Description
Quick and easy sun dried tomato pasta with spinach in a creamy Parmesan sauce. This 30-minute weeknight dinner features tender pasta tossed in a rich, garlicky cream sauce with tangy sun-dried tomatoes and wilted baby spinach. Perfect for busy families who want restaurant-quality flavor at home!
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- 8 oz (225 g) uncooked pasta (rigatoni, penne, or any short pasta) — choose a shape with ridges to catch the sauce
- Salt for pasta water
For the Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter — adds richness and helps create the roux
- ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour — thickens the sauce beautifully
- 3 garlic cloves, minced — fresh is best for that aromatic punch
- ½ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth as a substitute) — Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work great
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard — adds subtle depth and tang
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice — brightens everything up
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning — a blend of herbs that ties it all together
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (drained if packed in oil) — the star ingredient!
- ¾ cup heavy cream — makes the sauce luxuriously creamy
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese — please grate it yourself; pre-shredded doesn’t melt as smoothly
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, packed — wilts right into the sauce for color and nutrition
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. The water should taste like the sea! Add your pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions, usually 8-10 minutes.
Before draining, scoop out about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta in a colander and give it a little shake, but don’t rinse it. That starch helps the sauce cling to every piece.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s bubbling, add the flour and minced garlic.Stir constantly for about 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant and golden. Don’t let it brown or it’ll turn bitter!
Pour in the white wine (or chicken broth), then stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. Let this mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces by about half.
Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and heavy cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce gently bubble for about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and stir until it’s completely melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy. The cheese will thicken the sauce even more and add that irresistible savory, nutty flavor.
If the sauce seems too thick at this point, don’t worry—we’ll adjust it in a moment.
Add the fresh spinach to the skillet, stirring gently as it wilts down into the sauce. This only takes about 1-2 minutes.
The spinach will shrink dramatically and blend right in, adding pretty green flecks and a subtle earthy flavor.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet and use tongs or a large spoon to toss everything together, making sure every piece is coated in that gorgeous creamy sauce.
If the sauce seems too thick or the pasta looks dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. The starchy pasta water helps the sauce cling beautifully.
Taste the pasta and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Remember, the Parmesan is salty, so start with just a little and add more if needed.
Serve immediately while it’s hot and creamy, maybe with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan on top and some crusty bread on the side for soaking up any extra sauce.
Notes
- Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes — they’re softer and more flavorful than the dry kind, and you can even use a tablespoon of that oil in place of some of the butter
- Room temperature cream — let your heavy cream sit out for 10 minutes before adding; it blends more smoothly and won’t break the sauce
- Don’t overcrowd the pan — if you’re doubling the recipe, use two skillets so the sauce can reduce properly
- Fresh vs. jarred garlic — always use fresh cloves for this recipe; jarred minced garlic gets bitter when cooked
- Wine substitute — if using chicken broth instead of wine, add an extra squeeze of lemon juice for brightness
- Grate your own Parmesan — pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American