Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
This is the creamy, sun-kissed pasta is full of bright tomato flavor, silky sauce, and touches of fresh basil. The secret is using the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. That deeply flavored oil seasons the sauce from the very first step, giving the pasta that “you ordered this in Italy” richness with almost no extra work. It’s a pantry-friendly, weeknight staple that still feels special.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta short or long—your favorite
- Up to ¾ cup reserved pasta water as needed
- 2 tablespoons oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon homemade Italian seasoning
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- ¼ cup fresh basil torn
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for serving
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Before draining, reserve up to ¾ cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Build the flavor base: While the pasta cooks make the sauce. Warm the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and garlic, letting them gently sizzle until fragrant—about 1 minute.
- Create the sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for 30–60 seconds to caramelize. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and Italian seasoning. whisk until smooth and combined. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add greens + cheese: Stir in the spinach until wilted. Add the Parmigiano, stirring until it melts into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss with pasta: Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet. Toss, adding splashes of pasta water as needed until the sauce becomes glossy and silky. Fold in the fresh basil.
- Serve: Finish with extra Parmigiano and a drizzle of the sun-dried tomato oil if you love a stronger tomato flavor. Serve hot.
Notes
Elena's Tips:
- Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar—this is your secret flavor booster.
- Finely chop the tomatoes so they blend into the sauce instead of clumping.
- Don’t skip caramelizing the tomato paste—it makes the sauce richer.
- Add pasta water slowly to create a glossy, emulsified sauce (restaurant trick!).
- Always grate the Parmigiano fresh so it melts smoothly.
- Add lemon zest at the end for balance and brightness.
- Toss pasta into the sauce off heat if cheese starts to clump.
Nutrition
Serving: 8g | Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1448IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 7mg
