I have a weakness for creamy pasta, especially when I can make the sauce taste like it took much longer than it actually did. This Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is one of those recipes that makes my kitchen smell ridiculously good before I even sit down to eat.

I used to make sun dried tomato pasta by chopping the tomatoes and stirring them into a creamy sauce. It was good, but I always felt like I was getting little pockets of tomato flavor instead of that flavor running through the whole bowl.

So I started blending the sun dried tomatoes directly into the sauce. That small change made a huge difference for me. The tomatoes turn the sauce thick, rich, and deeply savory, while basil gives everything a fresh little lift.

I also like that I don’t need a heavy cream sauce here. I use mostly milk with just 1/4 cup of cream, plus Parmesan for more richness. The blended tomatoes do a lot of the work, so the finished sauce still feels creamy without being overly heavy.

Ingredients I Used for the Recipe

• 3/4 cup tightly packed sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped: I use these as the main flavor of the sauce. I save a few extra pieces for topping the pasta because they look pretty and give me little chewy bites of tomato.
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves: I blend the basil into the sauce for a fresh, herby flavor that works really well with the tomatoes.
• 1/4 cup yogurt or sour cream, optional: I sometimes add this when I want a slightly tangier and creamier sauce. Either one works.
• 1/4 cup cream: I use just enough to give the sauce that familiar creamy pasta feeling without making the whole thing taste like straight cream.
• 1 3/4 cups milk: I usually use low-fat milk. It forms most of the liquid base for the sauce.
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste, optional: I add this when I want an even stronger tomato flavor and a little extra depth.
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese: I blend this into the sauce for saltiness and a savory, cheesy finish.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste: I start here and adjust after everything comes together.
• Black pepper, to taste: I like a generous amount because it balances the creamy sauce nicely.
• 300 g pasta: I usually reach for penne or ziti, but I have made this with other shapes too. I like pasta with ridges or little spaces that can hold onto the sauce.
• 1 tablespoon oil from the sun dried tomatoes: I use this for sautéing the garlic and onion, so I don’t have to waste that flavorful oil.
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed: I cook these briefly in the tomato oil to start the savory base.
• 1 small onion, finely diced: I cook the onion until soft and translucent. It gives the sauce a mellow sweetness.
• 4 cups tightly packed fresh English spinach, finely shredded: I stir this into the hot pasta and sauce. It wilts quickly and adds a fresh vegetable element without making the dish feel like a salad.
• Extra Parmesan and fresh basil, optional: I like finishing the pasta with both because a little extra cheese and fresh basil make the bowl feel complete.

I don’t stress too much about the optional ingredients. If I don’t have yogurt or sour cream, I leave it out. The sauce still works beautifully. I also don’t measure the basil with the seriousness of a baking recipe. A slightly heaped half cup has never caused me any trouble.

How to Make Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta?

Step 1 – Blend the Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

I start by putting the sun dried tomatoes, basil, yogurt or sour cream if I’m using it, cream, milk, tomato paste if I’m using it, Parmesan, salt, and black pepper into a blender.

I blend everything until the sauce looks smooth and creamy. I stop once or twice to scrape down the sides if I need to. Then I taste it and add a little more salt if it needs it.

This is usually the moment when I know dinner is going to be good. The smell of the sun dried tomatoes and basil coming out of the blender is surprisingly strong in the best way.

Step 2 – Cook the Garlic and Onion

I heat 1 tablespoon of the oil from the sun dried tomato jar in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, I add the crushed garlic and cook it for about 20 seconds.

I don’t let the garlic sit there too long because I’ve learned the hard way that burnt garlic can take over an entire pan. I add the finely diced onion right away and cook it for 3 to 5 minutes, until it turns soft and translucent.

Step 3 – Cook the Pasta

While the onion is cooking, I bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until it’s al dente. I want it cooked through but still slightly firm when I bite into it.

Before draining, I scoop out about 1 mug of the pasta cooking water. I used to skip this little step all the time, and now I almost never do. That starchy water is really useful for loosening the sauce later without making it watery.

Step 4 – Bring Everything Together

I add the drained pasta straight into the skillet with the cooked onion and garlic. Then I pour in the blended sun dried tomato sauce and add all of the shredded spinach.

I pour in about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and gently stir everything together. The spinach starts wilting almost immediately, and the sauce warms up around the pasta.

Step 5 – Let the Sauce Coat the Pasta

I cook everything together for about 2 minutes, stirring gently. I don’t want to aggressively stir the pasta because I want the pieces to stay intact and the sauce to cling to them.

