• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Raising on Plants
  • Raising on Plants
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact Us
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Raising on Plants
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact Us
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Raising on Plants
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Penne Pesto Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

    Publish Date Jan 27, 2022 · Updated: Sep 7, 2022 by Yasmin

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    SFVG

    Our Penne Pesto Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes is a light, spring-inspired pasta dish, that's quick and easy to make. It can be enjoyed hot or cold, and is fantastic when finished off with some fresh torn Basil and sprinkled with lightly toasted Pine Nuts.

    An overhead photo of penne pesto pasta in a dark grey bowl, on a white linen tablecloth.
    Penne Pesto Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes, Peas & Spinach.
    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make it
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • Storage
    • Recipe Tip
    • FAQ's
    • Other Meal Ideas
    • Homemade Pesto Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What You'll Need

    Ingredients

    Overhead photo of the pesto penne pasta Ingredients on a white background.
    Pesto Penne Pasta Ingredients.
    • Peas - We used frozen Petit Pois for this recipe. It's a cheap way to buy peas and they're very handy to have in the freezer to toss through pasta dishes such as this one. They only take a few minutes to defrost and cook through due to their tiny size. However, you can use fresh Peas if you prefer. If so, the instructions for the recipe remain the same as if using frozen.
    • Penne Pasta - Pasta comes in a lot of varieties these days. You can get Gluten Free, Wholewheat, Chickpea or Lentil Pasta's depending on your preferences and dietary requirements. We used Gluten Free pasta simply because that was what we had at hand.
    • Pesto - You can use freshly made Pesto, like our Easy Vegan Pesto, or maybe our Wild Garlic Pesto. You can also buy pre-made pestos from your local store. Homemade pesto is a great way to get an abundance of fresh ingredients in to your families diet. Using fresh herbs smells and look amazing, it also tastes incredible too. On top of that they're abundant with antioxidants and vitamins, which are good for you health.
    • Spinach - Spinach is a really easy way to add more iron and minerals to your diet. The iron in spinach is more bio-available when cooked (more readily available for your body to absorb and use). Make sure you always wash spinach before use.
    • Sun-dried Tomatoes - These are a great way to add bursts of flavour to a dish, and can also be used to add richness to recipes. Typically these are found jarred in stores, but you can also buy semi-dried tomatoes from deli counters. The semi-dried are less intense in flavour but just as delicious.

    Equipment

    • Chopping Board
    • Colander
    • Saucepan
    • Sharp Knife
    • Wooden Spoon

    How to Make it

    Side by side photos of steps 1 and 2 of the recipe. Showing the pasta being boiled in a silver saucepan on a gas stovetop.
    Steps 1 & 2.

    Step 1 - Boil some water in a saucepan. Add your Pasta, and cook according to the packet instructions. .

    Step 2 - Once cooked, turn the hob off, and immediately drain your Pasta using a Colander. Then place the drained, cooked Pasta, back in to the saucepan.
    Hint: Reserve a small cup of your Pasta water. You can then use this after adding the Pesto (step 8), to loosen the Pasta if it's getting a little dry during cooking. It also gives your final dish a lovely silky consistency, due to the starch in the water.

    Side by side photos of the peas being added, and stirred in, to the cooked pasta in a silver saucepan.
    Steps 3 & 4.

    Steps 3 & 4 - Pour in your frozen Peas and stir in to your pasta. The residual heat from the pasta will help to defrost and cook the peas.

    Side by side photos of the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes on a grey chopping board, and them being added to the pasta and peas in the saucepan.
    Steps 5 & 6.

    Step 5 - Roughly chop the Spinach. Then chop your Sun-dried Tomatoes in to small pieces (about the size of your fingernail).

    Steps 6 - Add both the Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes to your Pasta and Peas.

    Side by side photos of the pasta and vegetables stirred together, and then with the pesto being added and stirred through.
    Steps 7 & 8.

    Step 7 - Stir through to combine the Pasta, Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato, before adding the Pesto.

    Step 8 - Turn the hob on to a low heat. Spoon in your Pesto, and stir thoroughly until all your Pasta is coated. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of Salt & Pepper if you wish. The total cook time for this step should be roughly 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently to ensure your pasta does not stick to the bottom of your saucepan.
    Hint: If you reserved some of your Pasta water when draining, add a couple of tablespoons to your saucepan and stir well for about 15 seconds prior to serving.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Spinach- Arugula (rocket) would also work well with this Penne Pesto Pasta. However, don't cook it, and instead stir some torn leaves through your pasta just before serving.
    • Peas - Sweetcorn, chopped cherry tomatoes or some steamed chopped asparagus would all work really well with this.

    Storage

    Store any leftover Pasta in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

    This is delicious as a pasta salad, which can be taken to work or school for lunch the following day.

    A side-on photo of pesto Penne pasta in a dark grey bowl, with a silver fork in the bowl on the right hand side, and the jar of fresh pesto in the background.
    Pesto Penne Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes, Peas & Spinach.

    Recipe Tip

    When draining your cooked Pasta, reserve a small cup of the water. You can then use this after adding the Pesto, to loosen the Pasta if it's getting a little dry during cooking. It also gives your final dish a lovely silky consistency, due to the starch in the water.

    Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of the Pasta water to the saucepan about 15 seconds prior to serving, being sure to stir through thoroughly.

    FAQ's

    Can this be made with different vegetables?

