Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti with Olives

 A super easy creamy sun-dried tomato spaghetti with olives that's quick to make and tastes amazing. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti with Olives

Pasta is always such a quick and satisfying dinner and I love adding Mediterranean flavours.

My latest pasta recipe is this comforting creamy sun-dried tomato spaghetti with olives.

It's lush.

You must try it.

It tastes so good!

Why is it so good?

Haven't hooked you yet? Here are the reasons you should make this dish.

• Easy to make
• Quick - the sauce cooks at the same time as the pasta
• A budget meal - costs less than £5 and serves 4-6)
• Comforting - like a hug in a bowl
• Filling 

What you need to make creamy sun-dried tomato spaghetti with olives

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this easy creamy pasta.

• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Red onion 
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Black olives
• Dried oregano
• Chilli flakes
• Cream - I used plant elmlea
• Salt & Pepper
• Spaghetti

Swap to whole wheat spaghetti

We all know it's healthier to swap to brown rice, brown bread and brown pasta, but have you made the swap yet?

Benefits of swapping to whole wheat pasta

• Higher in fibre
• Lower in calories
• Lower in carbs
• More nutrients

Spaghetti is the easiest to swap first. 

The difference in flavour and texture is much less noticeable and after serving it a few times, you won't notice the difference.

Try a different type of pasta

Change up this spaghetti with sundried tomatoes by using a different pasta for this dish each time you make it.

Here are a few different pasta shapes that would work well with this.

• Tagliatelle
• Linguine
• Fettucine
• Parpadelle
• Farfalle
• Strozzapreti

Pasta cooking tips

Whichever pasta shape you decide to use, how good it will be will depend on how well you cook it.

Here are my tips for the best pasta.

1. Always use a big pot - Pasta needs room to cook.
2. Fill that pot - Pasta also needs lots of water.
3. Make sure the water is boiling rapidly -  Before adding the pasta.
4. Salt the water - The pasta will taste better
5. Never add oil - The pasta won't stick if you use a large pot full of rapidly boiling water. Oil will leave your pasta oily and the sauce won't stick.
6. Give it a good stir - When you add the pasta and stir it a few more times as it cooks. 
7. Reserve some of the cooking water - Before you drain the pasta, to add to the sauce to make it silky.
8. Drain well - Allow the pasta to steam dry in the colander for a couple of minutes before adding to the sauce.
9. Mix the sauce into the pasta - Before serving, don't just spoon it on top of the pasta. You want it to cling to the pasta.
10. Serve right away - While it is hot.

Chunky or smooth sauce?

This creamy sauce is full of generous pieces of sundried tomatoes, olives and soft onions.

We love it this way, but do you prefer a smooth sauce or do you have a picky eater who is more likely to eat a smooth sauce?

No problem, just blend the sun-dried tomato mixture with the cream until smooth.

Then, pour it back into the pot it was cooked in to warm through and add a generous splash of pasta water, which will make the sauce silky.

Don't like olives?

Don't like olives? Don't despair.

Either blend the creamy sun-dried tomato pasta sauce smooth, so the olive flavour blends with the other flavours.

Or, you could skip the olives and add some capers or mushrooms to add that savoury flavour back in.

Don't get oily when chopping sundried tomatoes

Use my simple tip so you don't end up with a chopping board and hands covered in oil.

It's such a simple tip but it prevents so much mess.

Just use clean scissors to chop the sun-dried tomatoes in the jar.

If you aren't using the whole jar, spoon them into a bowl, then chop with scissors.

Can I use dried sun-dried tomatoes?

Dried tomatoes can be used for this dish too.

Dehydrate them in hot water for 15- 20 minutes or cover with water in a bowl and microwave for a couple of minutes.

Once plump, dry them with kitchen paper, chop and mix in a bowl with a little olive oil.

Use like jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil.

Sun-dried Tomato FAQs

Are sun-dried tomatoes healthy?

Sun-dried tomatoes are a healthy option as they are a good source of lycopene, which is a beneficial antioxidant. 

They are also full of vitamin C and a good source of fibre. 

Just 100g of sun-dried tomatoes give you 40% of your daily recommended intake of fibre.

Are sun-dried tomatoes dried in the sun?

Sun-dried tomatoes were originally from the south of Italy, where they would have been dried in the sun. 

