Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Quick and easy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with spinach and garlic in a mouth-watering creamy parmesan cheese sauce. Serve as a vegetarian main course meal or as a side dish with roasted chicken, grilled pork, or braised short ribs.

How to make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for thinning the sauce if needed. Drain the pasta well.

Meanwhile, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or the oil packed with the sundried tomatoes to a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add the sundried tomatoes and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly.

Then, pour in the white wine and simmer for several minutes to reduce the wine by half. Whisk in the whipping cream and simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce. Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and stir to coat. Season with red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Helpful Recipe Tips

• When making pasta with sauce, always reserve 1 cup of the pasta water to thin the sauce. It also helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Store pasta water in the fridge in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days. It is great for thinning the sauce when reheating leftovers.
• Use a little bit of the oil packed in the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. It adds flavor and color to the dish.
• I like to use rigatoni or penne for this recipe, but you could also use mostaccioli or ziti.
• For more protein, add browned Italian sausage or grilled chicken. 
• A good dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio works well with this recipe. Make sure that the quality of the wine is good enough that you would drink it.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power using a little bit of the refrigerated pasta water to thin the sauce.
• You can freeze this pasta for up to 2 months. But keep in mind that when thawed and reheated, the sauce might not be as visually appealing. Cream sauces can separate when thawed, so reheat over low heat, stirring continuously, and add a splash of fresh cream or milk.

What to eat with Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

• Roasted Chicken
• Garden Salad
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Chicken Potato Soup
• Garlic Cheese Bread
• New York Strip Steak
• Grilled Shrimp
• Homemade Bread or Rolls

Try These Next

Cajun Gumbo

Shrimp Fried Rice

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

French Onion Dip

Lemon Pepper Chicken

Nebraskan Runza

Green Beans Almondine

Hamburger Stew

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

A quick and creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta recipe with garlic and spinach in an easy cream sauce. Serve as a main course vegetarian dish or as a side with beef, chicken, pork, or fish. 

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 629kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 lb rigatoni or penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or a little oil from the sundried tomatoes
• 1 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil julienne cut, drained
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth or both
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach about 3 ounces
• Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for thinning the sauce if needed. Drain the pasta well. 
• Meanwhile, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or the oil packed with the sundried tomatoes to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sundried tomatoes and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly. 
• Pour in the white wine and simmer for several minutes to reduce the wine by half. Whisk in the whipping cream and simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce.
• Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Season with red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste. 

Notes

• When making pasta with sauce, always reserve 1 cup of the pasta water to thin the sauce. It also helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Store pasta water in the fridge in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days. It is great for thinning the sauce when reheating leftovers.
• Use a little bit of the oil packed with the sundried tomatoes. It adds flavor and color to the dish.
• I like to use rigatoni or penne for this recipe, but you could also use mostaccioli or ziti.
• A good dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinto grigio works well with this recipe. Make sure that the quality of the wine is good enough that you would drink it.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power using a little bit of the refrigerated pasta water to thin the sauce.
• You can freeze this pasta for up to 2 months. But keep in mind that when thawed and reheated, the sauce might not be as visually appealing. Cream sauces can separate when thawed, so reheat over low heat, stirring continuously, and add a splash of fresh cream or milk.

Nutrition

Calories: 629kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2423IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 2mg

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