Rating: 4.5 stars
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To achieve flavor quickly in this sun-dried tomato pasta recipe, we use the oil from sun-dried tomatoes to create the base of the cream sauce. Meanwhile, the residual heat of the pasta wilts the spinach in record time for a fast weeknight dinner.

EatingWell.com, September 2021; updated October 2022

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

active:
20 mins
total:
20 mins
Servings:
4
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Tips for Perfect Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

This creamy sun-dried tomato pasta recipe has whole-wheat spaghetti, spinach and Parmesan cheese tossed in a flavorful sauce. It only takes 20 minutes to make, which means it's perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.

Wilting the Spinach

A quick technique for wilting the spinach is to place it in a colander and drain the cooked spaghetti over it. The residual heat from the spaghetti wilts the spinach without overcooking it.

Choosing the Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Look for oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Not only are the sun-dried tomatoes packed with flavor, we also use some of the flavorful oil from the jar to cook the onions, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic as the base for the cream sauce.

To Make This Vegetarian, Use Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth

We use either low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth in this recipe, but to make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable broth.

Additional reporting by Jan Valdez

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Place spinach in a large colander in the sink. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta over the spinach; toss to wilt the spinach.

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  • Meanwhile, heat sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sun-dried tomatoes; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add broth; cook, stirring, until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Stir in sour cream, Parmesan and butter. Add the spaghetti and spinach; toss to coat well.

Nutrition Facts

1 1/4 cups
380 calories; fat 16g; cholesterol 26mg; sodium 330mg; carbohydrates 51g; dietary fiber 7g; protein 13g; sugars 3g; niacin equivalents 6mg; saturated fat 6g; vitamin a iu 2763IU; potassium 587mg.
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