Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta (Printable Version)

Pasta tossed in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with garlic, Parmesan, and fresh basil.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil (preferably from sun-dried tomato jar)
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
06 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
07 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - 1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Incorporate sun-dried tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to meld flavors.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet along with reserved pasta water. Toss to coat the pasta evenly with sauce.
06 - Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over pasta and toss again until sauce becomes creamy and clings to pasta.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
08 - Plate immediately, garnished with torn fresh basil leaves and extra grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The tangy sun-dried tomatoes balance the cream in a way that feels sophisticated, not heavy.
  • You can make it with pantry staples, which means fewer grocery runs and happy weeknight improvisation.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—it's what separates a clumpy sauce from one that flows like silk and actually coats the noodles.
  • Add the pasta to the sauce while everything is still hot and actively cooking; this is when they bind together, not when temperatures drop and they separate.
  • Taste before you finish, because every jar of sun-dried tomatoes tastes slightly different, and you might need a pinch more salt or a crack more pepper than you expect.
03 -
  • Use that infused oil from the sun-dried tomato jar—it's where most of the flavor lives, and it's wasted if you drain it away.
  • Taste your pasta water before adding it to sauce; if it's not salty, your sauce won't have proper seasoning, because the starch carries flavor.
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