Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Intensely savory sun dried tomatoes and a quick creamy sauce turn a weeknight pasta into something that feels genuinely special. ♡

Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil are the shortcut that makes this recipe punch way above its effort level. The oil they’re packed in is loaded with flavor and goes straight into the pan as part of the sauce base. A little Parmesan and pasta water pulls everything into a glossy, coating sauce.

You’re twenty minutes from a bowl that tastes like you spent way more time than that. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

• 12 oz farfalle or penne pasta
• 1 jar (8 oz) sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped (reserve the oil)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp oil from the sun dried tomato jar
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh basil for serving

Optional add-ins:

Why This Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Works

The key is building flavor in layers. Starting with aromatics, adding the star ingredients at the right moment, and finishing with starchy pasta water creates a sauce that clings to every strand. Simple techniques, big payoff.

• Grilled or rotisserie chicken sliced on top
• Baby spinach wilted in at the end
• Artichoke hearts
• Capers for brininess
• Toasted pine nuts

How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

1. Boil. Cook pasta in a large pot of heavily salted water until 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.
2. Saute. Heat the reserved sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
3. Build. Add the chopped sun dried tomatoes to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, pressing some of them lightly against the pan to break them down slightly. Stir in Italian seasoning.
4. Cream. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water to loosen if needed.
5. Toss. Add drained pasta directly to the skillet and toss over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted and the sauce coats every piece. Add more pasta water if the sauce feels too tight.
6. Serve. Season with salt and black pepper. Plate immediately with fresh torn basil and extra Parmesan on top.

Tips for the Best Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

• Use the oil from the jar. It’s already infused with herbs and tomato flavor and doing half the work for you. Do not drain and discard it.
• Don’t skip reserving pasta water. It’s the emulsifier that keeps the cream sauce silky instead of clumpy as it cools.
• Buy sun dried tomatoes in oil, not dry-packed. Dry-packed tomatoes need to be rehydrated and won’t give you the same rich flavor in this timeframe.
• Add spinach last. If using spinach, toss it in right after the Parmesan and off the heat. Residual warmth wilts it perfectly without overcooking.
• Taste before salting. Sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan are both salty. You may need far less added salt than you expect.
• Use a wide skillet, not a saucepan. More surface area means better tossing and more even sauce coating.

Fun Variations to Try

• With Chicken: Slice grilled or pan-seared chicken breast and layer it on top of each bowl. It turns this into a full protein-forward meal.
• Tuscan Style: Add a handful of baby spinach and a can of white beans in the last 2 minutes for a heartier, more filling version.
• Spicy Version: Double the red pepper flakes and add a drizzle of Calabrian chili oil to each plate at serving.
• Vegan: Swap heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for a fully plant-based bowl.
• With Shrimp: Cook peeled shrimp in the tomato oil for 2 to 3 minutes before building the sauce. Remove, make the sauce, then return shrimp at the end.
• With Goat Cheese: Swap Parmesan for 3 ounces of creamy goat cheese for a tangier, more assertive finish to the sauce.

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

A quick and intensely savory pasta made with oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and a simple cream sauce that comes together in 20 minutes.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 540

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 12 oz farfalle or penne pasta
• 8 oz sun dried tomatoes in oil drained and roughly chopped, oil reserved
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium shallot finely diced
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp sun dried tomato oil from the jar
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• salt and black pepper to taste
• fresh basil for serving

Method

 

1. Cook pasta in heavily salted boiling water until 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water before draining.
2. Heat sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute shallot for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more.
3. Add chopped sun dried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, pressing some against the pan to break them down slightly. Stir in Italian seasoning.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in heavy cream and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened.
5. Add drained pasta and toss for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted. Add pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.

Notes

Always use the flavorful oil from the sun dried tomato jar as your cooking fat. Reserve pasta water before draining as it is essential for a silky sauce. Taste before adding salt since sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan are already quite salty.

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