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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.

overhead photo of sun-dried tomato pasta in serving bowl with parmesan on table

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.

One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta | halfbakedharvest.com

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. 

One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta | halfbakedharvest.com

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?  

One Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Whipped Ricotta | halfbakedharvest.com

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! 

pasta in blue bowl with parmesan on table

Looking for other one-pot recipes? Here are my favorites: 

One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese

White Chicken Chili Bake

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

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
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.

Ingredients

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.
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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was definitely a keeper for us–my husband loved it and even my super picky teen son said this was “really good”. I did add a touch more water to the pasta to keep from sticking and also roasted some chicken roasted red pepper/asiago sausages that I sliced up and added in at the end. Goes into our “favorites” file.

    1. Hey Jeanne,
      Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a hit! Have a great weekend😎

  2. 5 stars
    My husband and I really enjoyed this one. I had to add extra water and time for the pasta boiling as well, and I only had dried sun dried tomatoes (not in a jar) so I sautéed with olive oil, but it was still absolutely delicious. Will add this one to our regular pasta rotation. Thank you for the recipe!

    1. Hey Jen,
      Happy Wednesday!!🍊🍋 I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xx

  3. Starting to meal prep for postpartum! Would this recipe freeze well after cooking? If so, do you have any recommendations for reheating?

    1. Hey Ashley,
      Sure, you could freeze and then reheat on the stove top. I would not freeze the ricotta, make that fresh for serving:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT

  4. 5 stars
    Hey made this recipe a bunch of times my favourite pasta so fat easy and impressive when your hosting!
    Would u recomend a sub for ricota as their is no ricota available by us now

    1. Hi Hanah,
      I love to hear that you have been enjoying this dish!! What if you did a whipped feta? You could also do a whipped cream cheese! I hope this helps:) xT

    2. I’ve used a full fat cottage cheese for ricotta in many dishes I think as long as you whip it, it would work the same!

  5. 1 star
    I had to cook my pasta for like 20+ minutes with the lid on so it didn’t stick to my Dutch oven. Nothing about this worked for me flavor wise either. I’ve loved all of the other recipes I’ve made of yours tho!

    1. Hi Courtney,
      Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! So sorry to hear you had some issues! Why was it sticking to the dutch oven? Please let me know how I can help! xT

  6. 5 stars
    Just made and it was SO GOOD. Flavors pack a punch and the lemon ricotta is *chefs kiss”. Will be making again for sure.

    1. Hey Sarah,
      Fantastic!! 🌴🍌 I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you! xT

  7. I am looking for recipes for next weeks menu at our house. This sounds to die for! I just have one question. You don’t have to drain the pasta correct?

    I can’t wait to try this recipe. I received your book for Christmas and then was told about your website, I am OBESSED!

    Tina

    1. Hi Tina,
      Correct, no need to drain the pasta:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it’s delish!! xx

  8. 5 stars
    So so so delicious! This is one of those perfect meals that comes together relatively quickly (also with quick cleanup), tastes amazing, and LOOKS incredible! Definitely a go-to for me when hosting vegetarian guests. THANK YOU!

    1. Hey Rachel,
      Lovely!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well:) xx

  9. 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.

    1. 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

  10. 4 stars
    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!

    1. Hey Chrissie,
      Happy Monday!!💐 Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx

    2. 5 stars
      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!

      1. Hey Sofi,
        Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xx

  11. 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!

    1. Hey Jennifer,
      Wonderful!!😊 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was delish! xT

    1. Hey Jen,
      Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:)

  12. 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!

    1. Hey Amanda,
      Happy Sunday!!💕 Thanks so much for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, so glad it was a hit! xx

  13. 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.

    1. 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:)

  14. 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!

    1. 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