Go Back
Marry Me Pasta

Marry Me Pasta

Inspired by the famous 'Marry Me Chicken,' this meatless pasta version delivers a creamy, decadent, and proposal-worthy flavor that comes together with surprising ease. The rich, vibrant sauce, featuring an intense sun-dried tomato paste and fresh basil, clings to every strand of pasta. It's the perfect dish for when you want something that feels a little fancy without spending hours in the kitchen.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cloves of garlic, grated
  • 2 cups light cream
  • 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes + 1 tablespoon oil from the jar
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more, to taste)
  • 3/4 box of thin linguini or your favorite long noodle
  • Reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup)

Equipment

  • Small food processor or blender
  • large pot
  • Large skillet or pan

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Create the Sun-Dried Tomato Paste: First, let's unlock the flavor of those tomatoes. Finely chop the 1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes. Add them to a small food processor or blender along with 1 tablespoon of the oil from their jar. Pulse a few times, scraping down the sides as you go, until you have a beautiful, coarse paste. This step is key to distributing that intense tomato flavor throughout the sauce.
  2. Cook the Pasta: Get a large pot of salted water boiling. Add your linguini and cook according to the package directions until it's perfectly al dente. Just before you drain it, carefully scoop out about a cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. This stuff is liquid gold for finishing sauces! Drain the pasta and set it aside for a moment.
  3. Start the Sauce Base: While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Once it's shimmering, add the grated garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, dried thyme, and chicken bouillon powder. Stir everything together and let it cook for about 60 seconds until it's wonderfully fragrant. Your kitchen will start to smell amazing!
  4. Make it Creamy: Pour the light cream into the skillet. Keep the heat around medium to medium-low, allowing the cream to heat through for about 5 minutes. You want to see gentle steam and maybe a light simmer around the edges, but don't let it come to a rolling boil.
  5. Combine and Simmer: Now for the magic. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, the sun-dried tomato paste you made, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and the fresh basil. Let this beautiful mixture simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flavors can meld together. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of your reserved pasta water to thin it to your desired consistency. You might see a little oil pool on the top; you can spoon this off if you'd like.
  6. Finish and Serve: Add the cooked linguini directly into the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat and gently toss everything together until every noodle is coated in that luscious cream sauce. Serve it up immediately, garnished with a little extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Notes

For the best sauce texture, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese from a block, as pre-shredded cheeses can prevent smooth melting. Be careful not to let the cream sauce come to a hard boil after adding the cheese, as this can cause it to separate. Creating a coarse paste from the sun-dried tomatoes and their jarred oil is key to infusing the entire sauce with flavor. The starchy pasta water is essential for thinning the sauce to the perfect consistency without diluting it.