One Pan Pasta with Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes

An easy Creamy One Pan Pasta with Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes recipe with plenty of fresh asparagus, sun dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese! Whether you're looking for a great, family friendly, pasta dish, or a vegetarian dinner idea, this pasta has you covered. This one pot dish is sure to become part of your regular rotation.

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Easy One Pan Pasta with Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This vegetarian one pan pasta is loaded with fresh asparagus and sun dried tomatoes, with a little spice from the crushed red pepper flakes to balance out the creamy, parmesan infused sauce. This tasty meatless pasta checks all the boxes for an easy weeknight meal. This is the perfect fresh spring asparagus pasta recipe to celebrate asparagus season!

No need to fuss around and drain pasta with this one-pot meal! All you need is a heavy large skillet or large deep nonstick pan with a lid! Cooking the pasta in the pot with the stock and milk helps give the finished sauce it's creamy texture (it's like having the pasta water already there!), and the pasta absorbs all the flavor from the sweet sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and herbs!

Simply transfer asparagus (cooked and slightly golden brown) back to the pot at the very end before serving to maintain its great texture!  This is my favorite asparagus recipe to serve guests for dinner! 

Ingredients

To make this quick and easy One Pan Pasta with Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes, you will need:

• Fresh Asparagus, cut on a bias into equal portions. You want to go with the thicker ones at the market. The skinny/stringy ones will not hold up to the cook time and will turn to mush. Snap off the hard tough ends and discard. To remove tough ends, I like to firmly hold the asparagus spear and snap it where it gives on the end. 
• Olive oil for browning the asparagus.
• Butter for building the sauce.
• Jarred, oil-packed sun dried tomatoes. My faves come from Trader Joe's. You'll want to finely dice them so they melt into the sauce (a little chunky is ok).
• Crushed red pepper flakes, dried basil and salt and black pepper.
• 4 sliced cloves of fresh garlic, or more, if you love garlic.
• Some good, drinkable dry white wine, such as Pinto Grigio, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. You could also use extra dry Vermouth.
• Vegetable broth. (you can also use chicken broth).
• Milk. Use whatever milk you've got on hand. My go-to is 2%.
• 1 lb rotini pasta, or other smaller-shaped, short pasta such as penne.
• Heavy cream. You'll stir this in at the end once the pasta is cooked for an ultra creamy sauce.
• Grated parmesan cheese. You'll stir this in, and you can also serve with some additional grated on top!

How to make One Pan Pasta with Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Here's how to make this delicious pasta:

1. In a large cast iron skillet or deep nonstick saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.
   
2. Add the sliced asparagus, and season with salt and pepper.
   
3. Cook, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes, until slightly softened and lightly browned (time will vary depending on thickness). Remove from pan and set aside on. A plate for later).
   Add the butter to the pan and melt.
   
4. Add the sliced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, dried basil and sun dried tomatoes, stir and cook 1 minute, until just fragrant.
   
5. Stir in the white wine to the pan and cook until mostly evaporated 3-5 minutes.
   
6. Add the vegetable stock, milk and dry pasta to the pan and stir to combine. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil.
    
7. Reduce heat to medium-low, Cover the pan with a lid, and cook 12-14 minutes, stirring occasionally (be sure to stir a little bit every once in a while so the milk incorporates well into the sauce) until pasta is cooked through to al dente, and sauce is thickened.
8. Stir in the heavy cream.  
9. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and reserved cooked asparagus. 
10. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer to a large bowl and serve!(see recipe card below for full instructions and ingredients list).

Picking the right asparagus

In this case- bigger asparagus is better. Leave the scrawny and skinny asparagus spears behind at the market and go for thicker and sturdier. The asparagus is the first thing to hit the pan in the recipe, and is removed and stirred in at the end. You'll want a sturdier asparagus to stir in at the end to retain it's great texture and bite.

What kind of Sun dried tomatoes should I use?

Go for the jarred, oil-packed sun dried tomatoes for this recipe. The dried ones will retain a firmer texture and might be chewy in the finished pasta, while the oil packed will melt into the sauce once finely diced. Also- that oil is packed with flavor!

What's the best pasta shape to use for this creamy sun dried tomato pasta?

I love a classic rotini for this recipe, but any short shape pasta will work. Just stay away from pasta with excessively long cooking times. We're looking for a pasta with a box instruction of about a 10-12 minute standard cooking time for al dente.

Great pasta shapes for this recipe

• Rotini. Regular or tri-colored.
• Penne pasta.
• Farfalle (aka bowties).
• Cavatappi or elbows.
• Shell pasta (small to medium).

What to serve with the pasta

You could whip up some super simple garlic bread or a nice salad wihile the pasta cooks for an easy and satisfying meal!

Substitutions and Additions

This One Pan Pasta with Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes is easily adapted to work with your personal preferences, as well as what you have on hand in your refrigerator and pantry. Here are some great swaps and additions you can use to make this recipe your own!

• Swap the sundried tomatoes for a tablespoon of tomato paste, or some finely chopped roasted red peppers. You could also roast your own  bell peppers and use those in place of sun-dried tomatoes! You could also use a cup of halved cherry tomatoes. 
• Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and/or lemon zest at the end for a bright flavor enhancement!
• Stir in some toasted pine nuts!
• Use leftover roasted asparagus!
• Swap the sliced garlic for minced garlic.
• Add some fresh basil for serving!
• Use 2 cups cold water and a bouillon cube in place of the stock or broth. 

More great pasta recipes!

If you love this One Pan Pasta with Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes, you'll love these tasty pasta dishes, too!

• Creamy Pea and Lemon Pasta
• Easy Spicy Spaghetti Arrabbiata
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta
• Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
• Spicy Vodka Pasta

This recipe has been updated with new photographs, clearer instructions, and recipe adjustments based on suggestions from reader comments, eat of cooking, and flavor and texture enhancements.

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