This Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is rich, comforting, filling, and flavorful. It is made using simple ingredients like penne pasta, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, corn, Greek yogurt, and a few spices.
This is the kind of meal that feels cozy, comforting, and deeply satisfying.
It is perfect for busy days, quiet evenings, and when you want something simple, comforting, yet special.
Nut butter adds binding and richness naturally. It improves texture in eggless cookies.
Table of contents
If you are looking for a healthy pasta recipe with spinach and corn that is quick, satisfying, and easy to make, then this recipe is a must-try.
About Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
This spinach sun dried tomato corn pasta is prepared using everyday pantry staples and a simple cooking technique that brings maximum flavor. This easy spinach corn pasta is a proof that comfort food can also be wholesome.
In this quick and easy pasta recipe, frozen spinach, frozen sweet corn, and sun-dried tomatoes come together to create a silky, balanced sauce that feels indulgent yet still light.
Instead of cream or cream cheese, this sauce gets its richness from well-seasoned pasta water and thick Greek yogurt or quark, which makes it a creamy spinach corn pasta no cream** recipe that does not feel heavy.
Sweet corn adds natural sweetness, spinach brings freshness and nutrition, and sun-dried tomatoes add depth and tang. This is a quick spinach sun dried tomato pasta that can be served for both lunch and dinner.
Can you believe it is rich and creamy without any cream or cheese? All in all, this spinach pasta recipe is a lighter take on frozen spinach corn pasta white sauce.
This is a very customizable recipe. For example, you can make it vegan by using vegan Greek yogurt, or use feta cheese to make spinach feta pasta. Make it gluten-free by swapping regular all-purpose pasta with gluten-free pasta, or use wholegrain penne pasta for a healthier twist.
I use frozen spinach and corn, but blanched spinach and boiled corn kernels can also be added to this pasta. You can also add other veggies like broccoli, or swap corn with green peas. The customization options are endless for this spinach corn pasta recipe.
Whether you want to call it corn spinach pasta recipe, creamy spinach pasta, or spinach sun dried tomato pasta, this dish delivers on flavor, texture, and ease every single time.
Let’s make it!
Why You’ll Love the Recipe
This Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
✔ tastes incredible
✔ has spice, tang and sweetness
✔ is creamy without any cream
✔ is easy to make
✔ uses frozen spinach and corn
✔ can also be made with fresh spinach
✔ is balanced, nourishing, & comforting
✔ is ready in under 30 minutes
✔ is perfect for busy weekdays
✔ is easily customizable
✔ is vegetarian
✔ can also be made vegan & gluten free
Ingredients
- Pasta: I used penne pasta because it holds the sauce well and stays al dente. But you can also use any short pasta of your choice.
- Spinach: I used frozen spinach as it is convenient, nutritious, and quick-cooking. However, you can also use fresh spinach. Just blanch it before adding it to the sauce.
- Sweet corn: It is added for gentle sweetness and texture. Plus, it tastes so good with spinach. I used frozen corn, but fresh corn can also be used.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: They add deep, tangy flavor and richness. A perfect flavor to shine the spinach. If you don’t like sun-dried tomatoes, then you can use cherry tomatoes here.
- Olive oil: It makes the base of the sauce. Pasta and olive oil go side by side.
- Red chili: Red chili pepper has mild heat, so it adds subtle warmth without overpowering.
- Fresh ginger: Brings heat and freshness and helps the other flavors shine.
- Garlic: Adds an irresistible aroma and depth of flavor.
- Greek yogurt: I added strained Greek yogurt to create a creamy texture without cream. You can also use thick Greek yogurt or quark here.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice: These two are there to brighten and balance the sauce. A must.
- Dried oregano: It adds herby warmth. You can also add mixed Italian herbs, they go beautifully well here too.
- Onion powder: A bit of onion powder enhances the overall flavor of this spinach sauce.
- Red pepper flakes: Added for mild heat. If you don’t like it, simply skip it.
