Description
This creamy sun dried tomato pasta is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender penne pasta tossed in a luscious sauce made from butter, garlic, cream, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses, accented with tangy sun dried tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s a perfect quick and satisfying meal for 4 servings.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 ounces penne pasta
Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
- Small handful fresh basil, chopped finely
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid to use later for thinning the sauce if needed.
- Prepare the roux and garlic: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Make the sauce base: Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and continue whisking until fully incorporated and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Add cream and cheese: Stir in the heavy cream, sun dried tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in the finely chopped fresh basil and season the sauce with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to loosen it to your desired consistency.
- Serve: Serve the creamy sun dried tomato pasta immediately while hot and enjoy.
Notes
- You can substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian variation.
- For extra protein, add cooked grilled chicken or shrimp.
- If you prefer, use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten free.
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- Use fresh sun dried tomatoes packed in oil for the best flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
