Marry Me Pasta Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Printer-friendly)

Silky pasta in sun-dried tomato and parmesan cream, topped with basil - rich, comforting and ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 350 g (12 oz) pasta (such as penne or rigatoni)

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 120 g (1/2 cup) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
05 - 250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
06 - 60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable broth
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp dried basil
09 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - 50 g (1/2 cup) freshly grated parmesan cheese
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving
13 - Extra parmesan, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and vegetable broth, then add the oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add the parmesan cheese and stir until completely melted and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2–3 minutes.
06 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss well to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and extra parmesan.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The creamy sauce clings to every bite of pasta, making it taste much fancier than the effort required.
  • It's totally vegetarian, but feels indulgent and filling—no one ever misses the meat!
02 -
  • If you let the cream boil too hard, it can split—keep things at a gentle simmer for the creamiest texture.
  • Stirring in a bit of pasta water at the end is the secret weapon for a glossy, professional-looking sauce.
03 -
  • Always grate your parmesan fresh—pre-grated just doesn’t melt the same way.
  • Letting the sauce rest a minute off-heat before tossing with pasta helps everything thicken perfectly.
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