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Top down of a bowl of pasta with basil and tomato and mascarpone basil sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta Sauce

A simple tomato and mascarpone pasta sauce that comes together in just 20 minutes!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: tomato and mascarpone sauce
Servings: 6
Author: Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil extra virgin
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 80 ml / 1/4 cup dry white wine or Vermouth
  • 500 g / 18oz tomato passata
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil or fresh basil
  • 125 g / 1/2 cup mascarpone
  • 25 g / 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese or vegetarian hard cheese
  • 500 g / 16oz tagliatelle or other long pasta shape

Instructions

  • Put the tagliatelle in a large pot of salted boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
  • While the pasta is cooking heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add finely diced onion and cook for 5 minutes over low heat, then add minced garlic and stir briefly, deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the wine is reduced. 
  • Add the tomato passata, dried basil and salt, stir to combine and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the mascarpone and stir let it simmer over low heat until the pasta is ready. Then stir in the hard cheese. 
  • Drain the pasta and add to the sauce, toss gently until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

  • This sauce is best when paired with a long, sturdy pasta shape. Tagliatelle is my choice, but fettuccine and linguine are both good options.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano is far better to use than store-bought pre-grated parmesan. Pre-grated Parmesan loses far too much moisture and flavour. It also has additives to keep it from sticking together, which dulls the flavour even more. Grating your own parmesan will provide the best flavour and texture.
  • If you are planning to make a vegetarian pasta, keep in mind that Parmesan made with traditional methods is not vegetarian. Take a look at the package if you are not sure. Good varieties of vegetarian hard cheese is available and clearly labelled.

Nutrition

Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 749IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3mg