa Sauce. Just ask for no Parmesan cheese or cream, and feel free to add veggies or seasoned tofu.
