Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta

4.43 from 7 votes

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This Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta is creamy and full of salty, tangy, subtly sweet flavors! It’s made with pantry staple ingredients and can be on the table in 30 minutes!

If you love this pasta recipe then give this grilled shrimp pesto pasta a try!

Thanks to my friends at DeLallo for sponsoring this post. As always all opinions are my own.

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Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta in a stainless steel skillet with a wooden spoon in it.

Why I love this pasta

Pantry ingredients – The bulk of the ingredients used to make this pasta recipe are ones found in your pantry. Aromatics such as shallots and garlic, canned artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, jarred pesto, and pasta are all used to make this flavorful pasta.

Easy weeknight dinner – No one wants to spend hours cooking when they get home from work. 30-40 minutes is about my limit for cooking during the week. This easy pasta recipe can be ready to eat in about 30 minutes!

Salty, savory, umami flavors – This pasta sauce is packed with flavor! The feta adds a rich, tangy, salty flavor. The pesto gives it an herby, cheesy, fresh flavor. The sun dried tomatoes add a sweet umami flavor that balances out the saltiness of the feta. It’s a combination that can’t be beat!

Ingredients for Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta on a sheet pan.

The ingredients

  • DeLallo Cavatappi Pasta – Cavatappi pasta is a springy “corkscrew” shaped pasta with a hole. It’s a great pasta shape to use with hearty sauces and chunky ingredients such as the artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes in this recipe.
  • Shallots – Shallots have a sweeter and milder onion flavor. You can substitute with yellow onion if you prefer.
  • Dried oregano and red pepper flakes – The oregano adds an earthy, slightly bitter, minty note to the sauce and the red pepper gives it a little kick of heat.
  • Garlic – I like to grate the garlic with a microplane zester so that it melts into the sauce and you don’t have any burnt pieces.
  • DeLallo Julienne Cut Sun Dried Tomatoes – You’ll love their chewy texture and bold sweet tomato flavor. Since they are julienne cut you can simply add them in as is or give them a rough chop if you want smaller pieces. The tomatoes are packed in a marinade of Italian extra virgin olive oil and an herb and spice blend. You’ll use some of the oil to sauté the shallots and garlic.
  • DeLallo Basil Pesto – This jarred pesto is my absolute favorite! Made with basil that’s blended with olive oil, crunchy pine nuts, cashews, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. Just a small amount adds a ton of flavor to the pasta sauce.
  • Whole milk – Whole milk gives the sauce a creamy texture and rich flavor. For a richer sauce use an equal amount of half and half or heavy cream.
  • Feta – Use a good quality block feta cheese for this recipe. The texture is creamier and not as dry as pre-crumbled feta which contains anti-caking agents.
  • Fresh basil – Basil adds a fresh, sweet, light anise flavor to the pasta.
Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta in a skillet with a jar of pesto and a bag of pasta behind it.

How to make sun dried tomato feta pasta

Cook the pasta – Cook the DeLallo cavatappi pasta according to package instructions. You want it to be al dente because it will continue to cook in the sauce. Before draining the pasta, ladle or use a glass measuring cup to scoop out about a cup of the pasta water. Set it aside as you’ll be using it for the sauce.

Sauté the vegetables – Take a tablespoon of the oil that the sun dried tomatoes are packed in and add it to a large skillet. I love using this oil because it’s already packed with flavor and a great way to not waste it.

When the oil is hot add in the shallots, garlic, salt, pepper, dried oregano and red pepper flakes. Sauté them for a couple minutes.

Add in pesto, quartered artichoke hearts, and the julienne cut sun dried tomatoes. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes.

Make the sauce – Add about 1/2 a cup of the pasta water and all of the milk to the vegetable mixture. Add in the crumbed feta. Stir everything together and let it heat through.

Add the pasta back into the sauce and stir to coat. If the sauce is looking a little thick or like there isn’t enough, add in additional pasta water and/or additional milk. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh basil just before serving.

Sun dried tomato feta pasta FAQ

Can I add protein to the sun dried tomato pasta?

If you want to add protein to this pasta, try adding in cooked chicken or salmon. For a vegetarian option, try adding in a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans or chickpeas.

What can I use instead of artichokes?

If you don’t like artichokes you could substitute with a few big handfuls of baby spinach or a cup of diced zucchini would be good as well.

How long will it keep?

The pasta will keep for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You may need to add a little water or milk when reheating if the sauce has become too thick.

What can I use instead of feta?

If you don’t like feta you could use an equal amount of goat cheese, shredded parmesan cheese or mozzarella.

Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta in a white bowl with a fork.

More pasta recipes

Did you make this sun dried tomato feta pasta? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.

Wooden spoon scooping up Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta.
4.43 from 7 votes

Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta

By Danae Halliday
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Sun Dried Tomato Feta Pasta is creamy and full of salty, tangy, subtly sweet flavors!
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add in the pasta. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta. 
  • In a large skillet, add a tablespoon of the oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes. Heat it over medium-high heat and then add in the shallots, garlic, dried spices, salt and pepper. Sauté for a couple minutes until the shallots soften. Add in the pesto, quartered artichoke hearts, and sun dried tomatoes and sauté another 1-2 minutes.
  • Pour in the milk and 1/2 a cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir everything together and bring it to a simmer. Stir in the feta and then add the pasta back into the skillet. 
  • Toss the pasta in the sauce until coated. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if needed. If the sauce is too thick or it doesn’t seem like there is enough, add in another 1/4 cup of the pasta water or milk. Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 493kcalCarbohydrates: 85gProtein: 19gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 483mgFiber: 9gSugar: 8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.43 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. Linda Thiel says:

    Excellent taste. I followed all the directions but I also sprinkled a small amount of crumbled feta cheese on top with the fresh basil. WOW! Great meal.

    1. Danae says:

      Thanks for making the pasta Linda! Glad you enjoyed it.