This Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is bright, flavorful, and incredibly easy to prepare.
This dish is not heavy or cream-laden — it relies on olive oil, tangy white wine vinegar and concentrated sun-dried tomato flavor to coat the pasta. It’s a lighter option that still satisfies, and it’s simple enough for a weeknight meal yet pretty enough for guests.
Ingredients needed:
- rotini pasta (16 ounces)
- extra virgin olive oil (½ cup)
- white wine vinegar (⅓ cup)
- minced garlic (2 tablespoons)
- broccoli florets (about 3 cups)
- sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)
- sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped (¾ cup)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese (⅓ cup), for serving
How to make Sun Dried Tomato Pasta:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water and set it aside. The starchy pasta water helps loosen the sauce if the dish needs a little extra moisture.
2. In a large skillet or saucepan set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil with the white wine vinegar and minced garlic. Add the broccoli and mushrooms and sauté until the broccoli is tender-crisp and the mushrooms are softened, about 8–10 minutes.
3. Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and simmer briefly—about 3–5 minutes—to meld the flavors. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss everything together until evenly combined. If the pasta seems dry, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until you reach the desired consistency.
5. Serve warm, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Optional: stir in cooked shrimp or sliced chicken for extra protein.
This recipe is flexible — you can swap the vegetables or pasta shape, adjust the amount of sun-dried tomatoes for a milder or bolder flavor, or finish with fresh herbs like basil or parsley.
More pasta recipes you might like:
- Ravioli Primavera
- Rigatoni in Vodka Sauce
- Creamy Garlic Pasta Shells
- Rotini with Shrimp
- Tomato Beef Pasta
Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotini pasta
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
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In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, white wine vinegar and garlic. Add the broccoli and mushrooms and simmer about 10 minutes, until the broccoli is slightly tender. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and simmer an additional 5 minutes; then remove from heat.
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Add the cooked pasta to the pan and mix thoroughly. If the mixture seems dry, stir in some of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
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Serve warm and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 522kcal,
Carbohydrates: 65g,
Protein: 15g,
Fat: 23g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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