    Yes it can. We also make this with green beans or Asparagus sometimes as well. If there is a vegetable that you particularly want to try it with then just go for it.

    Other Meal Ideas

    Here are a few of our other Delicious Recipes you might like to try.

    • A close up of four satay tofu skewers on a white plate, on a white background, garnished with fresh coriander and sesame seeds, and drizzled with peanut sauce.
      Satay Tofu Skewers
    • An overhead image of the Mexican kale salad drizzled with garlic cashew cream in a dark grey bowl.
      Mexican Kale Salad with Avocado and Black Beans
    • Lentil and Mushroom Bolognese
    • Toddler rolling out the pasta dough on a work surface, using a rolling pin.
      2 Ingredient Healthy Homemade Vegan Pasta Dough

    Homemade Pesto Recipes

    Here are a few of our simple Pesto recipes that would go really well in this Pasta dish.

    • Overhead shot of a jar full of wild garlic pesto.
      Vegan Wild Garlic Pesto
    • A swing lid jar filled with pesto, surrounded by walnuts and wild garlic leaves.
      Vegan Wild Garlic Pesto with Walnuts
    • An overhead photo of the Vegan Pesto in a glass jar on a white background
      Easy Vegan Basil Pesto

    Recipe

    A photo looking down from above of a grey bowl filled with penne pesto pasta.

    Penne Pesto Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

    Our Penne Pesto Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes is a light, spring-inspired pasta dish, that's quick and easy to make.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 289kcal

    Equipment

    • Chopping Board
    • Colander
    • Saucepan
    • Sharp Knife
    • Wooden Spoon

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups Penne Pasta of choice
    • ½ cup Pesto homemade or store bought
    • 1 cup Peas fresh or frozen
    • Large handful of washed Spinach
    • 4 large Sun-dried Tomatoes
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Pepper
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Boil some water in a saucepan. Add your Pasta, and cook according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, turn the hob off.
      4 cups Penne Pasta
    • Drain your Pasta using a Colander, then place the drained, cooked Pasta, back in to the saucepan. - See recipe tip in notes
    • Add in your frozen Peas and stir in to your pasta. The residual heat from the pasta will help to defrost and cook the peas.
      1 cup Peas
    • Roughly chop the Spinach. Then chop your Sun-dried Tomatoes in to small pieces (about the size of your fingernail).
      Large handful of washed Spinach, 4 large Sun-dried Tomatoes
    • Add both the Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes to your Pasta and Peas, then stir to combine.
    • Once cooked, turn the hob off: Turn your hob on to a low heat. Spoon in your Pesto, and stir thoroughly until all your Pasta is coated
    • Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of Salt & Pepper if you wish.
      ¼ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Pepper
    • Cook for roughly 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure your pasta does not stick to the bottom of your saucepan. - refer to recipe tip if using some of the retained pasta water

    Notes

    Recipe Tip
    When draining your cooked Pasta, reserve a small cup of the water. You can then use this after adding the Pesto, to loosen the Pasta if it's getting a little dry during cooking. It also gives your final dish a lovely silky consistency, due to the starch in the water.
    Simply add in a 2-3 tablespoons of the Pasta water to the saucepan about 15 seconds prior to serving, being sure to stir through thoroughly.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 920IU | Vitamin B1: 1mg | Vitamin B2: 1mg | Vitamin B3: 1mg | Vitamin B5: 1mg | Vitamin B6: 1mg | Vitamin C: 15mg | Vitamin E: 1mg | Vitamin K: 10µg | Calcium: 67mg | Copper: 1mg | Folate: 31µg | Iron: 2mg | Manganese: 1mg | Magnesium: 31mg | Phosphorus: 96mg | Selenium: 23µg | Zinc: 1mg

    More Pasta

    • Over head photograph of a plate of curry pasta, Sprinkled with vegan parmesan.
      Simple Curry Pasta

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. sarah

      February 10, 2022 at 6:50 pm

      5 stars
      A really easy and tasty pasta dish. Simple recipe to follow.

      Reply
      • Yasmin

        April 04, 2022 at 3:34 pm

        Thank you for the feedback Sarah. If you make it again, then try making it with our Easy Vegan Pesto, we're sure you will enjoy it even more.

        Reply

    Let us know what you think Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Browse a Category

    • Cakes and Muffins
    • Cookies
    • Brownies
    • Breakfast

    Welcome to my blog Raising on Plants!
    I'm Mummy to 3
    under 5... so I'm a little busy.
    If you’re a fan of cooking, baking and eating some healthy-ish food – you came to the right place.
    Here you will find delicious, plant focused, vegan & vegetarian recipes to help you nourish your family.

    Learn more about me

    Yasmin and her son walking down the street, handing hand.

    Healthy Dessert Recipes

    • Six chocolate coated banana lollies topped with sprinkles and flaked almonds.
      Frozen Banana Lollies - Easy, Healthy & Vegan

    • A pile of vegan date brownies.
      The best fudgy vegan date brownies - Gluten free

    • A stack of gluten free pancakes, drizzled with cashew cream, maple syrup and topped with sliced nectarine, fresh blueberries and chopped walnuts.
      Easy, Fluffy, Banana Pancakes

    • An overhead view of the whole batch of bars, on white parchment paper.
      Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • About Me
    • Subscribe
    • Search by Ingredient
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Policy

    Copyright © 2020 Raising on Plants

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT