You will want to make this Italian inspired pasta dish every week, it’s SO good!! It’s luscious cream sauce with bold sun dried tomato and rich garlic flavours has you going back for seconds and it’s ready in under 30 minutes!!
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good pasta dish and this is one sets the bar for one of the BEST!! The sun dried tomatoes are preserved in a rich oil that has so much flavour and when you add a few ingredients, such as garlic, smoked paprika and cream to the mix with the sun dried tomatoes and it’s oil, you have a WINNING dish!!
There are a lot of variations for this recipe on the internet and however you decide to make this dish just make sure you add a few of my favourite ingredients. I love adding garlic to many of my dishes for it’s intense flavour and the woodsy smoked paprika enhances this dish and go all out and add heavy cream for it’s richness and you will love this 30 minute dish!!
INGREDIENTS AND TIPS
- Pasta: I like to use rigatoni for this recipe, it coats the sauce so nicely and don’t forget to reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water
- Sun dried tomatoes: you will need some of the preserved oil for this recipe
- Shallots: are one of my favourite onions to use, it’s mild but still has the onion flavour
- Garlic: adds that bold rich flavour to this dish
- Smoked paprika: when I can I like to add paprika to my dishes, whether it’s sweet, hot or smoked, I think it’s the Hungarian in me 🙂
- Vegetable broth: or chicken broth can be used
- Red pepper flakes: just a few flakes needed
- Spinach: I like to use organic baby spinach
- Heavy cream: you can always substitute half and half cream but I like the richness in the heavy cream for this dish
- Seasonings: salt and pepper
- Fresh basil: added at the end and for garnishing
- Parmesan cheese: for garnishing
HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE
Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil, add salt and pasta. Follow instructions on the package and cook until al dente and drain. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
In a skillet, over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the sun dried oil, then sauté shallot for about 3 minutes, then add garlic, cook for about 1 minute, long enough until garlic is fragrant.
Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add paprika, vegetable broth and red pepper flakes.
Add spinach and cream and simmer for 4-5 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and add the reserved pasta water as needed.
Once you the pasta is coated with the creamy sauce, add fresh basil and parmesan cheese. You will want to add a few more garnishes of the basil and parmesan cheese when serving it up for dinner.
It’s one of those go-to recipes you will want to have on hand. The only thing you will have to make sure you have a jar of sun dried tomatoes in your pantry at all times. Most if not all of the ingredients you will have in your pantry or fridge.
STORE this delicious pasta dish in the refriferator for up to 3 days IF you have any leftovers.
VARIATIONS FOR THIS RECIPE
Meat: grilled chicken, sausage or shrimp
Veggies: if you don’t have spinach, you can add broccoli, bell peppers, asparagus, squash or zucchini
Pasta: I really like rigatoni for this dish, however bow tie, ziti, penne, fusilli or rotini
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Rigatoni
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz rigatoni pasta
- 2-3 tbsp sundried tomato oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 organic baby spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- 5 basil leaf's, sliced extra for garnishing
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil, add salt and pasta. Follow instructions on the package and cook until al dente and drain. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
- In a skillet, over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the sundried oil, then sauté shallot for about 3 minutes, then add garlic, cook for about 1 minute, long enough until garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add paprika, vegetable broth and red pepper flakes. Add spinach and cream and simmer for 4-5 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and add the reserved pasta water as needed.
- Serve immediately, garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
