Sun-dried tomato pasta is our go-to pasta when there’s “nothing to eat.” The sauce is made with sun dried tomato pesto, an entire pint of cherry tomatoes, garlic, and parmesan cheese.

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Whenever I dread cooking dinner, I remember I always keep my fridge fully stocked with ingredients to make sun dried tomato pasta. Slow-cooking cherry tomatoes in olive oil and garlic is my secret weapon for pasta. And, when you add sun-dried tomato paste, it doesn’t get much better.

We enjoy parmesan cheese on top of pasta with sun dried tomatoes because the flavors really complement each other.

How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Cook pasta according to the package. Before straining, reserve 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water.
Add olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, and onion to the pan and cook over medium/high heat. Next, add in sun-dried tomato pesto (you can use your favorite kind) and continue cooking. Finally, add in the pasta water and heavy cream and stir.
Finally, add in cooked noodles and parmesan cheese and give it a good mix. Let cook for a few minutes so that the cheese can melt.
Serve immediately with fresh parsley and toasted pin nuts.

Featured Comment

I come back to this recipe again and again! We love it so much. We add in some spinach for an extra sprinkle of veggies too! – Rylea

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Parmesan Cheese coming right up! Say hello to your new favorite dinner idea. The sauce is made with sun dried tomato pesto, an entire pint of cherry tomatoes, garlic, and a little heavy cream for good measure.

Variations

Add ground meat: want something a little more hearty? Try adding ground Italian sausage or turkey sausage.

Use a different noodle: the world is your noodle. Choose whatever noodle you wish!

Skip the heavy cream: if you’re watching your cals, feel free to skip the heavy cream. It does add a richness that will be missed!

Tutorial

How to Thicken Pasta Sauce

No matter how closely you follow a recipe, sometimes you end up with a watery pasta sauce. Have no fear, it is very easy to thicken pasta sauce one of these 3 ways!

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Storage

Store pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

To reheat: place pasta on a microwave-safe plate and cook on high for 60-90 seconds.

sun dried tomato pasta with fresh parsley and pine nuts

Serving Suggestions

Dinner wouldn’t be dinner without the sides! Start with an easy cheese plate (we’re a cheese site, this one is obvious!). Then serve this pasta next to a simple arugula salad and cheesy garlic bread.

5 from 5 votes

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Sun dried tomato pasta is an easy way to get a lot of flavor. Cook down cherry tomatoes in garlic, onion, and olive oil, and then add sun dried tomato pesto. Mix in some starchy pasta water and grated parmesan cheese and voila.

Prep:20

Cook:20

Total:40

Fat 18

Carbs 59

Protein 19

Yield:

Print Rate

Ingredients

1.5 tablespoons olive oil divided
8 oz. uncooked rigatoni pasta
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
1/4 medium yellow onion sliced
Pinch of salt
6.7 oz. sun-dried tomato pesto
1/3 cup pasta water
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 oz. shredded parmesan cheese + more for topping
Optional toppings: cracked pepper parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and toasted pine nuts

Instructions

Fill a large stockpot with 4 quarts of water. Add ½ tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add pasta. Cook pasta according to the pasta package. Make sure to save ⅓ cup of the pasta water for the sauce. Then, strain and set aside for later.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the olive oil is fragrant, add cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, and a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to cook down.
Turn heat down to low, add sundried tomato pesto and continue to cook down for 2-4 minutes over low heat.
Add 1/3 cup of pasta water to the sauce and stir. Continue cooking for 2 minutes. Then, add heavy cream and stir again.
Add cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Finally, add shredded parmesan cheese to the pasta and mix. Let cook for 1-2 more minutes to melt the cheese.
Serve immediately and top with fresh cracked pepper, parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and toasted pine nuts.