Penne Pesto Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

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

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings:

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

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