- Salt and black pepper: The basic essential seasoning for any pasta.
- Chili oil (optional): It is an optional ingredient that adds finishing heat, depth, and intense flavor. But if you are not into heat, simply omit it.
- Cheese (optional): Used only for garnishing and serving.
How to Make
Making this easy and simple spinach penne pasta is straightforward.
- Start by cooking penne pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about 1–1.5 cups of pasta cooking water and then drain.
- Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add sliced red chili and let it gently infuse the oil.
- Add the grated ginger and chopped garlic and sauté slowly. Keep stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden. Now add sun-dried tomatoes along with their oil and let them soften and release flavor.
- Stir in frozen spinach and corn and cook until tender and well combined. Add lemon zest, oregano, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
- Pour in reserved pasta water and let the sauce simmer gently for a few minutes. Now, lower the heat and add Greek yogurt or quark, and keep stirring continuously to prevent curdling.
- Keep cooking until the sauce becomes glossy, thick, and creamy with no raw dairy aroma. Add in the cooked pasta, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Toss gently until evenly coated.
- Finish with chili oil if using and cook together for 1 minute. Your perfectly balanced sun dried tomato spinach pasta is ready, which is creamy, comforting, and satisfying.
Variations
Vegan Spinach Pasta
To make it vegan, make sure to use dairy-free yogurt. Also, use dairy-free cheese for serving.
Other veggies
For more fiber and veggie goodness, you can add mushrooms and broccoli to it.
Fresh Spinach Pasta
For a fresh flavor, use fresh spinach instead of frozen. Or you can also use spinach puree to give it a green hue.
Tomatoes
If you want a creamy tomato spinach pasta variation, then add cherry tomatoes or Roma tomatoes instead of sun-dried tomatoes.
Spicy Pasta
If you are into spicy flavors, feel free to increase the spices and turn it into a spicy spinach tomato corn pasta dish.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta tastes best when served hot with some melting cheese on top. You can enjoy it as it is or pair it with garlic bread, cheese toast, or a crisp kiwi salad.
You can relish it as a complete meal for lunch or dinner, and it is also a great option for meal prep and lunchboxes.
Storage Suggestions
You can store the leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Make sure to use a container made of glass, as it may leave stains on plastic containers. Also, storing in plastic containers is not safe.
To serve, reheat gently on low heat with a splash of water, or microwave it for 20–30 seconds to maintain creaminess.
Tips and Tricks to Make the Best Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
- Cooking sauce: Always add yogurt at room temperature on low heat and stir continuously to prevent curdling.
- Pasta Water: Make sure to reserve some starchy pasta water and use this well-salted pasta water in the sauce, as it seasons the sauce and thickens it naturally.
- Sun dried tomatoes: Finely chop sun-dried tomatoes so every bite has balanced flavor. Also, use them with their oil for maximum flavor and added richness.
- Add water slowly: Start by adding 1 cup of reserved pasta water little by little and then increase it slowly to control the thickness of the sauce.
- Lemon: Lemon zest adds aroma while lemon juice adds brightness. So make sure to use them both for maximum taste.
- Spinach: When using blanched spinach, remember to squeeze out excess water before adding it to the sauce.
- Corn: For a creamier texture, you can lightly mash a few corn kernels while cooking.
- Resting: Let the pasta rest for 1 minute after mixing. This way, the sauce clings better.
- Pan: For cooking pasta sauce, always use a wide pan. This allows proper simmering.
- Seasoning: Feel free to taste and adjust seasoning at the end. Since sun-dried tomatoes are naturally salty, and pasta water is salty, I didn’t add any additional salt. But if you prefer it salty, feel free to add it at the end.
Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta (Step-by-step photo instructions)
For making Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
- 1. Add boiling water to a large pot or bring water to a rolling boil. Add salt generously and stir well.
- 2. Then add penne pasta and cook until al dente or according to package instructions.
- 3. To check doneness, slice a piece of pasta with a knife. If it is tender but still firm to the bite, with no hard center it means it is perfectly cooked.
- 4. Reserve about 2 cups of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- 5. While the pasta cooks, prepare the ingredients. Slice the red chili, grate the ginger, peel and finely chop the garlic, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes.
- 6. Heat a wide pan over medium heat. Add olive oil.
- 7. Add the sliced red chili and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the grated ginger and chopped garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- 8. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook until they soften and release their oil.
- 9. Add the spinach and corn. You may use frozen, blanched, or thawed spinach, and frozen or boiled corn.
- 10. Cook until the vegetables are fully cooked and well combined.
- 11. Add the lemon zest and mix well.
- 12. Then add dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and onion powder, and mix well to combine. Pour in about 1.5 cups of the reserved pasta water.
- 13. Mix well and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes.
- 14. Lower the heat and add the strained yogurt or quark.
- 15. Stir continuously and cook until the raw dairy smell disappears and the sauce becomes creamy.
- 16. Add this sauce to the pot with the cooked pasta, along with lemon juice, and mix until evenly coated.
- 16. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and drizzle in chili oil. Cook for 1 minute.
- 17. Your Creamy Spinach Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Corn is ready.
- 18. Transfer to a serving dish. Top with Gouda or any cheese of choice and drizzle with more chili oil before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Card
Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 6 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 35 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Main | European | 6 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 365 calories | 1 |
INGREDIENTS
For Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
- 400 g penne pasta
- Salt, for boiling pasta
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 7 to 8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- 7 to 8 frozen spinach cubes or blanched or thawed spinach
- 1/2 cup frozen corn or boiled corn
- 3/4 cup strained yogurt, Greek-style yogurt, or quark
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoons onion powder
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Pasta cooking water, reserved (about 2 cups)
- Salt, to taste
- Chili oil, to taste
Serving
- Gouda or any cheese of choice, for topping
- Garlic bread or any bread of your choice
INSTRUCTIONS:
For making Spinach Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
- 1. Add boiling water to a large pot or bring water to a rolling boil. Add salt generously and stir well.
- 2. Then add penne pasta and cook until al dente or according to package instructions.
- 3. To check doneness, slice a piece of pasta with a knife. If it is tender but still firm to the bite, with no hard center it means it is perfectly cooked.
- 4. Reserve about 2 cups of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- 5. While the pasta cooks, prepare the ingredients. Slice the red chili, grate the ginger, peel and finely chop the garlic, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes.
- 6. Heat a wide pan over medium heat. Add olive oil.
- 7. Add the sliced red chili and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the grated ginger and chopped garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- 8. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook until they soften and release their oil.
- 9. Add the spinach and corn. You may use frozen, blanched, or thawed spinach, and frozen or boiled corn.
- 10. Cook until the vegetables are fully cooked and well combined.
- 11. Add the lemon zest and mix well.
- 12. Then add dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and onion powder, and mix well to combine. Pour in about 1.5 cups of the reserved pasta water.
- 13. Mix well and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes.
- 14. Lower the heat and add the strained yogurt or quark.
- 15. Stir continuously and cook until the raw dairy smell disappears and the sauce becomes creamy.
- 16. Add this sauce to the pot with the cooked pasta, along with lemon juice, and mix until evenly coated.
- 16. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and drizzle in chili oil. Cook for 1 minute.
- 17. Your Creamy Spinach Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Corn is ready.
- 18. Transfer to a serving dish. Top with Gouda or any cheese of choice and drizzle with more chili oil before serving. Enjoy!
Watch Full Recipe Video:
NOTES:
- Make sure to reserve some starchy pasta water and use this well-salted pasta water in the sauce, as it seasons the sauce and thickens it naturally.
- Finely chop sun-dried tomatoes so every bite has balanced flavor. Also, use them with their oil for maximum flavor and added richness.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/spinach-sun-dried-tomato-pasta/
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