Sundried Tomato Spinach Spaghetti

This quick sundried tomato spinach spaghetti features a velvety, garlic-infused cream sauce built on a perfect starch emulsion. Ready in just twenty minutes, it is the ultimate comforting weeknight dinner that tastes like a restaurant favorite.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Starch Emulsification: Utilizing pasta cooking water binds the heavy cream and tomato fats into a glossy, unified sauce that clings to every noodle.
• Searing the Paste: Cooking the tomato paste in oil before adding liquid caramelizes the sugars and unlocks oil-soluble flavor compounds.
• Spinach Squeeze: Sautéing the spinach just until wilted prevents excess water from diluting the rich cream base.

I will never forget the Tuesday night I dropped an entire glass jar of oil-packed sundried tomatoes onto my kitchen linoleum. Squeegeeing red-tinted oil out of the grout lines with a butter knife was a low point, but the concentrated aroma lingering in the air was hands down spectacular.

It was a spectacular mess.

My early attempts at making a creamy pasta with these tomatoes always ended in a greasy, broken disaster. I used to dump the jarred oil straight into hot heavy cream, which instantly split the sauce into a slick, unappealing puddle.

The science here is simple: we need an emulsion. By whisking starchy pasta water into the cream and tomato paste, the starch molecules physically trap the fat droplets, keeping your sauce perfectly smooth.

Trust me, it works every single time.

This recipe is a close cousin to our beloved Marry Me Pasta, but with a heavy hand of fresh spinach to cut through the richness. It is the ultimate weeknight savior when your pantry looks bare but your soul demands comfort.

Sundried Tomato Spinach Spaghetti

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine Italian
• Category Dinner, Pasta
• Prep Time 10 mins
• Cook Time 15 mins
• Servings 4
• Calories 480 calories
• Rating 4.8 5399
• Tags spaghetti, spinach, sundried tomato, cream sauce, easy dinner

Ingredients

• 340 g spaghetti
• 110 g sundried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 120 ml heavy cream
• 150 g fresh baby spinach
• 50 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 120 ml reserved pasta cooking water

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until just al dente.
2. Reserve 120 ml of the starchy pasta cooking water right before draining the noodles, then set both aside.
3. Heat the reserved 2 tablespoons of sundried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add the minced garlic and chopped sundried tomatoes, sautéing for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
5. Stir in the tomato paste, cooking it for 2 minutes while stirring constantly until it darkens to a deep brick-red color.
6. Pour in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
7. Add the fresh baby spinach to the skillet, tossing gently until it wilts into the cream sauce.
8. Add the drained spaghetti, grated Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper to the skillet.
9. Pour in half of the reserved pasta water and toss vigorously over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until a glossy, emulsified sauce coats the pasta. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

Notes

• Salt Conversions: I highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if you are using Morton's kosher salt, reduce the volume by half (use 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1 teaspoon) to avoid over-salting your delicate cream sauce.
• The Science of Searing: Sautéing the tomato paste in oil first is crucial because the carotenoids and other key flavor compounds in tomatoes are oil-soluble, meaning they require fat to fully release their savory potential.
• Workflow Warning: Keep your garlic moving in the pan; garlic burns in under thirty seconds in hot oil, turning bitter and ruining the delicate cream base.
• Tomato Quality Matters: Generic store-brand sundried tomatoes often fail because they are packed in cheap canola oil instead of extra virgin olive oil, leaving a greasy film on the roof of your mouth. Look for jars packed in olive oil with herbs.

Serving Suggestions

This rich, comforting pasta pairs beautifully with bright, acidic sides to balance the creaminess of the sauce. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:

• Pair it with a crispy, buttery slice of Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese for the ultimate carb-on-carb comfort meal.
• Top it with sliced chicken breast using our recipe for Parmesan Crusted Chicken to add a satisfying, crispy protein boost.
• Serve it alongside a simple arugula salad tossed with fresh lemon juice and shaved parmesan to cut through the heavy cream.
• Pour a glass of crisp, dry Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc to complement the sweet acidity of the sundried tomatoes.

Storage and Reheating

Storing creamy pasta requires a bit of realistic expectation management. You can keep this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, but do not expect it to look the same tomorrow.

It will look dry.

This happens because the pasta continues to drink up the liquid as it sits. The starch matrix absorbs the cream, leaving you with a solid block of noodles.

To fix this, never use the microwave on high heat because it will instantly split the dairy fat. Instead, reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat while tossing in a splash of milk to rebuild the emulsion.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you do not have spaghetti on hand or need to adapt to dietary restrictions, do not panic. This sauce is incredibly forgiving and plays well with almost any starch or vegetable base.

1. The Pasta: Swap the spaghetti for penne or rigatoni, or try our Creamy Salmon Spinach Pasta if you prefer a seafood-focused noodle dish.
2. The Greens: If baby spinach isn't in your fridge, chopped lacinato kale or baby arugula make excellent, peppery substitutes.
3. The Tomatoes: If you run out of sundried tomatoes, you can use roasted red peppers like the ones featured in our Sun-Dried Tomato Ricotta Stuffed Shells.

I still think about that dropped jar of tomatoes every time I pull out my skillet. But now, instead of a mess on the floor, it is a warm, comforting bowl of noodles in my hands.