There’s a particular kind of weeknight dinner that feels like a small act of kindness to yourself: one pot, half an hour, and a sauce so good you drag bread through the pan when you think no one is watching. This is that dinner. Penne cooks directly in a garlicky cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, and the starch the pasta releases turns that sauce silky in a way no separate pot of pasta water ever could. A mountain of fresh spinach wilts in at the end, parmesan melts through everything, and dinner is done.
The sun-dried tomatoes are the quiet hero here. The oil-packed kind bring a deep, sweet-tart tomato flavor that’s almost jammy — nothing like fresh tomatoes, nothing like tomato sauce, just concentrated sunshine. They soften as the pasta simmers and their oil, if you use a spoonful of it to start the sauce, carries that flavor through the whole dish. If you only have the dry-packed kind, a quick soak in warm water brings them back to life.
This is also a genuinely flexible vegetarian main. It stands on its own as a meatless Monday hero, but it welcomes additions without complaint: a can of chickpeas for protein, a handful of toasted pine nuts for crunch, or a pile of mushrooms browned first for a deeper, earthier version. The base recipe, though, needs nothing added. It’s complete exactly as written.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One pot, 30 minutes, no colander: The pasta cooks in the sauce itself, so there’s no separate pot, no draining, and no watery sauce — just one pot to wash.
- That silky sauce is no accident: Cooking the penne in the sauce lets the pasta starch thicken it naturally, so the parmesan cream clings to every piece instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- Sun-dried tomatoes do the heavy lifting: Their concentrated, sweet-tart flavor makes the sauce taste like it simmered for hours, not minutes.
- A full bag of spinach disappears into it: Five ounces of spinach wilts down to almost nothing, so this is an easy way to get a serious portion of greens into a dinner everyone actually wants to eat.
- Meatless without feeling like a compromise: Rich, creamy, and deeply savory — nobody at the table will ask where the meat is.
- Cheaper than takeout, faster than delivery: Pantry staples and a bag of spinach turn into a restaurant-quality dinner for a fraction of the price.
Tools You’ll Need
- Large, deep skillet or Dutch oven with a lid: You need room for the pasta, the broth, and the spinach. A 12-inch deep skillet or a 4-quart Dutch oven is ideal.
- Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula: For stirring the pasta as it cooks so it doesn’t stick together or catch on the bottom.
- Chef’s knife and cutting board: For slicing the sun-dried tomatoes and chopping the basil for the finish.
- Box grater: For shredding the parmesan fresh. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents that make sauces grainy — fresh-grated melts smooth.
- Measuring cups and spoons: For the broth, cream, and seasonings, since the liquid ratio is what makes the sauce come out right.
Ingredients
For the Pasta and Sauce
- 12 oz penne pasta (or rigatoni, fusilli, or farfalle)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or oil from the sun-dried tomato jar)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup sliced)
To Finish
- 5 oz baby spinach (about 5 packed cups)
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- Extra parmesan and cracked black pepper, for serving
Instructions
- Soften the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and translucent.
- Bloom the flavor base. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until it darkens slightly — this toasts the paste and deepens the tomato flavor.
- Add the liquids and pasta. Pour in the vegetable broth and heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the penne and the sliced sun-dried tomatoes, stir well, and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the pasta. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes so the pasta doesn’t stick. The pasta should be just al dente and the sauce thickened — if it gets too thick before the pasta is done, splash in a little extra broth.
- Wilt the spinach. Uncover and add the spinach in big handfuls, stirring after each addition until it wilts, about 2 minutes total. The sauce will loosen slightly from the spinach — that’s normal.
- Melt the parmesan. Off the heat, stir in the grated parmesan a handful at a time until melted and glossy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Rest and serve. Let the pasta rest for 2 to 3 minutes — the sauce thickens as it cools slightly. Serve in warm bowls topped with fresh basil, extra parmesan, and cracked black pepper.
Serving Ideas
- With garlic bread: Non-negotiable in this house. The sauce is too good to leave in the bowl, and garlic bread is the delivery system.
- With a simple green salad: A lemony arugula salad with shaved parmesan cuts through the richness and balances the plate.
- As a meatless Monday centerpiece: Add a can of drained chickpeas in step 3 if you want extra protein without changing the method.
- For guests: Serve it family-style straight from the Dutch oven with a big bowl of extra parmesan and a bottle of good olive oil for drizzling.
Tips for the Best Results
- Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. They are softer, more flavorful, and their oil is liquid gold for starting the sauce. Dry-packed ones need a 20-minute soak in warm water first.
- Grate the parmesan fresh. It melts into a smooth, glossy sauce. Bagged shreds turn grainy and refuse to fully melt.
- Stir every few minutes. Pasta cooking in sauce wants to stick — a quick stir every 3 to 4 minutes keeps it loose and evenly cooked.
- Let it rest before serving. Two or three minutes off the heat lets the sauce settle and thicken to the perfect coating consistency.
- Keep a splash of broth handy. Different pasta brands absorb liquid differently. If the sauce tightens up too much, a splash of warm broth loosens it instantly.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Boiling instead of simmering. A rolling boil will scorch the cream and make the sauce separate. Keep it at a gentle simmer with the lid on.
- Adding all the spinach at once. It won’t fit, and the pile on top steams instead of wilting evenly. Handful by handful is the way.
- Dumping all the parmesan in at once. It clumps. A handful at a time, stirred until melted, gives a smooth sauce every time.
- Skipping the rest. Served straight off the heat, the sauce is thin and pools. Three minutes of patience is the difference between good and great.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens considerably when cold — that’s normal.
- Reheating: Warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk or broth, stirring until loosened and heated through. Avoid the microwave if possible, as it can make the sauce separate.
- Freezing: Not recommended. Cream-based sauces tend to split after freezing and thawing.
FAQs
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes — short, sturdy shapes like rigatoni, fusilli, or farfalle all work. Avoid long shapes like spaghetti, which tangle and cook unevenly in one pot. Keep the cooking time close to the package directions and check a minute early.
Can I make this vegan?
Use full-fat coconut milk instead of cream, a vegan parmesan-style cheese, and vegetable broth (already in the recipe). The sauce will be slightly sweeter from the coconut, but still rich and satisfying.
What if I only have dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes?
Soak them in warm water for 20 minutes, drain, and slice. They’ll be nearly as good as the oil-packed kind — just use regular olive oil to start the sauce.
Can I add protein?
Absolutely. Chickpeas, white beans, or browned mushrooms all fit the method — add chickpeas or beans with the pasta in step 3, or brown mushrooms first and set them aside to stir back in at the end.
Is this kid-friendly?
Very. Leave out the red pepper flakes and it’s a creamy, cheesy pasta with sweet tomato bits — most kids go back for seconds.
Recipe Summary
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Total time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Course: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
- Keywords: sun-dried tomato pasta, creamy spinach pasta, one-pot pasta, vegetarian dinner
