One Pan Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Spinach Pasta (Printable)

Rich one-pan pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and velvety cream sauce ready in 30 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta & Vegetables

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta, uncooked
02 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes, drained if in oil and sliced
03 - 4 oz fresh baby spinach
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

05 - 3 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - ¼ cup reserved oil from sun-dried tomatoes or olive oil

→ Cheese & Seasonings

08 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ½ tsp dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme)
10 - ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat a large, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the reserved sun-dried tomato oil. Add the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Pour in the uncooked pasta and vegetable broth. Stir well, bringing to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is nearly al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, and fresh spinach. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce thickens.
04 - Add grated Parmesan, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let the pasta rest 2 minutes before serving for optimal creaminess.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The one-pan method means the pasta absorbs all those sun-dried tomato flavors as it cooks
  • That cream sauce clings to every single noodle because of the starch released into the broth
02 -
  • The pasta continues absorbing liquid even after you turn off the heat, so do not cook it until all the broth disappears
  • Reserve that sun-dried tomato oil, it is the foundation of the entire dish
03 -
  • Do not rinse the pasta before cooking, you need that starch for sauce thickness
  • Grate the Parmesan fresh if possible, it melts into the sauce much better

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