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This simple One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta is the perfect pasta dinner. Super quick, easy, and so delicious! Sun-dried tomatoes are cooked in oil with Spanish paprika and chili flakes then tossed together with hot penne pasta, plenty of parmesan, and fresh herbs. When the hot pasta is tossed with the creamy whipped ricotta cheese it melts into the most delicious sauce. It’s so delicious, and one of those all-in-one dinners that everyone at the table will love.
Truth is, I’ve been having a hard time with recipes the last few days. I’m so excited when I start out cooking, but by the end of the day, nothing seems to be working out just right. These days happen from time to time, so it’s totally OK, just frustrating. Fortunately, they help me appreciate the great days I have when testing new recipes.
The day I made this pasta was a great day. My first attempt the previous day needed some adjustments. But with a few tweaks, I ended up being so excited to share this recipe!
This pasta is magical. Ok, that’s slightly dramatic, but it’s one of those easy as can be dinners that’s actually so delicious and flavorful.
The details
Seeing as this is a one-pot recipe, it’s pretty straightforward. But there are a few special things I want to point out!
Start with the sun-dried tomatoes. I love using a jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Not only are the tomatoes delicious, but I also like to use the oil from the jar in this dish. The oil is always seasoned, so it adds even more flavor. Just make sure it’s extra virgin olive oil.
You’ll want to drain the oil into a large pan, then finely chop the tomatoes.
To the oil, add in some shallots and garlic, then toss in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Now, this next step is key. Cook the tomatoes in the oil until they begin crisping and almost become fried. This will really help to intensify the flavors in the sauce.
After this step, the rest really is simple, simple. Pour in the water, add the pasta, and let the pasta cook. Just make sure to stir the pasta often to avoid any of it sticking to the pan.
Whip the ricotta
While the pasta cooks, I like to whip the ricotta cheese. Just add the ricotta and some lemon to a food processor or blender and puree until it’s super creamy.
Season with salt and that’s that. It’s the easiest, but it makes for the best pasta. And yes, this does technically count as one more thing to wash. But everything else can all be made fully in one pot, so, close enough, right?
Finish the pasta
When the pasta is al dente, stir in all the parmesan and a pat of butter. Stir until super creamy, then remove from the heat.
Then add in all the fresh herbs…immediately the smell of fresh herbs will fill the air.
Swirl the whipped ricotta into either a large serving bowl or individual bowls. Add the hot pasta (it has to be hot), and gently toss with the ricotta.
The heat from the pasta melts the ricotta turning it into the creamiest, most delicious sauce. It makes the pasta SO GOOD.
And all of this deliciousness will happen in under 30 minutes!
Excited to have this recipe in my deck of recipes. It’s pretty perfect any time of the year and everyone really loves it. You could even add chicken for any of your meat-eaters too!
I also like to serve this with arugula or a big green salad. Keep it light and fresh for springtime!
Looking for other one-pot recipes? Here are my favorites:
One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 412 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Ingredients
- 1 jar (8 ounce) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 small shallots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon spanish or smoked paprika
- red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- 1. Drain the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar into a large pot or skillet with sides. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes.2. Set the pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, paprika, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes turn deep red and are crisping, 3-5 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 8 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, whip the ricotta and lemon in a food processor until creamy. Season with salt. 4. To the pasta, stir in in the parmesan and butter until very creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil, parsley, and dill. 3. Swirl the ricotta into a large pasta bowl or individual bowls. Add the hot pasta and lightly toss with the ricotta. Top each bowl with additional herbs and parmesan.
Delicious recipe! I also added an extra cup of water half way thru cooking, covered skillet and let simmer till al dente. Substituted ricotta (didn’t have any) with fat free cottage cheese whipped with Parmesan and lemon. Will definitely make again.
Hey Mary Jo,
Fantastic!!🌻 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Really delicious flavors. I needed to add more water and a few extra minutes to cook the pasta. Loved by the whole family even kiddos!
Hey Chrissie,
Happy Monday!!💐 Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
This was delicious! I had a bit of a panic in the middle because I did not like the taste of the ricotta mixture on its own, but holy cow when everything was combined it was delicious! The tangy acid of the ricotta combined perfectly with the warmth and richness of the tomatoes. The fresh herbs kept everything light enough to be a good chilly spring dinner. I’ll definitely be making this again!
Hey Sofi,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xx
Loved this recipe!
I cooked sweet Italian sausage first and removed from pan. I also added about a cup of white wine and cooked down before adding the water and pasta!
Hey Jennifer,
Wonderful!!😊 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was delish! xT
I actually found that 5 1/2 cups of water worked well. 3 1/2 was not enough! Besides that, perfection!!!
Hey Jen,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:)
Loved this recipe! We made a few adjustments to suit our preferences. Cooked & added some simple chicken thighs at the end for some extra protein and did a 1:1 split of water and bone broth to cook the pasta. Otherwise followed the recipe as written and we enjoyed it very much. Sharing the recipe with family and friends!
Hey Amanda,
Happy Sunday!!💕 Thanks so much for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, so glad it was a hit! xx
I made this tonight and it was delicious. The water didn’t seem like it would be enough, so I did add a splash more. Then about half way through cooking I turned the burner to simmer, covered it, and stirred every couple of minutes until the water was mostly absorbed and the noodles cooked al dente. The lemony ricotta was everything. Perfect Saturday night comfort food after a long week.
Hey Stephanie,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend:)
Getting ready to make this recipe for a party this weekend and I was curious how far in advance I could make it and would it stand up in a chafing dish for a couple of hours? Thank you!
Hey Jessica,
Honestly this really isn’t a bake ahead dish:) You could make and keep warm for an hour or two but I wouldn’t recommend anything longer than that. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx