Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta | 30 Minute Meal

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This Sun Dried Tomato Pasta has a creamy sauce with pops of tomato flavor. It’s such a quick 30 minute dinner and with some swaps, you can add it to your weekly dinner rotation.

We love pasta and have it at least once a week. This is one of our most enjoyed recipes along with, Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta and Lemon Butter Salmon Pasta. We even enjoy snacking on pasta with this Air Fryer Pasta Chips, a churro style snack.

Why You’ll ♡ This Sundried Tomato Pasta

• Only take 30 minutes to make, so it’s a great quick weeknight dinner.
• It is restaurant worthy so can be served for special occasions.
• Basic ingredients you have in your pantry.
• It is budget friendly, but doesn’t feel like a budget meal as it is so decadent.

Ingredients, Simple Swaps and Budget Tips

This recipe is simple, but you can switch it up depending on what you have on hand:

• Pasta: Any short or long pasta works here. Choose your favorite shape but make sure you just cook it until al dente so it holds up well in the creamy sauce.
• Butter: Love the richness this adds to the sauce. You can also use some of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.
• Seasonings: This gets it flavor from garlic, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper, richness form balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard and Italian seasoning. Stick with fresh garlic for this. Add a little more or less to your taste and swap in other seasoning blends.
• Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: I love their rich, concentrated tomato flavor. I chop them up smaller so a little goes a long way. Roasted red peppers are great alternatives.
• Broth: Adds flavor and helps deglaze the pan before the cream goes in. Use veggie broth to keep the dish vegetarian.
• Heavy cream: You can use half-and-half or a mix of milk and cream.
• Parmesan: Freshly grated works best for making a smooth sauce.
• Fresh baby spinach: Arugula, kale, or chard can also be used.

How To Make Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card further below.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Set aside about 1 cup of the pasta water for later.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
3. Add the Italian seasoning, paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, then sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook for another 30–60 seconds.
4. Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, then stir in the Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. Mix well and let the broth warm through.
5. Add the cream, reduce the heat, and let the sauce gently simmer.
6. Stir in the Parmesan until melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then add the spinach and cook until wilted.
7. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan.

Bintu’s Recipe Tips

Here’s a few things to get you going with this delicious dish.

• The sauce thickens as it cools, so just add a splash of broth or milk when you reheat it.
• Always keep some of that starchy water. It helps the sauce cling beautifully to the pasta.
• Instead of throwing out the sun-dried tomatoes oil use a spoonful in place of the butter for extra flavor.
•  Add cooked chicken, shrimp, or even chickpeas to bulk it up.

Storage and Prep Ahead

This is a quick and easy meal, so I prefer making it from scratch.

• Store. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Prep ahead. It really is so easy to make I’d suggest you make it from scratch.
• Freeze it. I would not suggest freezing it as the cream may split.

Other Pasta Recipes

Love pasta? Then try some of our other favorite dishes.

Serving Suggestions

This is versatile enough to pair with anything:

Thank you for reading my How To Make Sundried Tomato Pasta recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Get The Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe