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    Home » Dinner Recipes

    Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

    Published: Dec 5, 2020 · Modified: Feb 5, 2022 by Kim Beaulieu · This post may contain affiliate links

    10.4K shares
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    This Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto is quick and easy to make and sure to be a hit with family and friends!

    Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto served on a silver platter.

    Honestly, I love pasta. I mean absolutely, positively, completely love it.

    I know they say home is where the heart is. Quite frankly I think they should change that saying to "home is where the carbs are". At least for me.

    For me, there's nothing better for a gathering of friends and family than putting a family style dish of pasta on the table. Everyone can dig right in and help themselves. It's a great way to serve pasta, a little less formal and stuffy than some alternatives.

    We piled the pasta on an old silver platter and we just dug right into it. That's the way Italian food should be served if you ask me.

    Just to clarify, I use my food processor for making this pesto. What I like about using the food processor, as opposed to other techniques, is that it's easy to adjust the oil as you go.

    It's also a fast way to make pesto, not a lot of monkeying around when you use a food processor.

    When you combine the pesto with the cooked noodles remember that tossing is your best friend. You want to toss, then toss again, and toss some more.

    Then, when you think you're about done with the tossing, give it another toss just to be sure. This will ensure the noodles are evenly coated with pesto, or sauce if you happen to be using sauce instead.

    So toss, toss, then toss some more, toss again till you can't toss any more.  Then you're good to serve this up on platter.

    Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto served on a silver platter.

    Ingredient Notes:

    • Pasta - Use dried penne or mini penne noodles.
    • Sun Dried Tomatoes - These are bought in jars and are packed in oil.
    • Garlic - Use fresh garlic if possible.
    • Spices - I used salt, white pepper, and sweet basil for this pasta. You can add oregano as well.
    • Cheese - Use good quality parmesan cheese.
    • Nuts - I used walnuts for the pesto.
    • Oil - Olive oil helps give the pesto an amazing texture.

    How to Make Penne Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto:

    1. First, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt to the water.
    2. Then, add the dried pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package recommends.
    3. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for later.
    4. Meanwhile, add the sun-dried tomatoes, oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt, white pepper, basil, half of the parmesan cheese, and walnuts to the food processor. Pulse till smooth. If it's too thick add more oil.
    5. Transfer the pesto to the skillet or non-stick pan and cook over medium heat. Add the cooked noodles. Toss or use a tongs to keep the pasta moving as it heats up.
    6. Next, add about half the pasta water to the skillet or non-stick pan and allow to cook until everything comes together. You can add the rest of the pasta water if you want to change the consistency of the pasta.
    7. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl or tray.
    8. Grate more parmesan over top of the pasta.
    9. Serve!

    Sun Dried Tomato Pesto in a blue bowl on a wood board.

    More Dinner Recipes:

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    • Easy Cheesy Pasta Bake with Sausage and Peppers
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    • 30 Minutes Chicken Vegetable Skillet Pasta
    • One Pot Pasta with Sausage, Peppers and Apples
    • Easy Chili Cornbread Casserole

    Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto served in a white bowl.

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    Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto served on a silver platter.
    Print Pin
    4.91 from 10 votes

    Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

    This Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto is quick and easy to make and sure to be a hit with family and friends!
    Course Dinner, Pasta
    Cuisine American
    Keyword penne, penne pasta with sun dried tomato pesto, sun dried tomato pesto
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 448kcal

    Equipment

    • 4-Quart Saucepan
    • 10 inch Le Creuset Skillet

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb penne pasta
    • 10 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 1 pinch white pepper
    • 2 tsp dried sweet basil you can use fresh
    • ½ cup parmesan cheese divided
    • ¼ cup walnuts
    • ¼ olive oil more or less depending how thick or thin you like your pesto
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Fill a large pot with water and place over medium-high heat on the stove. Bring the water to a boil. Add salt generously. Add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water in case you want to add it to the dish later. Set that aside.
    • While the pasta noodles are cooking you can toss your sun-dried tomatoes, the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, the garlic, salt, white pepper, sweet basil, half of the parmesan cheese, and walnuts in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. If the mixture is still too thick add a touch of olive oil to start and pulse while adding the oil until you get the desired consistency you like. It's always best to start with a little, you can always add more but you can't take away. So go easy initially and add oil to taste if needed.
    • Transfer pesto to a large skillet or non-stick pan and heat on medium heat just before adding the cooked noodles. Then use a slotted spoon to lift out the noodles and transfer them to the large skillet or non-stick pan. Do not rinse the noodles.
    • Toss the pasta together in the skillet or non-stick pan. Start by adding about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water and then toss the pasta again. If you need more pasta water to thicken the pasta you can add until you get the desired thickness you like. I added almost all of it to mine to thicken it.
    • Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl or tray.
    • Grate freshly grated parmesan over top.
    • Serve with a big old pasta loving smile!

    Notes

    Originally posted on June 10, 2014.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 271mg | Potassium: 943mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 673IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 2mg

    Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto served on a silver platter.

    Thanks for visiting today!

    If you’re looking for more dinner recipes be sure to check out my recipe index. You can also find a lot more pasta recipes as well.

    Be sure to follow me on Pinterest while you’re here. I love pinning great recipes! Also, make sure you follow me on Instagram. It’s a great way to stay up to date with the blog.

    Toodles! xx

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    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ramona

      June 10, 2014 at 7:05 am

      I love pasta too... I just wished it loved me back. 🙂 I adore this pesto... I have my low carb "pasta".... so I definitely can try it on that. 🙂 Of course, my family still eats real pasta... so they will drool over this dish. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 11, 2014 at 10:33 pm

        Ha, thanks Ramona. I have tried low carb pasta, there's a company that makes a low GI one I quite like. Hard to get in Canada though. I'm a fan of any kind of pasta. My body just craves it all the time.

        Reply
    2. Aurora Importing

      June 10, 2014 at 10:18 am

      We knew you were going to do magic with the oil and the sundried tomatoes, but... WOW, KIM! This is awesome! Love the quick pesto in the food processor and how careful you are saving the pasta water to add it later, that's one of my favourite Nonna tricks 😉

      Also, we love your blog and we want to thank you for letting us be part of your BlogHer Conference experience. We really enjoy working with you! We hope your readers enjoy the 10% discount at the store.

      Cheers!

      ~Andrés

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 11, 2014 at 10:40 pm

        Thanks so much Andrés. I've been having a ball with all the products. I'm in love with oil, as always. I won't let anyone else touch it. It's off limits.

        Thanks again for sending me to the conference. I had a great time. Being in such a non-foodie area I fully enjoy getting to places that are so foodie friendly.

        I got your email, been tied up with the hooligan. Se had a reaction the antibiotics. She's fine but the last 24 hours have been interesting. I'll send you a quick update tonight before I hit the hay.

        Love working with you and looking forward to seeing what you think of the pizza that is up next.

        Reply
    3. John@Kitchen Riffs

      June 10, 2014 at 12:46 pm

      Sorry to hear you were so sick! I was wondering where you were. Anyway, I'm a huge carb lover too. I could live on pasta! Your penne looks great -- thanks.

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 10, 2014 at 5:00 pm

        Thanks John. We've had a wild month. I caught the worst bug in Miami, as did my room-mate, Aly of Cooking in Stilettos. I could barely walk, haven't been that sick since I had scarlet fever as a kid. So glad it's almost over, just a lingering sore throat. Then we jumped through hoops and had to throw a fit over K's teeth. Her surgeon kept rescheduling her. We finally complained to our old dentist and they called to raise hell on Friday. They had her booked with another surgeon for Monday, was seriously impressive. She's so happy to have it over with. She's a tough little hooligan, she hasn't napped or nodded off since surgery. Never seen someone bounce back so fast. I keep calling her a mutant. Ha.

        Reply
    4. Kate from Scratch

      June 10, 2014 at 1:28 pm

      I am a carb lover as well. I love the flavor of this pesto; robust and perfect for the season.

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 11, 2014 at 11:01 pm

        Thanks so much Kate. Hope you're doing well.

        Reply
    5. Sarah Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella)

      June 10, 2014 at 3:04 pm

      I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE sundried tomato pesto. This looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 11, 2014 at 11:03 pm

        Me too. Thanks so much Sarah.

        Reply
    6. Marjory @ Dinner-Mom

      June 10, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      Proud carb lover here! This looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 11, 2014 at 11:09 pm

        Me too. I love me some carbs. Thanks for visiting.

        Reply
    7. Stephanie @ Back For Seconds

      June 10, 2014 at 5:06 pm

      SO sorry you've been sick!!
      This pasta looks perfect! I think I just found dinner 🙂

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 11, 2014 at 11:27 pm

        Thanks Stephanie. I'm so glad to be better. I've not been that ill since I was a kid. It was horrible.

        Thanks. I love this pasta. We're huge pasta and pizza eaters here.

        Reply
    8. Paula - bell'alimento

      June 10, 2014 at 5:26 pm

      I'm just going to go ahead and tip that bowl right into my mouth.

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 12, 2014 at 1:58 am

        Ha, I can't blame you Paula.

        Reply
    9. Becca from ItsYummi!

      June 10, 2014 at 5:42 pm

      I've never tried sun dried tomato pesto, but DANG, this looks awesome!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 12, 2014 at 2:07 am

        Thanks Becca. You totally have to try it. It's fabulous stuff.

        Reply
    10. The Food Hunter

      June 10, 2014 at 5:54 pm

      this looks fabulous!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 12, 2014 at 2:13 am

        Thanks so much.

        Reply
    11. Amanda ( The Kitcheneer)

      June 10, 2014 at 5:56 pm

      LOVE sun dried tomato! And I am a pasta lover as well! Looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 12, 2014 at 2:13 am

        They sure are tasty, I love keeping jars on hand. Carb lovers unite. Thanks Amanda.

        Reply
    12. Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom

      June 10, 2014 at 6:08 pm

      I love sun dried tomatoes and this sounds amazing!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 12, 2014 at 2:14 am

        They are so darn good, we use them a lot. Thanks so much for the compliment.

        Reply
    13. Alice // Hip Foodie Mom

      June 10, 2014 at 6:11 pm

      gorgeous, gorgeous pasta!!! and I'm so happy I got to meet you at BlogHer!!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 20, 2014 at 5:12 am

        Thanks so much Alice.

        Me too. You are not making it to F&W if I recall properly. How about IFBC?

        Reply
    14. Julie

      June 10, 2014 at 7:29 pm

      I'm so sad that my body doesn't like carbs lately, because this looks fabulous. I especially think the pesto sounds awesome!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 20, 2014 at 5:13 am

        That's such a bummer. I am endlessly paranoid about that happening to me. I eat so many, it would be such an adjustment if I had to stop eating them. The pesto is amazing on sandwiches.

        Reply
    15. valmg @ From Val's Kitchen

      June 10, 2014 at 7:36 pm

      That dish sounds and looks amazing! I wish I could try that right now!

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 20, 2014 at 5:14 am

        Thanks so much. I wish I could send you some.

        Reply
    16. Carol at Wild Goose Tea

      June 10, 2014 at 7:40 pm

      Oh my goodness I am sooooo sorry to hear you were that sick. That happened to me over 20 yrs ago. I realized what the REAL flu is all about. So glad you are on the mend. I wondered why you had been so 'quiet' lately. Yes, the way to make pesto is with a food processor, just for the reason you are mentioning----the critical part of adding the right amount of oil.

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 20, 2014 at 5:17 am

        Thanks. I haven't been that sick since I had scarlet fever as a kid. I could barely stand for about 10 days, it was awful. And I was trying to keep all the germs away from the hooligan so she didn't get sick before her surgery. Was a wild few weeks. Glad it's over now. I don't think I cooked for over 3 weeks, maybe even a month. Crazy.

        It's so true, I stand there with the bottle eye balling the pesto. It's like a science experiment every time. So much fun.

        Reply
    17. Kayle (The Cooking Actress)

      June 10, 2014 at 7:55 pm

      SO. GOOD!!!

      Carbs + tomato pesto=deeeeeeeliciousnessssss

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 20, 2014 at 5:18 am

        Ha, thanks Kayle. How did the move go? Are you all settled and loving the new digs?

        Reply
        • Kayle (The Cooking Actress)

          June 20, 2014 at 2:27 pm

          It was insane and stressful! Lol but it ended up ok and we are super happy now 🙂 Mostly settled (although the office is still a mess of still packed up awfulness lol)

          Reply
    18. Lauren Kelly Nutrition

      June 10, 2014 at 9:14 pm

      Yum, this looks incredible! I love all types of pesto and sun dried tomato is my favorite!! I need to make this soon. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kim Beaulieu

        June 20, 2014 at 5:19 am

        Thanks Lauren. I love it too. Something about it is so rustic and perfect for pasta.

        Reply
    19. Nancy @ gottagetbaked

      June 11, 2014 at 12:26 am

      I could eat pasta day 'n night. I'm a carboholic through and through. Your penne looks fantastic, Kim! I hope you're all recovered from Miami and it's good to hear that your daughter's wisdom teeth surgery went well. I can still remember how awful it was when I got mine removed. The recovery sucked! As for the electric smoker, my eyes bug out of my head in delight and hunger every time I see photos of that smoker and all the fabulous meats you're cooking.

      Reply
    20. Liz

      June 11, 2014 at 9:58 am

      Glad you're back. A nice recipe, Kim. Thank you and take good care of yourself.

      Reply
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