Sadly these days, many are dried in dehydrators or ovens in factories.

How long does a jar of sundried tomatoes keep once opened?

Once opened, they can last for a week or two. 

Just make sure the tomatoes are covered in oil. If not, you can top up the oil, but no fingers inside the jar, as that will add bacteria. Clean spoons only, please!

Variations

Here are a few ways you can tweak spaghetti with sundried tomatoes for very different results.

• Smooth sauce - blend the sauce until smooth.
• Spinach - add a handful of fresh spinach to the sauce as it cooks, it will wilt as it warms through.
• Fresh cherry tomatoes -  add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes to the sauce for that fresh pop of flavour.
• Homemade parmesan - try topping it with this easy vegan parmesan with garlic and herbs.
• Roast pepper - add a finely chopped roast pepper to the sauce.
• Vitamin B12 - add nutritional yeast to the sauce to add a boost of B12.

For another quick pasta try this pea pesto pasta.

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More vegan recipes with sundried tomatoes or black olives

Here are a few more recipes with sun-dried tomatoes or black olives for you to try.

Sun-dried tomato recipes

1. Beet Salad Lunch Wrap
2. Best Summer Pasta Salad
3. Four Tomato & Red Pepper Soup
4. Mediterranean Couscous
5. Roast Pepper & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Black olive recipes

1. Black Olive Couscous Wraps
2. Black Olive & Tomato Toasties
3. Chickpea Farinata with Rosemary & Black Olives
4. Easy Black Olive Tapenade
5. No Knead Black Olive Beer Bread

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How to make a spaghetti with sundried tomatoes and olives

Scroll down for step-by-step photos followed by a full printable recipe. If you don't have a printer, hit print then save as a PDF.

Step 1 - Sauce base

• Add pasta to boiling salted water.
• While it cooks, make the sauce. 
• Saute the onion and garlic until soft.
• Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives and herbs.

Step 2 - Adding cream

• Season well and cook for a few minutes.
• Add the cream and some fresh herbs and mix well.
• Warm through.

Step 3 - The pasta

• Once the pasta is cooked, reserve some of the cooking water in a glass or bowl. Add some to the sauce to make it silky.
• Drain the pasta and add to the sauce.
• Mix well until the pasta is well coated.
• Serve topped with fresh herbs (optional).

creamy pasta, pasta, spaghetti, vegetarian pasta, vegan pasta, creamy spaghetti, sundried tomatoes, black olives

dinner

Italian, vegan, vegetarian

Yield: 4-6

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti with Olives

A super easy creamy sun-dried tomato spaghetti with olives that's quick to make and tastes amazing. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 17 Min

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 145g (5 oz) sundried tomatoes (285g/10 oz jar, drained), chopped
• 70g (2 1/2 oz or 1/3 cup approx) pitted black olives, chopped
• 3 tablespoons pasta water (reserve near the end of the pasta cook time)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 250 ml (1 cup) cream (I used Elmlea Plant)
• 1 pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 400g (14 oz) spaghetti

Instructions

1. Add the pasta to a large pot of rapidly boiling, salted water and stir.
2. In a large pan, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
3. Add the sundried tomatoes, olives and herbs, then cook gently for a few minutes to develop the flavours.
4. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook gently for a few minutes, then add a splosh of the pasta water and mix in. Leave on low to keep warm while the pasta cooks.
6. Drain the pasta and leave in the colander for a couple of minutes to steam dry, then pour into the sauce and mix well to coat the pasta.
7. Serve topped with some torn or chopped fresh basil.
8. Enjoy!

Notes

• You can use another pasta shape
• If you prefer a smoother sauce, blend it once it is cooked
• Adding spinach and cherry tomatoes is a good tweak
• Serve while warm.
• The sauce can be made ahead, kept in the fridge for 2-3 days, then warmed through before adding to the pasta

Calories

4 portions = 628 calories per serving

5 portions = 503 calories per serving

6 portions = 419 calories per serving

Nutrition Facts

Calories

628.81

Fat (grams)

18.67

Sat. Fat (grams)

7.42

Carbs (grams)

100.05

Fiber (grams)

9.05

Net carbs

91.01

Sugar (grams)

17.65

Protein (grams)

19.51

Sodium (milligrams)

344.49

Cholesterol (grams)

35.19

This information is approximated using a nutrition and calorie calculator.

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