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This silky sun-dried tomato pasta with garlicky broccoli is your way out of store-bought sauce and take-out. It’s quick, easy, and loaded with savory parmesan cheese and herby basil.
This recipe is great if you want to stop buying jarred sauce but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen making it from scratch.
Why I Love This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Recipe
- Wholesome. A saucy pasta dinner with fresh ingredients is the perfect comforting dinner after a long day.
- Quick. You’ll have plenty of pasta for the week ready in 30 minutes.
- Beginner-friendly. All you need to do is add the ingredients for the sauce in the right order and stir.
- Versatile. Make it spicy, add grilled chicken, or top it with creamy burrata cheese. You’re in charge!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Italian seasoning, basil, and sweet sun-dried tomatoes give this pasta a lovely Italian flavor. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Whole grain spaghetti – Regular spaghetti or short pasta is okay too.
- Olive oil – Avocado and coconut oil are great swaps.
- Garlic cloves – Go for garlic paste if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
- Broccoli florets – They can be fresh or frozen but thawed.
- Vegetable broth – Chicken broth works too.
- White wine – It needs to be a dry wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – These come in glass jars and are covered in aromatic olive oil.
- Fresh basil – Green, Italian basil is best for this. Don’t use Thai basil.
- Italian seasoning – Use your favorite blend.
- Milk – Choose whole milk or 2%. Avoid plant-based milk because it’s water-based.
- Heavy cream – Half-and-half can be used instead.
- Salt and pepper – Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper are best.
- Parmesan cheese – Make sure it’s freshly grated cheese and not the processed kind.
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
This simple sun-dried tomato pasta is a fail-proof dinner that’s faster than ordering in or getting take-out.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain it and set it aside.
- Sautée the broccoli. Add the olive oil to a pan. Add the garlic and let it cook for 20 seconds or until fragrant. Don’t let it burn. Stir in the broccoli and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the liquids and tomatoes. Pour in the broth and wine. Stir and bring it to a boil. Mix in the tomatoes, basil, and Italian seasoning. Reduce the heat. Simmer it for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid has reduced.
- Make it creamy. Stir in the milk and heavy cream. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cook everything for another 2 minutes. Remove it from the heat.
- Toss it. Add the spaghetti into the sauce. Mix in the broccoli and toss until well combined.
- Serve. Garnish with parmesan cheese, serve, and enjoy.
Recipe Tips And Variations
From adding tender mushrooms to making the sauce ultra velvety, there’s an easy sun-dried tomato pasta variation for everyone.
- Add protein. Sliced grilled chicken, juicy turkey breast, and steak are great ways to add protein. Leftover rotisserie chicken works too. If you want to keep it vegetarian, add tofu or tempeh.
- Use more veggies. Sautée 1/2 cup mushrooms, baby spinach, or chopped bell peppers with the broccoli for more flavor and texture.
- Blend the sauce. After stirring in the milk and heavy cream, pour the ingredients into a blender. Process until you get a smooth mixture. You’ll get a creamy tomato-based sauce, perfect if you have picky eaters at home.
- Make it spicy. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes, chili oil, or cayenne pepper to taste for a bit of heat.
- Add more garnishes. Top the pasta with fresh parsley, crispy fried shallots, or creamy burrata cheese for more garnish ideas.
Serving Suggestions
This is a perfect recipe for a delicious yet quick dinner. Serve it with Oven Baked Pesto Salmon or Lemon Pepper Salmon. If you prefer chicken or steak, go for my New York Strip Steak and Italian Dressing Chicken. For a bowl of soup, try my Broccoli Cheese Soup. Finally, this Grilled Asparagus is a great veggie side.
How to Store
The leftovers need to be fully cooled before refrigerating to avoid spoilage.
- Fridge: Store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- To reheat it: Microwave it in 30-second intervals until warm. You can also heat it in a pan (covered) over medium heat for 8-9 minutes.
More Easy Pasta Dishes To Try
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Sun-Dried Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole grain spaghetti, or regular spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup dry white wine,, like Chardonnay (use your favorite)
- 1 cup julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon sliced fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper,, to taste
- shredded parmesan cheese,, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.
- In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook it for 20 seconds or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add broth and wine. Bring it to a boil.
- Stir in the tomatoes, basil, and Italian seasoning. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the liquid reduces.
- Remove the lid and stir in the milk and heavy cream.
- Season with salt and pepper. Cover and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Drain the spaghetti and add it to the broccoli mixture. Toss together until well combined.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese.
- Serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Add protein by tossing in chopped grilled chicken or steak.
- Make the sauce creamier and use 1/4 cup heavy cream, but leave out the milk. If you’d like to leave out the heavy cream, use about 1/4 cup milk.
- Stir in extra veggies like mushrooms, spinach, or bell peppers.
- Add heat with red pepper flakes, chili oil, or cayenne pepper.
- Garnish with parsley, fried shallots, or burrata cheese.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I love how easy this was. It was so tasty too! YUM!
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
The Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta was absolutely divine! The rich flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes with the garlic and herbs made for a restaurant-quality meal right at home.
I’m glad you loved the Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta! It’s great to hear that the flavors made your meal feel like a restaurant experience. Thank YOU! 🙂
OMG was this ever delicious. LOVED those flavors!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the flavors! Thank YOU! 🙂
It’s incredibly delicious! I made this and my family really loves it!
That’s wonderful to hear! It’s always a joy when a dish turns out incredibly delicious and is loved by the family. Thank YOU! 🙂
I love anything with sun dried tomatoes and this recipe was really really good! So much flavor!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe, especially with your love for sun-dried tomatoes! It’s great that the flavors stood out to you. Thank YOU! 🙂
I love meals like this that delight the eyes as well as the tongue – this did not disappoint.
Thank YOU! It’s wonderful to hear that the meal was a feast for both the eyes and the tongue! 🙂
I love the depth of flavor this pasta has. The sun-dried tomatoes work perfectly with the basil!
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the rich flavors of the pasta! Thank YOU! 🙂
We made leg of lamb for Easter too! It was amazin . This pasta looks pretty amazing too!