Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta (Rigatoni with Spinach and Parmesan, 25 Min)

This is the pasta I make on Wednesday nights when I want something that tastes like a date-night restaurant but I have 25 minutes. Creamy sun-dried tomato pasta is restaurant-style rigatoni in a rich garlic-Parmesan cream sauce with tangy sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, and red pepper flakes. Vegetarian, weeknight-friendly, and tastes like it took an hour. One of those rare pastas that beats the version you’d pay $22 for.

Fun fact: sun-dried tomatoes contain 12 times more lycopene (the cancer-fighting antioxidant) per ounce than fresh tomatoes — drying concentrates the nutrients alongside the flavor. The oil-packed ones are even better, because the oil traps the volatile aromatic compounds that would otherwise evaporate. That’s why they taste so intensely tomato-y.

Why this recipe works

• Use the sun-dried tomato oil. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil from the jar — it’s infused with herbs and tomato flavor, and adds depth nothing else can match.
• Pasta water is gold. Reserve 1 cup before draining. The starchy water binds the cream sauce to the pasta — without it, the sauce slides off.
• Freshly grate the Parmesan. Pre-grated has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. Block Parmesan + microplane = silky sauce.

Ingredients

Serves 4 generously.

For the pasta

• 1 lb rigatoni, penne, or fusilli (tubular shapes that hold sauce)
• 1 cup reserved pasta water

For aromatics

• 3 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp reserved sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced + 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

For sun-dried tomatoes

• 1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (about 1 jar)

For the cream base

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning + 1 tsp dried basil
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan + 4 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp black pepper

To finish

• Extra Parmesan + fresh basil leaves + cracked pepper + lemon zest

Smart substitutions

• Add protein: Sear chicken or shrimp before sauce; toss in at the end
• Lighter: Half-and-half instead of heavy cream (-150 cal/serving); reduce Parmesan to 1/2 cup
• Vegan: Cashew cream + nutritional yeast for Parmesan; vegan feta
• Gluten-free: Use GF pasta; reduce pasta water by half (GF pasta is starchier)

Instructions

Step 1: Cook pasta al dente

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 1 minute less than package directions — it finishes cooking in the sauce. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

Step 2: Sauté aromatics in oil

Heat olive oil and reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté 30-60 seconds until fragrant — don’t let garlic brown.

Step 3: Add sun-dried tomatoes

Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes; cook 2 minutes until they release their fragrance and soften slightly. The oil takes on a beautiful ruby color.

Step 4: Build the cream sauce

Pour in heavy cream and broth. Add Italian seasoning and dried basil. Whisk to combine. Simmer gently 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.

Step 5: Melt Parmesan and wilt spinach

Reduce heat to low. Whisk in Parmesan until smooth. Add baby spinach; stir until just wilted (1-2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6: Toss with pasta and serve

Add cooked rigatoni to the skillet. Toss thoroughly, adding pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until the sauce coats every noodle silkily. Plate with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, cracked pepper, and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information

• Calories: 560 kcal per serving
• Protein: 16 g
• Carbohydrates: 62 g
• Fat: 28 g
• Vitamin A: 45% DV (from spinach)
• Lycopene: 95% DV (from sun-dried tomatoes)

Pro tips for restaurant-style pasta

• Always reserve pasta water — start with 1/4 cup added, then increase as needed. Restaurant trick: the starchy liquid is what makes the sauce cling instead of pool
• Buy oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes — the rehydrated jars in oil have way more flavor than dry-packed
• Add protein 3 ways: Pre-seared chicken, grilled shrimp tossed in at the end, or crispy bacon crumbled over the top
• Date-night upgrade: Finish with a tablespoon of cold butter and a splash of white wine before tossing the pasta — sauce becomes silkier

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best pasta shape for this?

Rigatoni, penne rigate, fusilli, gemelli, orecchiette — anything with ridges or tubes that the sauce can cling to. Long pasta (spaghetti, linguine) works but doesn’t hold the chunky-creamy sauce as well.

Can I use sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil?

Yes — dry-packed ones need to be rehydrated first. Soak in warm water for 20 minutes, drain, and chop. Add 1 tablespoon of extra olive oil to compensate for missing flavor.

How do I store leftovers?

Refrigerate 3 days. Reheat with a splash of milk or pasta water — the sauce thickens cold. Doesn’t freeze well (cream separates).

Can I add chicken or shrimp?

Yes — sear cubed chicken or peeled shrimp before sauce. Toss in with the pasta at the end. For chicken, 1 lb diced; for shrimp, 1 lb peeled.

Is this restaurant-quality?

Yes — the cream sauce + Parmesan + sun-dried tomato combination is what most upscale Italian restaurants use. The difference is using good Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano or aged Asiago) instead of supermarket pre-grated.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Substitute cashew cream (1 cup soaked cashews blended with 1 cup water) for heavy cream, and use nutritional yeast + lemon juice for Parmesan flavor. Different but excellent.