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Creamy Garlic Butter Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Creamy garlic butter sun-dried tomato pasta with a velvety Parmesan cream sauce, finished with spinach and a glossy toss of reserved pasta water. Tender al dente pasta is simmered into the sauce until thick and smooth for a rich weeknight dinner feel.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 12 oz fettuccine, rigatoni, or penne
Garlic butter base
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Cream sauce
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Finish
  • 2 cup baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 1 Extra Parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
Build the garlic sun-dried tomato base
  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat until combined and glossy.
  2. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant and lightly sizzling.
  3. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
Make the Parmesan cream sauce
  1. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute until smooth and slightly thickened.
  2. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and milk until the mixture is smooth. Keep whisking to prevent lumps.
  3. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until completely melted and smooth.
Toss and finish
  1. Add the baby spinach and cook until just wilted, stirring so it turns bright green.
  2. Toss in the cooked pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky, glossy sauce.
  3. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, then stir in the chopped fresh basil.

Notes

For the silkiest sauce, whisk the flour into the butter/oil for the full 1 minute before adding dairy, then simmer only until thickened—too long can make it heavy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk or reserved pasta water to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a similar texture with fewer calories.