Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

This creamy sun-dried tomato pasta is ready in 45 minutes. Served with a tossed salad and crusty baguette, it’s a simple weeknight dinner for the pasta lovers in your home.

Feb 20, 2024

Today’s pasta recipe features sun-dried tomatoes. As the name implies, these are tomatoes that have been dried to remove their moisture. Sun-dried tomatoes have a unique concentrated tomato taste that’s somewhat sweet, a little tart, and incredibly savory.

These little tomato flavor bombs have a pleasant chewiness similar to other types of dried fruit and they brighten up all kinds of dishes. Toss them into soups and stews. Use them as a pizza topping or on focaccia. Stir them into cold pasta and potato salads. Add them to your favorite pesto, risotto, or quiche recipe. The list of uses goes on.

When buying sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll likely have a choice between dry-packed and oil-packed. Let’s look at the differences.

Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes are usually sold in resealable packages, either as tomato halves or julienned (thinly sliced strips). Look for them in the produce section of the grocery store. Unless they’re being cooked in a liquid, dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes need to be rehydrated before use. Soak the tomatoes in warm water for about 30 minutes or until they are soft and pliable. Drain the water, pat them dry, and use as directed in a recipe.

Unopened packages of dry-packed tomatoes can be stored in your pantry for six to nine months. Once opened, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within a couple weeks for the best quality.

Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are marinated in oil (usually olive oil) and packed in jars. Flavorings like garlic, onion, and various herbs may be added. Just like dry-packed tomatoes, they’re sold as halved or julienned. I usually find them alongside canned tomatoes and jarred pasta sauces in the grocery store. There’s no need to rehydrate these tomatoes; just use them straight from the jar.

You can also use the flavorful oil in the jar to make salad dressings and sauces. I actually used the tomato and herb infused oil to sauté the aromatics in this pasta recipe.

Store opened jars of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes in the refrigerator and use within six months. If the oil hardens, encasing the tomatoes, just let the jar come to room temperature and the oil will slowly liquify again.

To your health,

Darlene

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SUN-DRIED TOMATO PASTA

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 cup prepared pasta topped with 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Prep: 15 minutes

Ready: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces dry penne pasta, preferably whole grain
1 tablespoon olive oil or oil from jarred sun-dried tomatoes
3/4 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons real bacon bits (such as Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia 1/3 less fat Neufchâtel cheese)
1 jar (4 ounces) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, julienned (about 10 to 11 sun-dried tomato halves)
1 container (5 ounces) fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup (1 ounce) plus 6 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (optional garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining cooked pasta (this can be used later to loosen the pasta sauce if it’s too thick).
While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and sauté onion and bacon bits until onion softens; about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté an additional 2 minutes.
Add tomato paste and sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine and stir, loosening any fond that has developed on the bottom of the skillet.
Turn heat to low, add cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Gently stir until cream cheese melts into the sauce and spinach wilts; about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. If desired, use reserved pasta water to loosen sauce if it’s too thick, adding a couple tablespoons at a time.
One serving consists of 1 cup sun-dried tomato pasta topped with 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese and minced fresh parsley as an optional garnish.

Nutrition Information per Serving

308 Calories, 11 g Total fat, 3.5 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 16 mg Cholesterol, 575 mg Sodium, 38 g Total carbohydrate, 6 g Dietary fiber, 3.5 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 12 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 164 mg (15%) Calcium, 3 mg (15%) Iron, 499 mg (10%) Potassium