This creamy sun-dried tomato pasta is quick to prepare and full of flavour. It uses a simple sun-dried tomato paste blended with stracchino (or cream cheese), sautéed cherry tomatoes and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. The whole dish comes together in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or a relaxed weekend meal.
Quick recipe snapshot
- Ready in just 20 minutes – this pasta is almost finished by the time the pasta is cooked.
- Full of umami flavour – sun-dried tomatoes give the sauce a rich, salty depth.
- Simple sauce – the creamy sauce is made with only a handful of ingredients.
Table of Contents
- Quick recipe snapshot
- Visual walk-through of the recipe
- Variations and substitutions
- Recipe tips and FAQs
- More quick and delicious pasta recipes
- Full Recipe
We love pasta that’s fast enough for weeknights but tasty enough for the weekend. This creamy sun-dried tomato pasta fits both needs: bright, savoury and satisfying, similar in spirit to other favourite recipes like Pasta alla Montecarlo and Orecchiette alla Positanese.
Find the full recipe and step-by-step tips below, plus options to adapt the dish to your tastes.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
Step-by-step photos illustrate the main stages. The written recipe and tips follow in the recipe card.
Blitz the sun-dried tomato paste – combine sun-dried tomatoes with stracchino (or cream cheese), Parmigiano Reggiano and a garlic clove in a food processor or use an immersion blender. Blend to a smooth, thick paste.
Sauté the cherry tomatoes – heat a little olive oil and sauté halved cherry tomatoes until they begin to soften (about 1–2 minutes). Remove and reserve for topping.
Make the sauce – return the sun-dried tomato paste to the pan and add reserved pasta water to emulsify it into a silky sauce.
Finish with pasta – toss the cooked pasta in the sauce, adding more pasta water if needed to reach a glossy consistency. Serve topped with the sautéed cherry tomatoes and extra Parmigiano Reggiano.
Variations and substitutions
- Stracchino substitute – if you can’t find stracchino, a good-quality cream cheese works well.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – use jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil for best flavour. If yours are dried, soak them in hot water first to rehydrate.
- Fresh herbs – stir in fresh basil when emulsifying the sauce for brightness.
- Add meat – Italian sausage or pancetta can be cooked after the cherry tomatoes for a heartier version.
- Add seafood – lightly sautéed shrimp pairs nicely with this sauce.
- Spice it up – add fresh chilli or red pepper flakes for heat.
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Save your pasta water – the starchy cooking water is essential to emulsify the sun-dried tomato paste into a creamy sauce, so reserve some before draining.
- Use any pasta – this sauce works with most short or long pasta shapes; try mafaldine, penne, linguine or rigatoni.
Yes. You can make the sun-dried tomato paste 2–3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Reheat leftover pasta gently in a pan over low heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed. Pasta is best eaten fresh, as it softens over time.
More quick and delicious pasta recipes
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If you try this creamy sun-dried tomato pasta, please rate the recipe and leave a comment to share how it turned out. We love hearing from readers and learning about your variations and tips.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to make them work the first time.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Stracchino Pasta
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) mafaldine pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 1 cup (150g) sun-dried tomatoes, jarred in oil
- ½ cup (110g) stracchino cheese (or cream cheese)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, plus extra for serving
- Salt, to taste
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup (125ml) of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, place 1 cup (150g) sun-dried tomatoes, ½ cup (110g) stracchino, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano and 1 garlic clove in a food processor or use an immersion blender. Blend to a smooth, thick paste and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Gently sauté 1 cup (150g) halved cherry tomatoes until they start to soften (1–2 minutes). Remove and set aside.
- Add the sun-dried tomato paste to the pan and stir in about ½ cup (125ml) reserved pasta water to emulsify into a glossy sauce. Adjust texture with more pasta water if needed.
- Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat thoroughly in the sauce. Serve in bowls topped with the sautéed cherry tomatoes and extra Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
Storage: The sun-dried tomato paste or sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Leftover pasta is best eaten within 1–2 days and can be reheated gently on the stove with a splash of water.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise noted.
- When using jarred tomatoes, choose a good-quality brand for the best flavour.
- Vegetable sizes are assumed medium unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven where applicable.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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