Twenty minutes and a few pantry staples give you this delicious sun dried tomato pasta. With a luxurious no-cream sauce and a bold garlicky flavor, the whole family will love this simple weeknight dinner.
This sun dried tomato pasta checks all the boxes: easy, fast, made with pantry staples, and hardly any cleanup. Whole milk, rather than cream, lets the lively sun-dried tomato’s flavor shine, while fresh basil and garlic gives the sauce a rich flavor with little time and effort required.
It’s the kind of back-pocket recipe that gets me through busy weeks, along with other pantry pastas like Spaghetti Aglio e Olio and Cacio e Pepe. I think of it as the last line of defense before ordering takeout!
Table of Contents
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Ingredients and Substitutions
I’d venture a guess that you have everything you need to make this sun-dried tomato pasta recipe. If not there’s an easy swap!
- Pasta: I love the way the ridges on penne pasta capture the sauce. That said any short pasta, like bowtie or rigatoni, will work well.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I love the sunny flavor of unsulfered, naturally dried tomatoes but you can use what you have on-hand.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Softens the aromatics while adding its nuanced flavor. I recommend our buttery Italian Nocellara with this recipe, but you can grab any high quality extra virgin variety you have.
- Shallot: Slightly sweeter and milder than onions. Feel free to swap in 1 small yellow or white onion, or 3 green onions.
- Garlic adds its signature sweet and savory kick.
- Whole milk brings richness without overpowering.
- Parmesan cheese adds an addictive umami flavor.
- Dried oregano adds a savory herbal layer. Italian seasoning is a good substitute (I make my own).
- Red pepper flakes bring a touch of heat, but I often swap in Aleppo pepper for a milder option.
- Fresh basil adds an intensely aromatic quality, but you can swap in other tender herbs like parsley here.
How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
The starchy pasta water and a strong stir is the secret to perfectly creamy sun-dried tomato pasta without heavy cream. Here are the steps:
- Get ready. Fill a medium saucepan with water and set over high heat to bring to a boil. Chop 3 to 4 ounces of sun-dried tomatoes. Chop 2 small shallots, and mince 4 large garlic cloves. Ready yourself 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese.
- Cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, season well with salt. Add 8 ounces of penne pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the shallots, garlic, and a good pinch of salt. Stir until the shallots have started to soften, about one minute. Add the sundried tomatoes and stir until softened, about another minute or two. Add 3/4 cup whole milk and a 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Stir to incorporate the starch from the pasta water, then season with 1 teaspoon each of oregano and red pepper flakes.
- Combine the pasta and sauce. Add the drained pasta and Parmesan cheese to the skillet with the sun dried tomato sauce. Stir vigorously to release more starch from the pasta, which will thicken the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, and stir until the pasta is glossy.
- Garnish and serve. Toss in torn fresh basil (I like a good amount). Taste and adjust seasonings according to taste. Serve immediately.
Ways to Mix it Up
This sundried tomato pasta has more than enough flavor to stand on its own, but you can also play with the recipe and make it your own. Consider it a “raid the fridge” situation. Here are 3 ideas:
- Add greens: Stir in fresh baby spinach or baby kale just before serving.
- Add mushrooms: Slice and saute some mushrooms in the skillet along with the sun-dried tomatoes until they release their juices and caramelize.
- Add protein: Top with cooked chicken breast, shrimp or smoked mussels, or go all-in on the sun dried tomato vibes with check out our Sun Dried Tomato Chicken or go all-in and serve it with Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts.
What to Serve with Sundried Tomato Pasta
Sundried tomato pasta is a satisfying meal on its own, but I do like to start my meal with a big fresh salad. If it’s summertime, do “tomatoes two ways” with easy heirloom tomato salad or a simple Caprese. For the cooler months, lemon parmesan lettuce salad is my go-to.
More Sun-Dried Tomato Recipes
Dips and Condiments
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto (Red Pesto)
Sides and Small Plates
Toasted Orzo Pasta Recipe with Parmesan and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Meat and Poultry
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast with Sun Dried Tomatoes
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta or short pasta of your choice
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 small shallots, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3 to 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper for a milder option
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (more or less to your liking)
- Handful fresh basil, torn
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Fill a medium saucepan with water and set over high heat. When the water is boiling, season well with salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the shallots, garlic, and a good pinch of salt. Stir until the shallots have started to soften, about one minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir until softened, about another minute or two. Add the milk and a 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Stir to incorporate the starch from the pasta water, then season with the oregano and red pepper flakes.
- Combine the pasta and sauce. Add the drained pasta and Parmesan cheese to the skillet with the sun-dried tomato sauce. Stir vigorously to release more starch from the pasta, which will thicken the sauce and encourage the two to marry. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, and stir until the pasta is glossy.
- Garnish and serve. Toss in torn fresh basil (I like a good amount). Taste and adjust seasonings according to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil, pasta, Greek oregano and sun-dried tomatoes used in this recipe.
- Sun-dried tomato pasta with chicken – You can use leftover rotisserie chicken; just debone and shred the chicken and fold it in with the pasta. But if you’ve made my Italian-style baked chicken breast or my skillet chicken, either of those chicken recipes would work really well with sundried tomato pasta!
- Leftovers and storage – Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for around 4 days. Reheat over medium heat on the stove until warmed through. You might need to add a little water in case the sun-dried tomato sauce has become too thick.
Nutrition
*This post has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.
Absolutely beautiful meal. A sauce full of flavour. I,will be making this meal again.
Am an avid follower of TMD; have tried some of your recipes with success. I wonder if I could use smoked salmon on this recipe instead of chicken. Thank you.
Hi, Violeta. I think you could toss in some smoked salmon here in the end, if that’s something you enjoy. It’s just not something we’ve tested before, so it’s hard to say how it would affect the flavor profile.