Solar Dried Tomato Pasta • Creamy Pasta with Solar Dried Tomatoes • Two Purple Figs

February 8, 2026

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Solar dried tomato pasta is an easy but deeply flavorful pasta dish that turns pantry staples right into a restaurant worthy meal in below 20 minutes. This recipe combines the daring, tangy punch of solar dried tomatoes with garlic, herbs, cream, basil and parmesan. Really easy and tremendous comforting! Learn beneath and watch the video on easy it’s to make!

sun dried tomato pasta on a plate with lots of fresh parmesan and basil to garnish

There’s one thing about solar dried tomatoes that’s so tasty and distinctive. It’s the slight tang, the slight sweetness and absolutely the richness in tomato taste. So it’s no surprise our Solar Dried Tomato Pesto was so viral and a crowd pleaser on the cooking college!

We even took that pesto and turned it right into a gourmand but quarter-hour Burrata Pasta! The perfect of each worlds, combining a tasty Solar Dried Tomato Pesto with pasta and Burrata Cheese.

In the present day’s solar dried tomato pasta can be made with the pesto, however we wished to indicate a wide range of methods to take pleasure in the identical substances. A creamy sun-dried tomato pasta with a sauce that adheres fantastically to each chew of pasta. The sauce is laced with plenty of contemporary basil and parmesan.

Whether or not you’re cooking for a busy weeknight dinner or serving pals on the weekend, this recipe delivers consolation, depth, and contemporary Italian vibes with out fuss.

two bowls of sun dried tomato pasta served with lots of parmesan cheese for garnish and fresh basil

What Is Solar Dried Tomato Pasta?

Solar dried tomato pasta is a kind of pasta dish that comes with solar dried tomatoes. Solar dried tomatoes are tomatoes which have been dehydrated and often packed in oil to accentuate their candy tart taste.

These are then infused right into a sauce with garlic, herbs, heavy cream, basil and Parmesan. A brief pasta form like penne, rigatoni, fusilli or orecchiette are splendid as a result of they catch the sauce and tomato items. We discovered these totally cute coronary heart formed pastas and needed to attempt them!

Why You’ll Love Solar Dried Tomato Pasta

SO TASTY! Intensely flavored with barely candy and smoky notes from the solar dried tomatoes that elevate each chew. Mix that with brilliant basil, a creamy garlic base and many parmesan! SO GOOD!
Fast & simple! Prepared in about 20 minutes so it’s excellent for weeknights or gatherings.
Versatile! You may add spinach, rooster, shrimp, sausage, broccoli florets or mushrooms for further heartiness.
Creamy but brilliant: No mater how creamy it’s, the ultimate splash of basil and lemon zest makes this recipe so refreshing!
Crowd favourite: Easy sufficient for on a regular basis dinners but tremendous gourmand for particular events.

Components You’ll Want

Pasta: Penne, fusilli, rigatoni, shells or orecchiette, any small shapes that maintain sauce nicely.
Solar dried tomatoes: Oil packed are most popular for richness.
Contemporary Garlic: Contemporary cloves for optimum taste
Cream. For sauce physique and richness. You should use half n half or cream cheese too and blend in some veggie broth for gentle sauce.
Butter and Flour. The roux or base of the sauce. Whereas you need to use olive oil, we choose butter.
Italian seasoning and contemporary herbs: Basil, oregano, thyme for traditional Italian taste.
Parmesan cheese: Umami and creaminess; freshly grated Parm is greatest.
Elective: Contemporary spinach , rooster, shrimp or Italian sausage for further substance. Some dry white wine if you happen to use it.
Lemon zest: Provides brightness on the finish, and we choose it over lemon juice.

The right way to Make Solar Dried Tomato Pasta

Cook dinner Pasta to Al Dente

Boil pasta in generously salted water till simply agency to the chew. Reserve a minimum of 1 cup of pasta water earlier than draining. The starch within the water helps the sauce cling to the noodles later.

Sauté Aromatics

butter and garlic are sautéed in a saucepan to start the sauce

In a sauce pan, warmth butter and garlic. You can too add oil from the jar of solar dried tomatoes for taste, only a tablespoon.

flour and thyme are added to start building the sauce

Sauté them for two minutes over medium warmth after which add within the flour and contemporary thyme.

toasty golden roux ready for the sauce to build up

Cook dinner that till the flour is toasty and barely golden. This ensures you received’t style uncooked flour in your sauce.

Construct Sauce

veggie broth is added and cooked until reduced as a base for the sauce

Add within the inventory and cut back till it has thickened.

heavy cream, sun dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning is added to make the sun dried tomato sauce

Then add within the cream, solar dried tomatoes, Italian seasonings and herbs. Let simmer gently so the flavors meld.

fresh basil is added ad the end of the creamy sun dried tomato sauce with parmesan

Lastly, add contemporary basil leaves torn up or chopped if you happen to choose. You may even use Basil Pesto right here. Toss nicely into sauce and style to regulate seasoning. Add freshly grated parmesan.

Mix Cooked Pasta with Sauce

drained and cooked pasta added to the sun dried tomato sauce in the pan

drain the pasta and add the cooked pasta to the identical pan with the sauce, stir nicely to coat.

pasta tossed well into the sun dried tomato sauce

If the sauce feels too thick, slowly add pasta water till you attain a silky consistency. If it feels too skinny, keep in mind it can thicken up because it sits and you may add parmesan to thicken it immediately.

End & Serve

plated sun dried tomato pasta with parmesan cheese and basil

End the plating with further contemporary basil, plenty of parmesan and chilli flakes if wanted. This scrumptious recipe is really easy and all performed in a single skillet or pot so you may’t go fallacious!

Ideas for Creamy Solar Dried Tomato Pasta

Salt your pasta water. Nicely salted water seasons the pasta itself.
Use small hallow pasta shapes. That is splendid for the sauce to penetrate every shell and take in flavors.
Choose oil packed solar dried tomatoes. They ship deeper taste.
Reserve pasta water: Starchy pasta water helps make sauces silky and cohesive.
Keep away from over boiling the cream. To forestall curdling the sauce.
Contemporary Parmesan is greatest. It melts smoother and boosts umami.
Don’t overcook: Al dente texture helps pasta cling to sauce and avoids gummy noodles.

Variations & Add-Ons

Tangy Feta: An ideal distinction to the creamy sauce!
Add protein: Grilled rooster, shrimp, or sausage for a heartier meal.
Greens: Child spinach, kale, or arugula provides coloration and diet.
Warmth: Pink pepper flakes or chili oil for a contact of spice.

close up of a hand scooping some creamy sun dried tomato pasta sauce with a fork

What sort of pasta works greatest?

Quick or ridged shapes like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli maintain this sauce nicely as a result of the items of solar dried tomato and creamy sauce cling to each twist.

Ought to I take advantage of oil packed or dry solar dried tomatoes?

Oil packed add extra taste and seasoning, however dry ones might be rehydrated in heat water first.

How do I forestall the sauce from splitting?

Keep away from over boiling the cream, as an alternative simmer gently. Utilizing some reserved pasta water additionally helps bind the sauce.

Can I make this gluten free or vegan?

YES. Use gluten-free pasta and substitute broth or plant based mostly cream, and dairy free Parmesan or dietary yeast to adapt.

How lengthy can leftovers final?

Retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3–4 days. To reheat, add a splash of broth or cream or pasta water if wanted and warmth over light warmth.

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