Creamy Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Recipe

Enjoy a delicious, 20-minute, easy-to-make sun-dried tomato pasta, packed with bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and a touch of Mediterranean charm. Perfect for a casual dinner or a quick weeknight meal!

 

Easy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe

• Flavor. My sun-dried tomato pasta is a total game-changer—packed with rich, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, dried herbs, and a hint of garlic. It’s bursting with flavor and comes together quickly, making it the perfect dish for any occasion!
• Ease. This pasta with sun-dried tomatoes comes together in about 20 minutes and requires very little prep work, making it an easy weeknight meal even when you’re short on time.

Ingredients for Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

• Pasta: I used cavatappi. You can also use penne, rigatoni, or rotini. Feel free to use fettuccine or linguine as well.
• Butter: Butter adds tons of flavor and combines with the flour to create a roux that helps thicken the sauce.
• Garlic & Herbs: Freshly minced garlic and Italian seasoning are the easiest ways to add tons of flavor to this pasta. Feel free to substitute with 3/4 of a teaspoon of garlic powder and add your favorite dried herbs!
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes work best for this recipe because they have the most flavor.
• Flour: All-purpose flour combines with the butter to create a roux that thickens the cream sauce.
• Chicken Broth: Chicken broth is the perfect way to thin out the sauce. You could also use vegetable broth as well.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream adds delicious flavor and creamy texture. Half and half would work in a pinch but the sauce is going to have a thinner consistency.
• Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan thickens the sauce and adds a delicious nutty flavor. Substitute with Asiago or Romano.
• Spinach: Baby spinach is my favorite for this pasta. Feel free to use your favorite leafy green that wilts easily.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar is going to cut the richness of the creamy sauce and brighten all the other flavors of the dish. You can substitute it with white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar.

How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Cook pasta according to package directions just until al dente. Be sure to generously salt the water before boiling the pasta. Reserve 1/2 a cup of pasta water. Heat butter in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and sun-dried tomatoes along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30-60 seconds.

Sprinkle flour into the saute pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Deglaze the pan with chicken broth until it cleans the bottom of the pan. Stir in heavy cream. Turn the heat to medium and cook for a few minutes until the cream is warmed. Stir in Parmesan cheese along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. 

Add baby spinach and balsamic vinegar. Stir until the spinach wilts.

Stir in cooked pasta, adding a few splashes of pasta water as you toss the pasta to coat it in the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Tips for Making Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

• Pasta Water. Don’t forget to save your pasta water! This will help dress the pasta and ensure that the sauce sticks to every nook and cranny of the pasta.
• Parmesan. Freshly shred your Parmesan so that it melts easily. If your Parmesan isn’t melting or is clumpy, keep cooking and stirring until it melts.
• Saucey. As written, this pasta is quite saucy – just the way I like it! You could probably get away with adding 12 ounces or 16 ounces of pasta. An additional splash of pasta water will help thin the sauce to stretch it a bit further too!
• Protein. To easily add protein to this dish, throw in some shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled chicken.

Making Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Ahead of Time

• Prep this pasta over the weekend and enjoy easy lunches or quick dinners all week!
• This pasta will stay fresh in the fridge and reheats beautifully.
• Add your favorite protein like panko chicken or Italian sausage to make it a complete meal!

Storing Leftover Pasta

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Reheating Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

• Reheat pasta in a large saute pan over medium heat.
• Add a splash of cream or broth to loosen up the sauce.
• Cook until heated through.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta With

• simple house salad
• beet and feta salad
• grilled Halloumi salad
• easy garlic bread
• cheesy olive garlic bread
• Caprese garlic bread

Try these pastas next!

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