This creamy sun-dried tomato pasta is a vegetarian weeknight dinner that comes together in 30 minutes — one pan, no complicated technique. A base of slowly softened onions, garlic, and thyme is the foundation for a pan sauce finished with white wine and a splash of heavy cream.

A plate of pasta with creamy sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed spinach, and grated cheese is served with a fork on a light surface. A striped napkin and small bowl of cheese are nearby.
Creamy sun-dried tomato pasta with kale and Parmesan.

I know that sun-dried tomatoes are seen as retro, but I’m over it! After decades of cooking, they’ve never left my pantry. Sun-dried tomatoes absolutely shine in this pasta dish, adding that savory-sweet note that pairs so well with the creamy sauce. It’s one of my favorite weeknight pasta dishes for exactly that reason.

Why this recipe works

  • Covered onions: Cooking the onions with a lid traps steam, so they soften and sweeten in about five minutes — no browning, no babysitting.
  • Wine before cream: The wine reduces by half before the cream goes in. That concentration of acidity is what keeps the finished sauce from tasting flat.
  • Pasta water finishes it: A splash of starchy pasta cooking water loosens the sauce just enough to coat every piece without making it soupy — and helps it cling rather than pool.

Three ingredients worth talking about

Ingredients arranged in bowls for cooking pasta with sundried tomato sauce, including dried tubular pasta, sundried tomatoes, sliced onion, garlic, heavy cream, chopped kale, and fresh thyme.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes: Oil-packed are my first choice — look for whole halves rather than pre-chopped or julienned, which usually start with lower-quality tomatoes. The olive bar or antipasto section at a good grocery store often has better options than the jarred shelf variety. One important check: If the jar says “packed in oil” but doesn’t specify olive oil, drain and discard it — soybean or sunflower oil doesn’t add any flavor. Vacuum-packed dry tomatoes are a solid alternative — soak stiff ones a few minutes in hot water. Whatever you use, the tomatoes should look vibrantly red and smell sweet — dull, brownish ones will taste stale.
  • Kale or spinach: I use whichever I have on hand, but they behave differently. Kale holds its texture after wilting — I like that it stays a little chewy and substantial, which works with the richness of the cream sauce. Baby spinach collapses faster and almost melts into the sauce.
  • Heavy cream: The sauce does not use flour, cream cheese or any other thickener. Simmering heavy cream for just a few minutes reduces its texture enough to coat the pasta perfectly. I also add a little of the starchy pasta water to loosen it.

Steps for success

  • Softly cooked sliced onions in a skillet, with chopped thyme and red pepper flakes.
    1. Cook sliced onions in a skillet until softened, then stir in white wine, fresh thyme, garlic and red pepper.
  • Sliced sundried tomatoes in a skillet with cooked onions and heavy cream.
    2. Add heavy cream and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce thickens.
  • Thick creamy sundried tomato sauce cooking in a pan with raw shredded kale leaves on top.
    3. Drop a few big handfuls of chopped spinach or kale into the pan and stir until they wilt.
  • Cooked pasta and grated cheese added to a pan with tomato cream sauce and wilted greens.
    4. Add al dente cooked pasta and grated Parmesan cheese, along with some of the pasta cooking water.
  • A spoon serving pasta in a creamy sauce with sliced sundried tomatoes, chopped greens, and grated cheese.
    5. Stir to combine the pasta with the sauce. Serve hot, with more cheese sprinkled over.

What to serve with this pasta

Most times, I’d say this dish is substantial enough to stand on its own as a weeknight dinner. If you want to round out the meal, a crisp Caesar salad is a natural pairing — either this grilled romaine Caesar or a version with tahini caesar dressing is a punchy partner.

A plate of pasta with creamy sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed spinach, and grated cheese is served with a fork on a light surface. A striped napkin and small bowl of cheese are nearby.
5 from 3 ratings

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Karen Tedesco
A quick pan sauce based on softened onions, white wine, and heavy cream, finished with concentrated sun-dried tomatoes and wilted greens. The sauce reduces and clings to the pasta without flour or any other thickener. On the table in 30 minutes.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces dried pasta
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup thinly sliced onion or shallot
  • 2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped garlic
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • ¼ cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or chardonnay
  • ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into ½-inch slices. Drain them well if packed in oil.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups kale or spinach leaves, chopped into bite-size pieces
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the pasta and cook 10-12 minutes, or according to the package directions, until al dente. It's okay to slightly undercook the pasta by a minute or so because it will finish cooking in the skillet. Before draining, scoop out one cup of the starchy pasta water.
  2. Meanwhile, put the oil in a 10-12-inch skillet and place over medium heat. Stir in the onions and a big pinch of salt. Cover the pan and cook about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened.
  3. Add 2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cook and stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add ¼ cup dry white wine. Boil 1-2 minutes, until the wine is reduced by about half.
  4. Stir in ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup heavy cream and another pinch of salt. Bring the cream to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for a few minutes, until the sauce looks thickened. Add 2 cups kale or spinach leaves. Cover the pan until the greens are wilted, about 1 minute.
  5. Add the cooked, drained pasta and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet along with ¼ cup of the pasta water. Stir gently to combine the pasta with the sauce, adding more pasta water if needed. Remove from the heat.
  6. Serve in bowls, with additional grated cheese over each serving.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 637kcal Carbohydrates: 67g Protein: 17g Fat: 34g Sodium: 276mg Fiber: 7g Sugar: 15g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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