One Pot Tuscan Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo

Creamy, cozy, and ready in just 20 minutes — this One Pot Tuscan Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo is going to be your new favorite weeknight dinner. It’s indulgent without being heavy, made with pantry staples like pasta, parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes. Best of all? It’s a true one pot recipe that saves time and dishes, while delivering a restaurant-quality meal your whole family will love.

I never had sun dried tomatoes growing up.  The only time I even came across them was when we went to the King of Prussia Mall (aka the fancy mall) and ate the free sample pasta from the food court bistro (clearly the fanciest of all food court shops).  

I’m not kidding--I thought they were the height of luxury because we never actually ate at that bistro shop only tried the samples. I still think sun dried tomatoes are classy as heck. If you’ve never tried them before because you too thought they were out of your league classy, they are super easy to work with and pretty cheap.

Why I Love This One Pot Tuscan Pasta

• Quick & easy: Ready in under 20 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
• Minimal cleanup: One pot means fewer dishes and less mess.
• Rich & creamy flavor: Parmesan, cream cheese, and garlic make a luscious sauce.
• Customizable: Add chicken, shrimp, or veggies to make it your own.
• Family-friendly: Creamy enough to please kids, flavorful enough to wow adults.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes: The Secret Ingredient

If you’ve never cooked with sun-dried tomatoes, you’re in for a treat. Their rich, sweet, and tangy flavor brings a Tuscan touch that elevates this pasta into something special.

You’ll usually find them two ways in the store:

• Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes: These need to be rehydrated, which happens naturally while they simmer in the sauce. They add concentrated tomato flavor without extra oil.
• Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes: Delicious and ready-to-use, but keep in mind the added oil. If using these, drain before adding to the pasta.

For this recipe, I like dry sun-dried tomatoes since they rehydrate in the milk (or your milk of choice) and infuse it with their tomato flavor while softening beautifully. Packed in oil is usually easier to find.

How to Make One Pot Tuscan Pasta

This creamy pasta comes together quickly, and everything cooks in one pot.

1. Start with garlic: In a large pot, sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Simmer pasta & tomatoes: Add pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and most of the cashew milk (about 6 cups). Bring to a boil, then simmer until pasta is just shy of al dente (about 6 minutes).
3. Thicken the sauce: Whisk flour with remaining milk and stir in with tomato paste. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
4. Make it creamy: Stir in cream cheese until melted, then add parmesan. Stir until smooth and creamy.
5. Adjust consistency: If sauce is too thick, add a splash more milk.
6. Season & serve: Add salt and pepper to taste, garnish with extra parmesan or fresh basil if desired.

You’re going to boil the pasta directly in the cashew milk and sun-dried tomatoes.  I do 6 of the seven cups of cashew milk for one box of pasta, but you can use half chicken stock.

Once the pasta is just slightly undercooked (about 6 minutes), you’re going to add the tomato paste and cup of cashew milk mixed with the flour.  The already thickening sauce will get much thicker as the flour cooks.

First, add the cream cheese. It’s my secret for all creamy sauces like mac and cheese. Once that’s melted, make it rain parmesan. 4 oz of freshly grated parmesan seems like a lot, but it tastes incredible so don’t skimp.  

Tips for the Creamiest Tuscan Pasta

Thin as needed: If the sauce thickens too much, add a little more milk.

Use freshly grated parmesan: It melts better than pre-shredded.

Season at the end: Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes add salt, so wait until the sauce is finished before adjusting.

Don’t overcook the pasta: It will continue to absorb sauce as it sits.

Variations

• Tuscan Chicken Pasta: Stir in sliced grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken.
• Veggie Boost: Add spinach, kale, or mushrooms to sneak in extra vegetables.
• Extra Heat: A pinch of red pepper flakes will balance the creamy sauce.
• Indulgent Version: Use oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, whole milk instead of cashew, finish with a splash of heavy cream and some oil from the tomatoes. Be a little heavier handed with the cheese.

Yield: 8

One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo

4.7 Stars (34 Reviews)

Print

Done in 15 minutes, this sun-dried tomato alfredo is a fresh twist on a comfort food classic.  This creamy tomato pasta is a one-dish that your family will love.  This is an indulgent but calorie and point friendly pasta dish perfect for any weeknight.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 14.5 oz Barilla Plus Protein Pasta (one box) or 16oz whole wheat pasta
• 7 cups cashew milk unsweetened
• 4 oz parmesan freshly grated
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 3 oz sun-dried tomatoes (dry--not packed in oil)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 oz 1/3 fat cream cheese
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• kosher salt & pepper
• parsley (for garnish and optional)

Instructions

1. Spray a pan with cooking spray and saute garlic for about 30 seconds. Add 6 cups of cashew milk and bring to a boil.
2. Once cashew milk is boiling, add pasta and the sun-dried tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes under the box’s directions. Reduce heat to low once cooked.
3. Combined flour and remaining cup of cashew milk. Stir well with a fork, or combine in a jar and shake to mix. Pour flour + milk combo into pasta.
4. Add cream cheese and tomato paste and mix until melted.
5. Stir parmesan into the pasta until fully melted.
6. Taste sauce and add salt and pepper depending on taste preference--I added a big pinch of kosher salt.  Garnish with some fresh parsley if you're feeling extra fancy.

Notes

The sauce can thicken quickly if you leave it simmering too long. You can easily thin it out with more cashew milk, chicken stock, or regular milk.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

9 oz.
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 300mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 13g

Nutrition information is calculated using Barilla Protein Plus Pasta.

Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Add a splash of milk when reheating to loosen up the sauce.
• Freezer: Not recommended, as the creamy sauce doesn’t hold up well.

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