Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe
This creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta recipe comes together in just 30 minutes using one-pot and simple pantry staples! The luscious sauce is velvety smooth and features butter, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and spinach. Enjoy it as a quick and easy vegetarian dinner, or add protein like shrimp or chicken breasts for a heartier dish.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 2 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion minced
- ½ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed, drained (see notes)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups heavy cream at room temperature, see notes
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth see notes
- 2 cups baby spinach packed
- fresh oregano, basil, or parsley to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 ounces of rotini pasta and cook one minute less than the package instructions (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Before draining, reserve 1-2 cups of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Soften the onion. Return the pot to medium heat. Melt the butter, then add the onion. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring until softened and translucent.
- Sauté the sun-dried tomatoes and seasoning. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, releasing their flavor into the butter. Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, and salt, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant (be careful not to burn the garlic).
- Make the creamy sauce. Pour in two cups of room-temperature heavy cream and two cups of low-sodium chicken broth (for a more decadent sauce, reduce the chicken broth to one cup), stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer (not boiling!) over medium-low heat, allowing the flavors to meld. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the spinach and pasta. Stir in the chopped spinach, letting it wilt for 1–2 minutes, then add the cooked pasta. Gently toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water (1–2 tablespoons at a time) until you reach your desired consistency.
- Season and serve. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese, if using, and garnish with fresh parsley, oregano, or basil, if desired.
Notes
Yield: This recipe makes enough for four people as a main or six as a side. The nutritional information is for four servings.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Pasta: This pasta can be made with most types of pasta, including rotini (shown here), ziti, penne, farfalle, cavatappi, and rigatoni. I don’t recommend chickpea or gluten-free pasta, as the starch from wheat-based pasta water is essential for creating a thick, creamy sauce.
- Onion: Substitute with diced shallots or omit from the recipe if desired.
- Seasoning: Feel free to swap the dried oregano for dried basil or Italian seasoning, and sprinkle with some red pepper flakes for heat.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: There are two main types available at the grocery store: oil-packed and dry-packed. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are preserved in oil, often infused with herbs and garlic, making them soft, flavorful, and ready to use straight from the jar. Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes have a texture similar to dried fruit—chewy and more concentrated in flavor—requiring rehydration before use. This recipe works with either type but opt for oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for a softer, more tender bite.
- Heavy Cream: For a lighter sauce, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or create your own by mixing equal parts heavy whipping cream and whole milk. I don’t recommend using lower-fat alternatives, as they increase the risk of the sauce separating.
- Spinach: Substitute with kale for a similar nutrient-packed leafy green.
- White Wine: Adds depth and acidity. It also helps deglaze the pan, lifting flavorful bits from the bottom for a more complex sauce. Use a dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Add about 1/2 cup (before the heavy cream) and allow enough time for it to reduce by half.
- Cream Cheese: Add approx. 4-6 ounces of room temperature cream cheese before adding the heavy cream. If you add cream cheese, reduce the amount of heavy cream by at least half.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grate your Parm straight from the black for the best flavor and guaranteed silky sauce. I love using my Microplane grater to get an ultra-fine texture that blends seamlessly into the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: Adding 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste is a great way to thicken the sauce so it clings to the pasta. Stir it into the cooking onions and sun-dried tomatoes before adding the heavy cream.
- Protein: Baked chicken breasts or leftover shredded chicken are my go-to when I need to pack the protein, but sweet (or spicy) Italian sausage is also delicious. Shrimp is great when you need something to cook quickly.
- To keep the sauce smooth and creamy, simmer it gently over medium to low heat. Avoid boiling, as high heat can cause the fat and water to separate, leading to curdling, especially with lower-fat dairy.
- A sudden temperature change can cause the proteins in the dairy to seize up and separate. Tempering the dairy or gradually warming it before adding it to hot sauces helps it blend more smoothly. To do this, remove the dairy from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or gently heat it in a separate pan. OR, stir in a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce to gradually raise its temperature. Once warmed, slowly mix it into the sauce over low heat, stirring constantly.
- Reserve the pasta cooking water: Reserve at least 1-2 cups before draining, and add about two tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Just a splash helps emulsify the sauce, making it silkier and preventing separation. Starchy water thickens the sauce slightly, allowing the sauce to coat each strand of the pasta evenly, but it also helps loosen up the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Refrigerate leftover pasta in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat slowly over low heat in a saucepan or the microwave until warm. Add a few tablespoons of cream/milk/reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, if needed.
- Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Calories: 838kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 458mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3517IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 3mg
