Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato Penne Pasta

A quick and easy penne pasta tossed in a rich and creamy sauce packed with the flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. I can’t help but love a recipe where the sauce can be made in the same time it takes the pasta to cook! Especially on a night when you want need good food fast but don’t have time to spend in the kitchen.

The simple sauce starts with a quick saute of garlic, oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach leaves, then half & half, sour cream and pasta water is mixed in. The starchy water from cooking the pasta thins out the thick sauce and helps it coat and cling to every nook and cranny in the pasta. Chicken or shrimp would be a great addition to!

The tangy sour cream is the perfect counterpoint to the acidity of the chewy tomatoes, the richness of the half & half and the freshness of the spinach. It’s a delicious combination that is comforting and satisfying on every level!

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions in plenty of salted water, before draining set aside 1 cup of the pasta water.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet saute garlic and tomatoes in olive oil for 3-4 minutes, add spinach and cook, stirring often until spinach is wilted. In a small bowl whisk half & half, sour cream and 1/2 cup of pasta water together. Add to pan and mix well with spinach mixture. Heat through.

3. Add penne and mix well, adding more pasta water if needed to make enough sauce to coat the pasta. Serve immediately with plenty of Parmesan cheese.

You can also add chicken or shrimp, before the spinach, cook through if raw, heat thoroughly if using leftovers. Increase the amount of sauce ingredients by half.