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    Home » Recipes » Main dishes

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    The Best Creamy Tuscan Pasta

    Jump to Recipe

    This creamy Tuscan pasta comes together easily and is packed with flavor that is sure to be enjoyed by the whole family!

    Creamy Tuscan pasta served in one, white speckled bowl.

    This dish would a make a great meal prep option for weeknight dinners since it yields 12 servings. This would also be great to serve when having guests over.

    I know I mainly share sweets and desserts on here but we are BIG pasta fans in my house. When I whipped this up over the weekend, I couldn't resist sharing this delicious creamy Tuscan pasta recipe with you!

    There is an unsuspecting ingredient in this recipe...sardines. Don't let that deter you from making this. I know sardines can be a love/hate thing for a lot of people. The amount that is present is not overwhelming and adds just enough of that umami flavor! If sardines still isn't your thing, I've included some substitutions down below that you can try.

    Ingredients

    Below, you will find the ingredients needed for this tasty dish!

    • Sour cream
    • Heavy cream
    • Pasta of choice (I used rigatoni)
    • Spinach
    • Garlic cloves
    • Sardines
    • Grated parmesan
    • Italian seasoning
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    • Red chili flakes
    • Sun-dried tomatoes

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Substitutions

    Below are a few substitutions you may want to consider to make this recipe to your liking.

    • Sardines - instead of sardines, you can use chicken. I recommend purchasing a rotisserie chicken, shredding it, then adding it into your sauce when you throw in the pasta. Spicy Italian sausage, shrimp or anchovies would be other great protein options as well.
    • Oil - if you decide to skip the sardines, use olive oil in place of that. About 2 tablespoon's worth.
    • Vegetarian - you can always swap out meat for a plant-based protein or simply add in more of your favorite vegetables to bulk up this recipe.
    • Red pepper flakes - omit these from the recipe if you know you're going to be serving this dish to those (or kiddos) who may be intolerant to spicy foods. This ingredient can easily be added to individual bowls and adjusted according to taste and tolerance.

    Storage

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Top tip

    If skipping sardines: use a combination of olive oil (2 tbsp) and some of the oil from your jar of sun-dried tomatoes to sauté the minced garlic and spinach. If you substitute a can of sardines for a can of anchovies, use the oil from the can of anchovies along with the sun-dried tomato oil.

    FAQ

    What to serve with creamy pasta?

    -an arugula salad
    -bruschetta
    -a glass of white wine

    Be sure to check out our latest recipe added to the blog last week, Non-alcoholic Moscow Mules. It's a great mocktail recipe to ring in the new year with or to enjoy during Dry January.

    Creamy Tuscan pasta served in two, white speckled bowls.

    Creamy Tuscan Pasta

    Make this delicious pasta for weekly dinner meal prep or to serve up when having guests over!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 12

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • 16 oz pasta I recommend penne or rigatoni
    • 16 oz fresh spinach
    • 1 can sardines
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 cup grated parmesan
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
    • 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes can use whole or cut into strips
    • salt to taste
    • black pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Cook pasta according to package directions. Strain and set pasta aside. Set large pan to medium heat. Empty can of sardines in large pan including the olive oil. Sauté and break up pieces for a few minutes.
    • Add in some oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes then throw in the minced garlic. Sauté. Add in sun-dried tomatoes along with more of its oil and the spinach. Cook spinach until wilted.
    • Next, you’ll want to add in the heavy cream and sour cream. Stir in salt, pepper to taste and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes. Set pan to low heat and let sauce simmer and thicken for a few minutes. Add in Parmesan followed by the pasta. Serve and enjoy!
    Keyword creamy tuscan pasta, dinner recipes, meal prep, pasta, tuscan pasta

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. JoAnn says

      January 19, 2023 at 11:09 am

      Would anchovies be a good substitute for the sardines?

      Reply
      • Melissa @ The Bonnie Fig says

        January 20, 2023 at 12:16 am

        Hi JoAnn!
        You can absolutely swap out a can of sardines for a can of anchovies. Just continue to salt to taste since they are cured in brine. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. Sonia Tagliferri says

      March 23, 2023 at 9:50 am

      5 stars
      Like how simple it is to make.

      Reply
      • Melissa @ The Bonnie Fig says

        March 23, 2023 at 9:55 am

        Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    3. Michael Perry says

      May 21, 2023 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      OMG!!!! The flavor of the sun dried tomatoes and sardines was mind blowing 👍🏿🤛🏿🤛🏿. I made this after inviting some friends over and had to made some extra cause every was talking about how good this was and was yes to take some home. Thanks for a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Melissa @ The Bonnie Fig says

        May 22, 2023 at 7:23 am

        Hi Michael,
        Thank you for the kind words and for giving this recipe a try! I am so glad to hear that you and your friends enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply

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