Sun Dried Tomato Fusilli is a quick, delicious, and flavorful pasta recipe. With just a few strong ingredients, you can make a dish that will impress everyone in just 20 minutes!
Adding toasted breadcrumbs gives the dish a nice crunch and an extra tasty touch. A few anchovies in oil add even more flavor.
This pasta with sun-dried tomatoes is perfect for when you have guests and want to make something easy yet unique and delicious. I chose fusilli, but you can use any pasta you like, even spaghetti works well. It's best to use durum wheat pasta, which holds up nicely when cooked al dente.This recipe is both cheap and quick to make. I've shared a simple version, but you can easily adapt it as you like.
You can make the sauce while the pasta is cooking. Just chop the sun-dried tomatoes and anchovies, and sauté them in hot oil with garlic and chili pepper. Toast the breadcrumbs in a separate pan. When the pasta is al dente, mix it with the sauce and add the crispy breadcrumbs. That's it!
Try this Sun Dried Tomato Fusilli recipe for a robust and flavorful dish that will delight you!
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 10 Min
- Cook Time: 10 Min
- Servings: 4
- 350 g (¾ pound) of fusilli. I chose fusilli, but you can use any pasta you like, short or long.
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 or 2 fresh hot red chilies or dried hot red chilies
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 100 g (3.5 oz) of sun-dried tomatoes in EVO oil
- 5 fillets of anchovies in oil
- 40 g (~½ cup) of breadcrumbs
Instructions
Step 1) - On a cutting board, chop the sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil. Do the same with the anchovy fillets. Set aside.
NOTE: If you prefer sun-dried tomatoes with a milder flavor, you can blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes before using. Drain and continue the recipe as directed.
Prepare a pot of salted water to cook the pasta and two nonstick pans. While the pasta water comes to a boil, sauté the garlic and chili in the EVO oil in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes. This will allow the garlic and chili to release their flavors into the oil.
Step 2) - In the other non-stick pan, add a tablespoon of oil and the breadcrumbs. Toast it, stirring all the time to keep it from burning. This will only take 2-3 minutes. The bread is done when it has absorbed the oil and is golden and crisp. Set it aside.
Step 3) - Now add the dried tomatoes and chopped anchovies to the pan with the garlic and chili. Stir well and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Meanwhile, drop the pasta into the boiling water.
Step 4) - Add a little of the cooking water to the sauce. When the anchovies have dissolved and the tomatoes have rehydrated and are well blended, turn off the heat and remove the garlic and chili. Drain the pasta al dente directly into the saucepan.
Step 5) - Stir and mix well. Add the toasted breadcrumbs, stir again and serve.
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Storage
I suggest making pasta with sun-dried tomatoes right before you plan to eat it. If you wait too long, the bread will get soft, and the sauce will dry out and become less creamy.
If you have any leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge for up to a day. When you're ready to eat them, reheat the pasta in a frying pan with a bit of oil on high heat. The texture might not be as good as when it's freshly made, but it will still taste delicious.
Tips and Variations
Sundried tomatoes are a classic food from southern Italy. During the summer, you can see many tomatoes cut in half and drying out in the sun.
This recipe uses Mediterranean ingredients like anchovies, garlic, chili pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. We also add breadcrumbs to give it a crunchy texture.
This pasta recipe with sundried tomatoes is simple and can be personalized with your favorite ingredients.
- Adding More Flavor: To make the dish richer, you can add olives or capers. Be careful not to use too many strong-flavored ingredients, and always taste the sauce as you cook. Tuna in oil is another popular addition.
- Sicilian Style Variation: In Sicily, they add flaked almonds and grated ricotta salata or pecorino cheese to this pasta.
- Creamy Variations: For a creamier version, add a little burrata or fresh stracciatella to each serving.
- Extra Flavor Options: You can also flavor the pasta with dried oregano or chopped parsley. For a fresh touch, try adding some grated lemon zest. These flavors all go well together in Mediterranean cuisine.
- Vegetarian Option: If you don't like anchovies or want a vegetarian dish, you can leave them out. The pasta will still be very tasty and flavorful.
Recipe Card

Sun-dried Tomato Fusilli Recipe
Ingredients
- 350 g pasta - ¾ pound of fusilli or the pasta you like, short or long.
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 chili - or 2 fresh hot red chilies or dried hot red chilies
- 4 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
- 100 g tomatoes - 3.5 oz of sun-dried tomatoes in EVO oil
- 5 anchovies - fillets of anchovies in oil
- 40 g breadcrumbs - ~½ cup
Instructions
- On a cutting board, chop the sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil. Do the same with the anchovy fillets. Set aside.
- NOTE: If you prefer sun-dried tomatoes with a milder flavor, you can blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes before using. Drain and continue the recipe as directed.
- Prepare a pot of salted water to cook the pasta and two nonstick pans. While the pasta water comes to a boil, sauté the garlic and chili in the EVO oil in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes. This will allow the garlic and chili to release their flavors into the oil.
- In the other non-stick pan, add a tablespoon of oil and the breadcrumbs. Toast it, stirring all the time to keep it from burning. This will only take 2-3 minutes. The bread is done when it has absorbed the oil and is golden and crisp. Set it aside.
- Add the dried tomatoes and chopped anchovies to the pan with the garlic and chili.
- Stir well and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Meanwhile, drop the pasta into the boiling water.
- Add a little of the cooking water to the sauce. When the anchovies have dissolved and the tomatoes have rehydrated and are well blended, turn off the heat and remove the garlic and chili.
- Drain the pasta al dente directly into the saucepan.
- Stir and mix well. Add the toasted breadcrumbs, stir again and serve.
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