Penne Rosa Recipe (Noodles and Company Copycat)

Photos of Penne Rosa Recipe (Noodles and Company Copycat)

This recipe for penne rosa was taken off from the Noodles and Company menu right for you. Serve a plate of penne noodles coated in creamy marinara sauce with spinach and mushrooms and topped with parmesan cheese. It’s heavenly delicious and only takes 15 minutes to make!

If you’re a big pasta lover, read our article on different types of pasta to know more about penne noodles plus other recipes you can try.

What’s in Our Penne Rosa Sauce?

What makes this penne pasta recipe different from others is its creamy and savory sauce from the cream and marinara sauce combination.

Noodles and Company might be making their penne rosa using Roma tomatoes, which are perfect for making tomato sauce as they’re meaty, full of flavor, fresh, and tangy. But we can still get that amazing creamy red sauce with canned tomatoes with our homemade penne rosa sauce.

This penne recipe is surely one of the best pasta recipes using a flavorful marinara sauce. The marinara adds a sweet and rich flavor mixed with bold notes from the red wine. The addition of heavy cream results in a creamy pasta recipe with mushrooms and onions for texture.

Tips In Making Penne Rosa

This quick 15-minute penne recipe is already so easy to whip up but we still have some tips and tricks on how to best make it.

Season the noodles as it cooks. Sprinkle it with some salt to give it a little taste.
Toss butter into your cooked noodles if your pasta seems to cling to each other. Contrary to popular belief, adding olive oil to pasta water doesn’t necessarily help them from sticking together. In fact, it’s most likely to prevent your water from foaming up and boiling over.
Make homemade marinara sauce if you have the time.
Don’t skip the heavy cream. Make sure not to switch it out with lower fat alternatives like skim milk to ensure a silky and creamy tomato pasta sauce.

What to Serve With Penne Rosa

If you’re a meat lover, you can simply incorporate some chicken into this vegetarian pasta and turn it into chicken penne pasta. For those into seafood, you can also serve it with this garlic butter-flavored grilled shrimp recipe. Lastly, for a healthier meatless pasta side alternative go ahead and try our cucumber salad recipe.

How To Make Penne Rosa (Noodles and Company Copycat)

Indulge in a delicious plate of penne rosa inspired by Noodles and Company in just 15 minutes. Savor penne noodles coated in a tomato cream sauce, topped with mushrooms and parmesan cheese.

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 15 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

½ lb penne pasta, cooked and cooled
¼ cup red wine
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp chili powder
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup marinara sauce
⅓ cup yellow onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup button mushrooms, canned, quartered
1 cup spinach
14 oz tomatoes, canned, diced
salt and ground black pepper , to taste

To Serve:

⅔ oz parmesan cheese, shaved

Instructions

In a large skillet, saute the garlic and onions in hot oil until translucent.
Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Saute briefly.
Deglaze with red wine and reduce briefly.
Add the heavy cream, marinara sauce, chili powder, and pasta. Mix until combined.
Season with salt and ground pepper. Adjust according to preferred taste.
Add the spinach and mix until it starts wilting.
Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Bon Appetit!

Nutrition

Sugar: 11g
:
Calcium: 98mg
Calories: 519kcal
Carbohydrates: 73g
Cholesterol: 27mg
Fat: 18g
Fiber: 6g
Iron: 4mg
Potassium: 876mg
Protein: 14g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Sodium: 419mg
Vitamin A: 1824IU
Vitamin C: 20mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Head over to our Recipe Sharing forum section to share your thoughts and experiences with making this delicious Penne Rosa recipe, a Noodles and Company copycat dish.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use vodka sauce instead of marinara sauce to make penne rosa?

Yes, you can switch out the marinara sauce with vodka sauce. Just make sure not to add heavy cream anymore, since vodka sauce is already a tomato-based cream sauce with a mix of vodka. Try it out with our vegetarian-friendly penne rosa or by serving penne alla vodka with ground beef.

Is penne rosa vegan?

This penne rosa recipe is not vegan, but you can make it vegan-friendly by replacing some ingredients. Replace penne pasta with gluten-free noodles like rice noodles, zucchini noodles, or pipette noodles. Then, substitute heavy cream with greek yogurt and hemp seeds for parmesan cheese to completely omit the dairy.

Conclusion

This copycat recipe serves a scrumptious and filling meal that's as close to the authentic sensational penne rosa of Noodles and Co as you can get. It’s definitely quick and easy to make, a perfect last-minute dinner idea that family and guests would enjoy.