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.
My Top Cooking Tip: Reserve 1-2 cups of the salty, starchy pasta cooking water. Just a splash helps emulsify the sauce, making it silky-smooth and preventing separation.
About This Recipe
Delivering restaurant-quality flavor without all the work, this ultra-luxe sun-dried tomato pasta cooks in just one pot and is ready in under 30 minutes! The ingredients are simple, and the process couldn’t be easier. Top off your plate with your favorite protein or keep it vegetarian – there are so many ways to make this amazing pasta your own!
- Yield: This recipe makes enough for 4 people as a main or 6 people as a side.
- Difficulty: Super easy! A delicious weeknight dinner.
- Freezer-Friendly: No. I don’t recommend making this pasta as the cream is likely to separate after thawing and reheating.
- Related Recipe: If you love creamy sun-dried tomato flavors, you’ll love this easy, one-pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken featuring juicy chicken thighs in a sun-dried tomato and spinach cream sauce.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This creamy sun-dried tomato pasta is super customizable. Below are notes about the ingredients plus popular substitutions. You can find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Pasta: This dish is perfect with most types of pasta, including rotini (shown here), ziti, penne, farfalle, cavatappi, and rigatoni. I don’t recommend using chickpea or gluten-free pasta, as the starch from wheat-based pasta water is essential for creating a thick, creamy sauce. Without it, the sauce won’t achieve the same smooth, velvety consistency.
Aromatics: Substitute onion with diced shallots or omit from the recipe for a smoother sauce.
Seasoning: This pasta has so much flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes and heavy cream that less is better when seasoning. A little dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to finish is all it needs. 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: The grocery store sells two main types of sun-dried tomatoes: oil-packed and dry-packed. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are preserved in oil, often with herbs and garlic, making them soft, flavorful, and ready to use without rehydrating. Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes are dried, with a texture similar to dried fruit, and are not stored in oil, making them chewier and more concentrated in flavor. This recipe can be made with either type, but for softer sun-dried tomatoes, choose oil-packed.
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.
Optional Additions
One of the best parts about this sun-dried tomato pasta is how accepting it is of modifications and additions. Here are some examples:
- White Wine: Adds depth and acidity. It also helps deglaze the pan, lifting flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan for a more complex sauce. Be sure to 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: Contributes a velvety, slightly tangy creaminess, making the sauce extra smooth and luscious. It also thickens the sauce considerably. 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 beautifully. 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.
Jessica’s Pro Tips
Simmer, don’t boil: To keep the sauce smooth and creamy, simmer 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.
Temper the dairy before adding: A sudden temperature change can cause the proteins in dairy to seize up and separate. Gradually warming it before adding it to hot sauces helps it blend more smoothly. How can you 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: Pasta cooking water is like magic for cream-based pasta sauces (ask my Alfredo sauce recipe). Just a splash helps emulsify the sauce, making it silkier and preventing separation (especially useful when using lower-fat dairy like half-and-half or whole milk). Starchy water thickens the sauce slightly, helping the sauce coat each strand of pasta evenly, but also helps loosen up the sauce if it becomes too thick. Reserve at least 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining, and add about two tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Tips for Reheating Leftover Pasta
Like most cream-based pasta dishes, this sun-dried tomato pasta tastes best served immediately. However, should you find yourself with leftovers, here are a few tips to revive it to its former creamy, silky-smooth glory.
- Top Tip: Save the magical pasta cooking water. Store it in a sealed jar or container and put it in the refrigerator with the leftover pasta.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop. Add the pasta to a skillet or saucepan set over low heat. Add a splash of leftover cooking water (or heavy cream/milk) to loosen the sauce. Gently stir continuously as it reheats.
- Microwave in 30-second intervals. Add the pasta to a microwave-safe dish and cover loosely with a paper towel. Add a splash of leftover cooking water (or heavy cream/milk) to loosen the sauce and prevent it from drying out. Heat in short burst, stirring between each interval.
- Always avoid high heat.
Looking for more creamy pasta recipes? Try my Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta, this reader-favorite One-Pot Ground Turkey Pasta, or this Creamy Mushroom Pasta.
Have any questions? Drop me a message in the comment section below! I’m happy to help. And, if you enjoy this recipe, please rate it with some STAR LOVIN’ so other readers know to try it too! Tag me at #theforkedspoon. I’ll be sure to share! Thank you!
RECIPE CARD
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe
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.
Jessica’s Notes
- 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.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Looks outstanding and I will be making it very soon. Just looking at the recipe I can tell it’s going to be great … thanks for posting Jessica. One thing about the sun-dried tomatoes … I always buy the oil-packed kind and I always save the infused oil because it is liquid gold! In recipes similar to this I often use the oil for the sautéing part (or use 1/2 butter and 1/2 infused oil). It really adds some great additional flavor to the dish.