Creamy pasta is one of those dinners that just makes sense on a weeknight. It feels like you’re eating something fancy, but really, it comes together in about 30 minutes. I love that you can use ingredients you probably already have sitting in your pantry—like that jar of sun-dried tomatoes that’s been waiting for its moment to shine.
This spaghetti with sun-dried tomato cream sauce has become one of my go-to recipes when I need something satisfying but don’t want to spend all evening in the kitchen. The cream sauce is rich without being heavy, and the spinach helps me feel a little better about having pasta for dinner. Plus, it only dirties one pot (well, plus the pasta pot, but that doesn’t count).
Want restaurant-quality pasta at home? This is it. And the best part? You probably won’t need to make a grocery store run to make it happen.
Why You’ll Love This Spaghetti & Spinach
- Quick weeknight dinner – This pasta comes together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy evenings when you want something homemade without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Restaurant-quality flavor at home – The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce tastes like something you’d order at an Italian restaurant, but you can make it in your own kitchen with simple ingredients.
- Sneaks in your veggies – The spinach wilts right into the creamy sauce, giving you a serving of greens without feeling like you’re eating a salad.
- Pantry-friendly ingredients – Most of these items are things you probably already have on hand, especially if you keep sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan stocked in your fridge.
- One-pot wonder – Besides boiling the pasta, everything comes together in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time to relax after dinner.
What Kind of Sun-Dried Tomatoes Should I Use?
You’ll find sun-dried tomatoes sold two ways at the grocery store: packed in oil or dried in a bag. For this cream sauce, the oil-packed variety is your best bet since they’re already soft and ready to use right out of the jar. If you only have the dried kind, no worries – just soak them in hot water for about 15 minutes until they soften up, then drain and pat them dry before adding to your sauce. The oil-packed ones also add a nice bit of extra flavor to the dish, and you can even use a little of that flavored oil in place of some of the olive oil if you want.
Options for Substitutions
This creamy pasta dish is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:
- Spaghetti: Any long pasta works great here – try linguine, fettuccine, or angel hair. You can even use penne or rigatoni if that’s what you have in the pantry.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: If you’re out of sun-dried tomatoes, you can use roasted red peppers from a jar for a similar sweet and tangy flavor. Chop them up the same way you would the tomatoes.
- Heavy cream: Half-and-half works if you want something lighter, though the sauce will be a bit thinner. You can also use full-fat coconut cream for a dairy-free option, but skip the parmesan or use a dairy-free alternative.
- Spinach: Fresh kale, arugula, or even frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry) will do the job. If using kale, add it a minute or two earlier since it takes longer to wilt.
- Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano gives you a similar salty, sharp flavor. In a pinch, any hard Italian cheese you have will work fine.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake you can make with this recipe is adding the parmesan cheese while the heat is too high, which causes it to clump and separate instead of creating a smooth, creamy sauce – always reduce to low heat and stir constantly when mixing in the cheese.
Another common error is not reserving some pasta water before draining, as adding a splash of that starchy water helps the cream sauce cling to the spaghetti much better than sauce alone.
Don’t skip draining your sun-dried tomatoes if they’re packed in oil, since too much extra oil can make your sauce greasy, and be careful not to overcook the garlic in that first minute or it’ll turn bitter and overpower the other flavors.
Finally, make sure your spinach is completely dry before adding it to the pan – excess water will thin out your cream sauce and leave you with a watery dish instead of the rich, coating consistency you’re looking for.
What to Serve With Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce?
This creamy pasta is rich and filling, so I like to serve it with something light and fresh on the side. A simple arugula salad with lemon juice and olive oil cuts through the richness of the cream sauce perfectly. Garlic bread is always a good call if you want something to mop up any extra sauce on your plate. For protein, grilled chicken breast or pan-seared shrimp work great either mixed into the pasta or served alongside it, and they don’t overpower the sun-dried tomato flavors.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep your leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The cream sauce might thicken up a bit as it sits, but that’s totally normal. I actually think this tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to hang out together!
