Creamy Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

 
Creamy Tuscan Sun Dried Tomato Salmon
 

This is a super easy meal is my play on what a creamy sun-dried tomato Tuscan-inspired pasta would be. It also happens to be diary free. Yup! Mind you, you can most certainly make this with a dairy product like heavy cream and half and half which on occasion I do! But I do like playing around with substitutions and the creaminess of the coconut milk really does make this so good. Again this is another dish where any subtle coconut flavor gets masked by the seasonings so you don’t notice it. Make this for your family and friends and watch them freak out in disbelief that there isn’t one ounce of cream in this dish, I promise you they will.

Tip: When making the cream sauce use the oil that the sun-dried tomatoes are marinating in instead of using regular olive oil. This is creating the base for a really flavorful sauce instead of just relying on the sun-dried tomatoes themselves.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb Penne pasta (or other preferred pasta)

  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rough chopped

  • 1 can of full fat coconut milk

  • 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce

  • 2 cups of spinach

  • 3 cloves of minced garlic

  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme

  • 1-2 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomato jar

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 1 tsp onion powder

  • 1 tsp kosher salt

  • ½ tsp ground black pepper

  • 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water

  • ¼ cup chopped green onion or parsley for garnish

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of liquid, drain and set aside. 

  2. In a large saute pan using about a tablespoon of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, saute garlic and thyme on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes or until garlic is slightly golden.

  3. Add in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and let cook for 2-3 minutes

  4. Pour in the coconut milk, tomato sauce, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and stir until combined. Then bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer.

  5. In a small measuring cup or bowl whisk cornstarch with water until smooth then add to sauce whisking constantly to avoid lumps and continue to simmer. The sauce will thicken slightly so stir as needed. If the sauce is too thick add some of the reserved pasta water.

  6. Add in spinach and let wilt, then add in pasta and stir to coat evenly. Garnish with green onion or parsley.

  7. Serve Immediately!

Main DishesBeatrice walkerComment