Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Sauce

This is the pasta you make when you want every forkful to taste like a trip to the Mediterranean.

Sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, and pine nuts get sauteed with mushrooms and five cloves of garlic (yes, five), then tossed with fresh wilted spinach and hot pasta.

A splash of tamari deepens the savory backbone, and crumbled feta on top adds salty, creamy contrast.

No heavy cream, no butter. The sauce builds its richness from the ingredients themselves.

Pro Tips

• Soak the sun-dried tomatoes the full 30 minutes. Chewy, leathery strips will throw off the texture of the whole dish.
• Save a cup of pasta water before draining. A splash loosens the sauce and helps everything cling to the noodles.
• Add the spinach last and just toss until barely wilted. Overcooked spinach turns slimy and drab.
• Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan first for deeper flavour. Watch them like a hawk because they go from golden to burnt in seconds.

Variations

• Use tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten-free pasta to make this entirely gluten-free.
• Swap feta for shaved Pecorino Romano for a sharper, nuttier finish.
• Toss in a handful of capers for even more briny punch.