This creamy 7-ingredient Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta is ready in just 15 minutes. It's so tasty, you won't believe it's healthy! A family-friendly, vegan recipe you'll want to make over and over again. This recipe is nut-free and packed with antioxidants.
The combination of the sweet-tart flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, and the creamy texture of the sunflower seeds, takes this sauce to a whole new level. Plus, this is one of the easiest dinners to prepare and is popular amongst all ages. Even my self-proclaimed 'sun-dried tomato hater' teenager kept returning for more!
This healthy meal is packed with lycopene (a powerful antioxidant) from sun-dried tomatoes! Plus, you can replace the sunflower seeds with a nut of your choice. I also enjoy this sun-dried tomato sauce with walnuts to boost heart-healthy omega-3s.
This recipe was inspired by my Green Pasta, as well as this Macaroni Salad No Mayo recipe.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Fresh basil
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Sunflower seeds, walnuts, or cashews
- Maple syrup
- Chickpeas (optional)
🍝 Substitutions
- Sunflower seeds - use walnuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews instead
- Nutritional yeast - add 2 teaspoons for a cheesy flavor
- Miso - add 1 tablespoon for more umami
📖 How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Step 1. Cook the pasta. Place the sunflower seeds in a heat-proof container with boiled water for 10 minutes. Drain.
Step 2. Transfer the drained sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, pasta-cooking water (or warm water), crushed red pepper, garlic, and fresh basil to the canister of a high-speed blender.
Step 3. Blend on high until smooth. Add maple syrup, salt, and pepper to taste. Optional: Add oil from the sun-dried tomatoes until the desired taste and consistency.
Step 4. Transfer the pasta and sauce to a large bowl and mix to combine. Serve immediately.
Or heat the sauce in a large skillet with more pasta water. Add the cooked pasta and stir. Serve topped with roasted chickpeas for a crunch.
For optional roasted chickpea topping:
Step 1. Rub the chickpeas between layers of a kitchen or paper towel to dry.
Step 2. Toss the chickpeas with olive oil, salt, and paprika. Roast at 400ºF for 15 minutes, or until crispy.
✔️ Expert Tips
- Use sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil when blending the sauce for extra flavor and creaminess.
- For gluten-free, use lentil, bean, or gluten-free pasta.
- For more protein and texture, add crispy roasted chickpeas.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop, and water until the desired consistency.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
For the best-roasted chickpeas, visit my blog post on How to Make Crispy Chickpeas.
The pasta itself is not the problem. Pasta is pretty low in terms of its glycemic impact. The issue is portion size. A single serving size of pasta is about 2 ounces of dry pasta or 1 cup of cooked pasta.
Cook the pasta until al dente. Al dente pasta tastes better, plus it's healthier. Overcooked pasta has a higher glycemic index, meaning it can raise your blood glucose higher than if you cooked it al dente. Al dente has less of an impact on blood sugar levels.
Pasta has some redeeming nutritional qualities. It's low in sodium and saturated fat, and some varieties of pasta are fortified with B vitamins and iron.
To keep your pasta healthy:
∙Bulk up your pasta with lots of veggies.
∙Treat it as a side. Grain foods should take up about a quarter of the plate. Pasta should not be the star of the meal.
∙Cook it al dente. Overcooked pasta has a higher glycemic index, meaning it can raise your blood glucose higher than if you cooked it al dente.
∙Swap out refined white pasta for whole wheat, lentil, or bean pasta.
👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
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I would love it if you would rate this recipe and leave a comment. Thank you in advance.
📖 Recipe
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces dry pasta
- ½ cup sunflower seeds or walnuts, or cashews
- ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes jarred, preserved in oil
- 1 medium lemon juice
- 1 cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 to 3 teaspoons maple syrup or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package until al dente. Save 2 cups of the pasta cooking water when draining. Set aside.
- Soak the seeds or nuts: Place the sunflower seeds in a heat-proof container with boiled water for 10 minutes. Drain.
- Make the sauce: Transfer the drained sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, 1 cup pasta-cooking water (or warm water), crushed red pepper, garlic, and fresh basil to the canister of a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. Add maple syrup, salt, and pepper to taste. Optional: Add oil from the sun-dried tomatoes until the desired taste and consistency.
- Serve: Transfer the pasta and sauce to a large bowl and mix to combine. Serve immediately.
- Optional: Heat the Sauce: Transfer the sauce to a large skillet. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until warmed through, stirring frequently. Add the desired amount of pasta and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes more, or until warmed through, adding more of the reserved pasta water until the desired consistency. Season with more salt and black pepper.
Notes
- Use sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil when blending the sauce for extra flavor and creaminess.
- For gluten-free, use lentil, bean, or gluten-free pasta.
- For more protein and texture, add crispy roasted chickpeas.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Donna M Flumerfelt says
This looks amazing! But I'm confused because I see chickpeas in the picture but not in the recipe? Lol are my old lady eyes confusing me
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi! The recipe is for the divine sauce. You can add roasted chickpeas https://cookingforpeanuts.com/crispy-roasted-chickpeas/
Sharon Shaw says
Hi Nisha,
The kcal for the sundried tomato pasta recipe is estimated at 476. Does this count include the entire recipe including the pasta, or is it per approximate serving?
Thanks!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
This is for one-fifth of the entire amount including the pasta!
Gurpreet says
Absolutely loved this pasta dish. So simple to make and full of flavor. I will definitely be making this again.
Nisha Melvani says
Thank you for commenting. I'm thrilled you enjoyed it. Have a great evening.
Lizelle says
This looks fabulous! Can I substitute the maple syrup with honey?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes, you can.
Sharon Shaw says
Absolutely delicious and so easy! Can the sauce be frozen?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you. Yes. Freeze for up to three months. You may need to add a little warm water or broth when reheating.
Amina says
I love walnuts and the toasted walnuts in this tangy and garlicky pesto are perfect on pasta. Super easy and so tasty! One of my favourites!
Azin says
This was great! I love sun-dried tomatoes in just about any form but this is one of my favorites. The sauce has a really deep flavor with the roasted nuts. The slight kick of the crushed red pepper really made the dish. Definitely recommend trying this one!
Nisha Melvani says
I'm so happy you liked the flavors. Thanks for leaving a comment:)
Sharon Shaw says
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make! Will the sauce freeze well? If so, how long will it keep in the freezer..
Thanks!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. Thank you. Freeze for u to 3 months. Add warm water or a little broth when reheating.
Julie says
This looks so delicious! I can't wait to try it! I am having a hard time finding fresh basil where I live, though. Would dried or freeze-dried basil or a different fresh herb be a comparable substitute?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
You could do a mixture of parsley and spinach or kale.