At this point, I check the consistency. If the sauce looks too thick, I add a splash more pasta water. I prefer adding it gradually because it’s much easier to thin the sauce than to fix a sauce that has become too loose.

Step 6 – Finish and Serve

Once the spinach is wilted and the sauce is hot, I taste the pasta one last time and adjust the salt and pepper.

I take the skillet off the heat and serve it right away with extra Parmesan and some finely shredded fresh basil. Sometimes I scatter a few chopped sun dried tomatoes over the top too.

A Few Things I Learned While Making It

The blender is really the trick that makes this pasta different for me. Instead of getting a creamy sauce with scattered pieces of tomato, I get sun dried tomato flavor in practically every bite.

I also learned not to judge the sauce too much while it’s sitting in the blender. It can look thick, almost thicker than I expect, but once I add it to the pasta with the reserved cooking water, it becomes much easier to work with.

Another little lesson was saving enough pasta water. I used to scoop out barely any because I figured I wouldn’t need it. Then I’d wish I had more when the sauce tightened up in the skillet. Now I save a full mug without thinking about it.

I don’t rinse the pasta after cooking, either. I want that pasta surface to hold onto the sauce, and I want the starchy cooking water available when I need to loosen everything.

Tips

• I use oil-packed sun dried tomatoes when I have them: I like using some of the tomato oil for the skillet because it adds another layer of flavor.
• I taste before adding more salt: Sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan can both be quite salty, so I prefer starting with 1/2 teaspoon and adjusting later.
• I don’t overcook the garlic: About 20 seconds is enough for me before adding the onion.
• I save plenty of pasta water: I usually keep the full mug nearby even if I only end up using part of it.
• I add the pasta water slowly: I can always add another splash, but I can’t easily take it back out.
• I use fresh basil if possible: I love the way basil cuts through the creamy tomato flavor and makes the whole dish taste fresher.
• I shred the spinach fairly small: I find that finely shredded spinach disappears into the pasta more naturally and wilts in just a couple of minutes.
• I don’t worry about skipping the optional yogurt or sour cream: The sauce is already creamy from the milk, cream, Parmesan, and blended tomatoes.
• I use penne or ziti most often: The shapes hold a lot of sauce, although I don’t think this recipe needs to be limited to those two choices.
• I keep an eye on the sauce as it sits: Creamy pasta tends to thicken as it cools, so I save a little pasta water in case I need it for leftovers.

How I Like to Change It Up

I usually make this pasta with spinach because I like having something green mixed right into the creamy sauce. But there are nights when I want the bowl to feel a little more substantial, and that’s when I start adding other things.

Chicken is an easy addition. I like using cooked chicken that has been sliced or chopped into bite-sized pieces, then folding it into the pasta near the end so it gets coated in that tomato sauce.

Bacon is another one that I have a hard time saying no to. The smoky, salty flavor works especially well with the sweet-tangy sun dried tomatoes. I just make sure I don’t go overboard because the sauce already has plenty of personality.

I also like adding roasted vegetables when I have leftovers in the refrigerator. Roasted broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, or even a few pieces of roasted cauliflower can work. I don’t make a separate vegetable dish every time. Sometimes I just toss whatever looks good into the pasta.

For a stronger tomato flavor, I add the optional tablespoon of tomato paste. I don’t always need it, especially when my sun dried tomatoes are particularly flavorful, but it comes in handy when I want the sauce to taste extra tomato-heavy.

Serving It While It’s Still Creamy and Hot

I prefer eating this pasta hot, right after I take it off the stove. That’s when the sauce feels at its smoothest and the basil smells especially fresh.

I finish each serving with Parmesan and a little fresh basil. If I have extra sun dried tomatoes, I chop a few and scatter them over the top. It’s a small thing, but I like having that chewy tomato texture against the creamy pasta.

Garlic bread is probably my favorite side when I’m fully committing to a cozy pasta dinner. I also like a simple green salad when I want something crisp next to all that creamy sauce.

One thing that surprised me is how well the leftovers hold up. I’ve eaten this pasta at room temperature and still enjoyed it. The sauce becomes thicker as it cools, but the flavor stays strong, and I don’t think this is a dish that loses all its charm after the first serving.

For reheating, I add a small splash of milk or reserved pasta water and warm the pasta gently. I stir it as it heats so the sauce loosens back up instead of becoming one thick layer around the noodles.

For me, this is the kind of pasta that feels a little special without requiring a complicated dinner project. I can blend the sauce, cook the pasta, wilt in the spinach, and have a rich, tomato-packed bowl on the table without spending my whole evening in the kitchen.