Freeze: You can freeze this pasta for up to 2 months, though cream sauces can sometimes separate a bit when thawed. If you’re planning to freeze it, slightly undercook the pasta by a minute or two so it doesn’t get mushy when you reheat it later.
Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce. You can also microwave it, but add a tablespoon or two of water or cream and stir halfway through to keep it from drying out.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Total Time | 30-45 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 4 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1700-1850
- Protein: 45-55 g
- Fat: 75-85 g
- Carbohydrates: 180-200 g
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 12 oz spaghetti
- salt
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves (freshly minced)
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- black pepper
- red pepper flakes
Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Start Pasta Water
- salt
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti—this takes the longest, so start it first.
While waiting, mince the garlic cloves finely and chop the fresh basil.
Measure out the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, heavy cream, vegetable broth, and grated parmesan cheese.
Having everything prepped and ready will let you work quickly once the sauce comes together.
Step 2: Cook the Pasta
- 12 oz spaghetti
Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes).
Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining—this starchy liquid will help the sauce cling to the noodles.
Drain the pasta and set aside.
Step 3: Build the Sauce Base with Garlic and Tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned—burnt garlic will taste bitter.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute to warm them through and release their flavor into the oil.
This quick infusion creates the foundation for a deeply flavored sauce.
Step 4: Wilt the Spinach and Add Cream
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
Add the spinach to the pan and stir until it wilts completely, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the heavy cream and vegetable broth, stirring to combine everything evenly.
Lower the heat to medium-low and let this simmer gently for 2-3 minutes so the flavors meld together.
I always simmer for a minute or two even after the spinach is wilted—it allows the cream to absorb the tomato flavor more fully.
Step 5: Finish the Sauce and Combine with Pasta
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- cooked spaghetti from Step 2
- reserved pasta water
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the grated parmesan cheese until it melts completely into the sauce—keeping the heat low prevents the cream from breaking or becoming grainy.
Add the cooked spaghetti from Step 2 to the sauce, tossing gently to coat every strand.
Add splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to reach your desired sauce consistency; the starch will help thicken it slightly as well.
Step 6: Season and Serve
- salt
- black pepper
- red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- additional parmesan cheese for serving
Taste the dish and season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to your preference.
Stir in most of the fresh basil from Step 1, reserving a little for garnish.
Divide into bowls and top with additional grated parmesan and remaining basil.
I like to add a small pinch of red pepper flakes just before serving for a subtle heat that complements the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes.
Homemade Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients
For the pasta::
- 12 oz spaghetti
- salt
For the sauce::
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves (freshly minced)
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- black pepper
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti—this takes the longest, so start it first. While waiting, mince the garlic cloves finely and chop the fresh basil. Measure out the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, heavy cream, vegetable broth, and grated parmesan cheese. Having everything prepped and ready will let you work quickly once the sauce comes together.
- Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining—this starchy liquid will help the sauce cling to the noodles. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned—burnt garlic will taste bitter. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute to warm them through and release their flavor into the oil. This quick infusion creates the foundation for a deeply flavored sauce.
- Add the spinach to the pan and stir until it wilts completely, about 2 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream and vegetable broth, stirring to combine everything evenly. Lower the heat to medium-low and let this simmer gently for 2-3 minutes so the flavors meld together. I always simmer for a minute or two even after the spinach is wilted—it allows the cream to absorb the tomato flavor more fully.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the grated parmesan cheese until it melts completely into the sauce—keeping the heat low prevents the cream from breaking or becoming grainy. Add the cooked spaghetti from Step 2 to the sauce, tossing gently to coat every strand. Add splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to reach your desired sauce consistency; the starch will help thicken it slightly as well.
- Taste the dish and season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to your preference. Stir in most of the fresh basil from Step 1, reserving a little for garnish. Divide into bowls and top with additional grated parmesan and remaining basil. I like to add a small pinch of red pepper flakes just before serving for a subtle heat that complements the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes.
