Creamy Sundried Tomato Fettuccine

This creamy sundried tomato fettuccine is going to be your new favorite comfort pasta dish!

I know Cheesecake Factory is so generic, but their drink specials and the appetizers they have during happy hour are pretty sweet.

I haven’t been in ages but the last time I went, we got some drinks, some apps, and of course, we had to get some carbs.

My FAVORITE pasta in all the land is their sundried tomato and chicken fettuccine.

Of course it’s loaded with cream and a whole ‘lotta bad, but I can’t ever resist it.

It’s a huge guilty pleasure. I feel slightly better about the whole situation because I can’t ever eat the entire thing so really, it isn’t that bad, right?

I wanted to recreate it at home and lighten it up a bit. This pasta is SO creamy and scrumptious. Jason and I were shoveling it in our mouths. Very attractive. You won’t miss the boatload of cream and best of all, you won’t be feeling too guilty.

Sundried tomatoes packed in oil or dried?

I have used both but to keep it on the “lighter” side, I recommend using dried.

The dried sundried tomatoes end up soaking up the liquid anyway and get reconstituted.

Certainly, you can use the ones packed in olive oil but be sure to drain it off well!

Why sour cream in this? Why can’t I omit it?

You must NOT omit the sour cream in this recipe.

I have already done the testing and failed with just Greek yogurt in the sauce.

Since the Greek yogurt contains zero (or low) fat, it will curdle as soon as you add it to the hot mixture (since we aren’t taking the time to temper it).

To ensure that it doesn’t curdle, you must mix the sour cream with the Greek yogurt.

Sour cream contains fat and this fat will prevent the Greek yogurt from curdling and separating.

If you have experience cooking with Greek yogurt and are comfortable with omitting the sour cream and replacing it with all Greek yogurt, by all means, go for it.

However, I cannot promise you success as I have done this twice and my sauce has separated. The only success I got was when I mixed my Greek yogurt with sour cream.

This was so acidic, any ideas?

Some people say this but I actually didn’t have this experience.

I would say add more granulated sugar if you are getting this result.

What protein can I add to this?

Shrimp or chicken would be a great addition!

Can this be reheated?

Yes, absolutely! I would suggest you use a bit of water to thin it out because after being in the fridge, this does stick together!

Can I use any type of pasta for this?

Yep, I love fettuccine but people have used penne and rigatoni too!

What can you serve on the side with this pasta dish?

Since this is carb-heavy as it is, I would suggest roasted vegetables!

Other pasta dishes that you might enjoy:

• Lightened up chicken and broccoli alfredo
• Brown butter sweet potato alfredo
• Fried garlic and red pepper pasta
• Spicy sausage pasta

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Creamy Sundried Tomato Fettuccine

A lightened up version of the Cheesecake Factory's Creamy Sundried Tomato Fettuccine pasta dish! 

4 from 9 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Julie Chiou

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ ¾ pound (340 g) dried fettuccine
• ▢ 1 cup (237 ml) reserved pasta water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ ½ cup (55 g) sundried tomato halves, sliced
• ▢ 14.5 ounce (440 g) can of petite diced tomatoes, drained
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup (100 g) plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• ▢ ¼ cup (58 g) light sour cream
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (45 g) baby spinach
• ▢ Salt & pepper, to taste
• ▢ Crushed red pepper flakes, optional

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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Instructions

• In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil, add 1 tbsp. of olive oil then add your fettuccine. Cook according to direction on the box then drain (reserving 1 cup of the pasta water) and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the plain Greek yogurt and light sour cream, mix together with a spoon and set aside.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, add the remaining 3 tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is heated up, add garlic and sundried tomato halves. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to medium low and gently add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and granulated sugar. Stir until well-incorporated.
• Swiftly whisk in the Greek yogurt and sour cream mixture. You'll want to slowly add it in but whisk fast to get it all incorporated well. After all of it has been added and combined, bring the heat up to medium high and let it simmer and thicken for about 5-7 minutes.
• Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste, then add in the baby spinach. Once the spinach has wilted, you may add in the cooked pasta and turn off the heat.
• Toss to coat the pasta. If the mixture seems too thick, this is where you can slowly add the reserved pasta water (DO NOT add the full cup all at once, pour slowly and stir and see if you need more).
• You may top with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
• Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

You must NOT omit the sour cream in this recipe. I have already done the testing and failed with just Greek yogurt in the sauce. Since the Greek yogurt contains zero (or low) fat, it will curdle as soon as you add it to the hot mixture (since we aren't taking the time to temper it). To ensure that it doesn't curdle, you must mix the sour cream with the Greek yogurt. Sour cream contains fat and this fat will prevent the Greek yogurt from curdling and separating. If you have experience cooking with Greek yogurt and are comfortable with omitting the sour cream and replacing it with all Greek yogurt, by all means, go for it. However, I cannot promise you success as I have done this twice and my sauce has separated. The only success I got was when I mixed my Greek yogurt with sour cream.

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 540 kcal | Carbohydrates: 81 g | Protein: 16 g | Fat: 15 g | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 16 g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy pasta recipe