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This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta brings bold flavors together in minutes for a warm, comforting meal at home. The smooth, creamy sauce dotted with zesty sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach makes this 30-minute meal both easy and impressive—perfect for busy weeknights or when you want to wow dinner guests without much fuss.
An Impressive Home-Cooked Delight
The moment I tried this pasta, I was hooked. There's something magical about how the sharp sun-dried tomatoes work with the luscious cream sauce to create amazing flavor. I love that I can throw it together with stuff I typically keep around, which is fantastic when I'm craving something fancy but don't want to spend forever cooking.
Your Ingredients List
- Pasta: 12 ounces of your preferred pasta shape like rigatoni, cooked until just firm to bite for perfect texture.
- Butter: 2 tablespoons to cook with and start your velvety base.
- Flour: 1 tablespoon, mixed with butter to make sauce thick and smooth.
- Garlic: 3 cloves, chopped small for big flavor impact.
- White Wine: 1/2 cup dry variety such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. Swap for chicken stock if you want.
- Dijon Mustard: 1/2 teaspoon to add richness without taking over.
- Lemon Juice: 1 tablespoon for that fresh zing that lifts everything up.
- Italian Seasoning: 1 teaspoon of this aromatic herb mix.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: 1/2 cup, cut into thin strips for sweet-tart bursts.
- Heavy Cream: 3/4 cup to make everything rich and dreamy.
- Parmesan Cheese: 1/2 cup, freshly shredded for superior melting and flavor.
- Spinach: 2 cups fresh leaves to cut through the richness.
- Salt & Pepper: Add to your liking for perfect seasoning.
Cooking Steps
- Get Your Pasta Ready
- Cook 12 ounces pasta in water with salt following box directions. Drain and put aside.
- Start Your Sauce
- Put 2 tablespoons butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and chopped garlic, cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute.
- Create Flavor Foundation
- Mix in 1/2 cup white wine, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Let it bubble down to half, roughly 3 minutes.
- Add Your Dairy
- Pour in 3/4 cup heavy cream and mix in 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until sauce gets thicker.
- Bring It All Together
- Throw in 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan and 2 cups spinach. Stir until spinach softens. Mix in your cooked pasta so sauce covers everything. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Tips For Success
After making this pasta many times, I've picked up some handy tricks. Always save a cup of the pasta cooking water before you drain it, so you can thin out the sauce if needed. Using freshly grated Parmesan really makes the sauce creamier than pre-shredded stuff. And that tiny bit of Dijon mustard isn't something to skip—it gives the whole dish this amazing extra layer of flavor.
Storage Advice
This pasta tastes best right after you make it but it'll stay good in your fridge for a couple days too. When you want to eat leftovers, add a tiny bit of cream or water while you warm it up slowly on low heat. Just stir it every so often and you'll keep that nice smooth sauce texture.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → What type of sun-dried tomatoes should work best?
- Both dry and oil-packed tomatoes are fine. If you use the oil-packed ones, drain them well beforehand.
- → Can white wine be swapped out?
- Sure, swap it with chicken broth for a non-alcoholic alternative that still keeps the yummy depth of flavor.
- → What’s the purpose of saving pasta water?
- It helps thin out the sauce while keeping it smooth and creamy if it ends up too thick.
- → Why cook pasta just until firm?
- Firm, al dente pasta holds its shape and doesn’t get mushy when it’s tossed with the warm sauce.
- → Can heavy cream be replaced?
- Use heavy or whipping cream for the best creamy texture. It also won’t break down when you heat it.