And honestly, that first smell from the blender is still my favorite part. It gives me that little signal that I made the right choice for dinner.

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Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe

Author: Elly Cooking Method: Blending, Stovetop Cuisine: American, Italian Courses: Main Course

Difficulty: Easy Prep Time Cook Time Total Time 30 hrs

Servings: 4 Estimated Cost: $ 12 Calories: 625 kcal

Best Season: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Description

I blend sun dried tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, milk, and cream into a rich sauce that coats every bite of pasta. I finish it with wilted spinach, fresh basil, and extra Parmesan for an easy, cozy dinner.

ingredients

Servings

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

• ³⁄₄ cup sun dried tomatoes (Tightly packed and roughly chopped; oil-packed tomatoes work especially well.)
• ¹⁄₂ cup fresh basil leaves (Lightly packed, plus extra for serving if desired.)
• ¹⁄₄ cup yogurt or sour cream (Optional; use either one for extra tang and creaminess.)
• ¹⁄₄ cup cream (Heavy or regular cream.)
• 1 ³⁄₄ cups milk (Low-fat milk works well.)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (Optional; use for a stronger tomato flavor.)
• ¹⁄₄ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (Plus extra for serving if desired.)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt (Plus more to taste.)
• black pepper (To taste.)
• 300 g pasta (Penne or ziti work especially well.)
• 1 tablespoon oil from the sun dried tomatoes (For sautéing the garlic and onion.)
• 2 cloves garlic (Crushed.)
• 1 small onion (Finely diced.)
• 4 cups fresh English spinach (Tightly packed and finely shredded.)
• extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil (Optional, for serving.)
• ¹⁄₂ cup reserved pasta cooking water (Save about 1 mug before draining and add more as needed.)

Instructions

How to Make Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

1. Blend the sauce

   I add the sun dried tomatoes, basil, yogurt or sour cream if using, cream, milk, tomato paste if using, Parmesan, salt, and black pepper to a blender. I blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides if needed, then taste and adjust the salt.
   The sauce may look quite thick in the blender, but the reserved pasta water will loosen it later.
   Mark as complete

2. Cook the garlic and onion

   I heat the sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. I add the crushed garlic and cook it for about 20 seconds, then add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
   I add the onion quickly so the garlic does not burn.
   Mark as complete

3. Cook the pasta

   I bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Before draining, I scoop out about 1 mug of the pasta cooking water. I drain the pasta without rinsing it.
   The starchy cooking water helps loosen the creamy sauce while keeping it clingy and smooth.
   Mark as complete

4. Combine the pasta, sauce, and spinach

   I add the drained pasta to the skillet with the cooked onion and garlic. I pour in the blended sun dried tomato sauce, add the shredded spinach, and stir in about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water.
   The spinach will begin to wilt quickly as it meets the hot pasta and sauce.
   Mark as complete

5. Let the sauce coat the pasta

   I cook everything together for about 2 minutes, stirring gently so the pasta stays intact and the sauce coats each piece. If the sauce is too thick, I add another small splash of pasta water until it reaches the consistency I like.
   I add pasta water gradually because it is easier to thin the sauce than to fix one that is too loose.
   Mark as complete

6. Finish and serve

   I take the skillet off the heat once the spinach is wilted and the sauce is hot. I taste and adjust the salt and pepper, then serve the pasta immediately with extra Parmesan and fresh basil. I sometimes add a few chopped sun dried tomatoes on top.
   Creamy pasta thickens as it cools, so I like serving it while it is hot and smooth.
   Mark as complete

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Serving Size 1/4 of recipe

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 625kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 25 gg39%

Saturated Fat 10 gg50%

Trans Fat 0.2 gg

Cholesterol 38 mgmg13%

Sodium 790 mgmg33%

Potassium 760 mgmg22%

Total Carbohydrate 82 gg28%

Dietary Fiber 7 gg29%

Sugars 13 gg

Protein 20 gg40%

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Calcium 310 mg mg

Iron 4 mg mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Nutrition is an estimate per serving and can vary depending on the type of sun dried tomatoes, milk, cream, yogurt or sour cream, Parmesan, and pasta used. The nutrition estimate includes the optional tomato paste and yogurt or sour cream and does not include additional Parmesan or basil used for garnish. I save extra pasta water because the sauce thickens as it cools. For leftovers, I reheat gently with a small splash of milk or pasta water.

Keywords: creamy sun dried tomato pasta, sun dried tomato pasta, creamy tomato pasta, spinach pasta, easy pasta recipe, basil pasta, vegetarian pasta