The Simple Joy of this Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta
Comfort arrives in many forms, but few things deliver that warm, satisfying embrace quite like a bowl of creamy sun-dried tomato pesto pasta.
I mean, what’s not to love? You’ve got tender pasta swimming in a sauce that’s basically a Mediterranean vacation in your mouth. The pesto brings that fresh basil punch, while sun-dried tomatoes add their concentrated, almost candy-like sweetness.
Then there’s the cream, turning everything silky and indulgent. Toss in some salty feta and briny olives, and you’re looking at comfort food that doesn’t require a culinary degree or three hours of prep time.
Ingredients
This recipe keeps things beautifully simple, which is exactly what I need when I’m craving something delicious but don’t want to turn my kitchen into a hurricane zone.
The ingredient list reads like a greatest hits album of Mediterranean flavors, and honestly, most of these items are pantry staples you probably already have hanging around. The beauty here is that we’re not reinventing the wheel, just combining some really fantastic ingredients that were basically made to hang out together.
- 500 g pasta (penne or spirals)
- 190 g pesto sauce
- 1 cup pouring cream
- 150 g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 150-200 g feta cheese, cubed
- 50-100 g kalamata olives, pitted
Now, let’s talk quality because it really does matter here, even though this isn’t rocket science. For the pesto, you can absolutely use store-bought, and there’s zero shame in that game.
Just grab something decent from the refrigerated section rather than the shelf-stable stuff if you can swing it. The sun-dried tomatoes should be the oil-packed variety, not the completely dried ones that feel like leather, because we want that extra flavor and moisture.
As for the feta, go for the good stuff in brine rather than the pre-crumbled version, it’ll taste infinitely better and won’t turn to mush when it hits that warm sauce.
How to Make this Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta
The magic happens pretty much exactly how you’d expect it to, which is one of the reasons I’m completely obsessed with this recipe. Start by getting your 500 g of pasta going according to whatever the package tells you to do, because honestly, they know their noodles better than I do.
While that’s bubbling away doing its thing, grab a saucepan and toss in your 190 g of pesto sauce, 1 cup of pouring cream, and those 150 g of chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Give it a gentle stir and bring the whole situation almost to a boil, then immediately dial it back to what I like to call a “gentle simmer,” which is basically just tiny bubbles lazily making their way to the surface. You’re not trying to recreate Mount Vesuvius here, just warming everything through so those flavors can get properly acquainted.
After about 3 to 5 minutes of this gentle simmer situation, it’s time to add the stars of the show: your 150-200 g of cubed feta cheese and those 50-100 g of pitted kalamata olives. The feta will start to soften slightly but won’t completely melt, which is exactly what we want because nobody’s looking for a completely smooth sauce here.
Keep this whole beautiful mess warm while you wait for your pasta timer to go off. When your pasta hits that perfect al dente stage, drain it like your life depends on it, then immediately combine it with your gorgeous, creamy sauce. Give everything a thorough stir so every single piece of pasta gets completely coated, because uneven sauce distribution is basically a crime against comfort food, and we simply can’t have that happening in our kitchen. For chopping those sun-dried tomatoes and feta into perfectly uniform pieces, a professional kitchen knife makes all the difference in achieving the ideal texture for this dish.
Substitutions and Variations
Now, I know what you’re thinking because I’m basically a mind reader when it comes to pasta emergencies: what happens when you’re standing in your kitchen, completely committed to making this gorgeous dish, and you realize you’re missing half the ingredients?
Don’t panic. Swap feta for goat cheese, ricotta, or even cream cheese.
No sun-dried tomatoes? Try roasted red peppers or cherry tomatoes.
Heavy cream works instead of pouring cream, and any pasta shape will do.
I’d even use spinach pesto or make my own with basil, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan.
Additional Things to Serve With Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta
Sides can make or break your pasta game, and I’m here to help you nail the perfect supporting cast for this creamy masterpiece.
Garlic bread? Obviously essential. I’m talking crusty, buttery perfection that’ll have you questioning why you ever ate pasta without it.
A simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through all that richness beautifully. Roasted vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers add color and crunch.
For wine lovers, a crisp white like Pinot Grigio works wonders. Trust me, these combinations turn a weeknight dinner into something worth bragging about.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this creamy sun-dried tomato pesto pasta hits different than your average weeknight dinner.
It’s fancy enough for guests but simple enough for Tuesday night when you’re questioning all your life choices. The combination of tangy feta, briny olives, and that rich pesto cream sauce creates something magical, something that’ll make you forget about takeout menus.
Will it become your new comfort food obsession? Probably. I’m not saying this pasta will solve all your problems, but it’ll definitely solve dinner. Sometimes that’s enough.
Pure Mediterranean comfort in a bowl.
