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    Home » Recipes » Italian Recipes

    Creamy Tomato Mascarpone Sauce with Pasta

    Published: Feb 7, 2023 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Creamy and luxurious, this tomato mascarpone sauce will be your favorite weeknight pasta sauce! Tangy mascarpone cheese creates the most velvety pink tomato sauce and tastes like it's been simmering or hours!

    Easy creamy tomato mascarpone sauce with linguine.

    This tomato mascarpone sauce is a quick pink sauce that is done in nearly 20 minutes and tastes like the sauce has been simmering for hours! What makes this simple tomato sauce so decadent is the addition of creamy and thick mascarpone cheese, which offers a slight sweetness and acidity to the tomato sauce.

    Usually, when I make my pink vodka sauce, I roast the tomatoes for an hour, which gives a fantastic sweetness. But on a weeknight, when I am craving something luxurious, rich and without the fraction of the work, I make this quick and creamy tomato mascarpone sauce.

    Jump to:
    • 🍝 Why You'll Love this Recipe
    • 🍅 Ingredients
    • ⏲️ Instructions
    • Recipe Tips
    • 🌶️ Variations and Substitutions
    • What to Serve With
    • Creamy Tomato Mascarpone Sauce with Pasta

    🍝 Why You'll Love this Recipe

    • Tomato mascarpone sauce is made in nearly 20 minutes.
    • The sauce thickens and clings to pasta easily!
    • Great flavors with minimal ingredients!
    • The mascarpone makes the tomato sauce ulta luxurious, decadent and comforting.

    🍅 Ingredients

    • Olive Oil: The start of most pasta sauces. use a good quality olive oil and save some for garnish.
    • Garlic: A few cloves, finely chopped and added to gently saute with the olive oil.
    • Dried Oregano: A pinch of dried oregano balances the sweet and savory notes of the sauce.
    • Tomato Paste: I love using tomato paste that comes in a tube for easy use.
    • Crushed Tomatoes: Use canned crushed tomatoes or tomato puree for a smooth sauce.
    • Mascarpone Cheese: Mascarpone cheese nis a thick Italian cream cheese that comes in a tub. You can often find it with the other cheeses in grocery stores. If mascarpone isn't available, substitute with American style cream cheese
    • Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese is added to the sauce as well as for garnish.
    • Fresh Basil: A few leaves of fresh basil freshen up the rich pasta sauce. You can also use fresh oregano which would be a nice flavor as well.

    ⏲️ Instructions

    1. Boil salted water and cook pasta 1-2 minutes shy of package directions. Once pasta is done cooking, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water for later use.
    2. Bring a wide skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Once shimmering, add the chopped garlic, add garlic and dried oregano and saute for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant.
    3. Add the tomato puree and tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Fill the tomato can halfway with water and add that to the sauce.
    4. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes so the flavors come together.
    5. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese and parmesan cheese until well combined.
    6. When pasta is done, add the cooked pasta directly to the tomato and mascarpone sauce and toss to combine, so the sauce evenly coats all of the pasta. If sauce is too dry, add some pasta water and continue tossing.
    7. Serve pasta in bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
    Add the chopped garlic to the olive oil.
    Add crushed tomatoes to the garlic and olive oil stir together.
    add ½ cup of mascarpone cheese to the tomato sauce and whisk together.
    Add grated parmesan cheese to the tomato mascarpone sauce and stir to combine.
    Whisk the tomato mascarpone sauce together until the sauce is a blush pink color.
    Add the cooked pasta directly into the creamy tomato mascarpone sauce and toss to combine.

    Recipe Tips

    • When cooking pasta, save 1 cup of of the starchy pasta water, to add to the sauce if the sauce is too thick.
    • Boil the pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the box directions and finish cooking the pasta directly in the sauce.
    Simple creamy tomato mascarpone sauce with pasta.

    🌶️ Variations and Substitutions

    • If mascarpone cheese isn't available, substitute with cream cheese.
    • For added heat, add ½ teaspoon of chili flakes or calabrian peppers.
    • Use this creamy mascarpone tomato sauce as a base for pizza.
    • Serve the pasta with seared scallops or shrimp on top.
    What does mascarpone cheese taste like?

    Mascarpone is a thick Italian cream cheese that is rich, slightly sweet and has a touch of acidity and is often compared to cream cheese.

    Does mascarpone sauce melt when heated?

    Yes, mascarpone melts nicely when heated and is a great addition to a pink sauce for pasta. As the mascarpone sauce melts into the tomato sauce, it creates a lovely creamy pink pasta sauce.

    What to Serve With

    This recipe was made as part of a date night dinner menu. Here are some suggestions on what to serve alongside.

    • Pan Seared Pork Chops with Garlic and Thyme
    • Spatchcock Chicken with Lemon and Butter
    • Pesto Broccolini
    • Homemade Caesar Salad
    Creamy and easy tomato mascarpone sauce with parmesan and fresh basil.

    Creamy Tomato Mascarpone Sauce with Pasta

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    This easy tomato mascarpone sauce is made with crushed tomatoes, tangy mascarpone cheese and Parmesan and made in nearly 20 minutes!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 835 kcal

    Equipment

    skillet

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 pound linguini or your favorite long noodle shape
    • 2 tablespoons Olive oil + more for garnish
    • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 28 ouce can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
    • ½ cup mascapone cheese
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
    • Fresh basil leaves

    Instructions
     

    • Boil salted water and cook pasta 1-2 minutes shy of package directions. Once pasta is done cooking, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water for later use.
    • Bring a wide skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Once shimmering, add the chopped garlic, add garlic and dried oregano and saute for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant.
    • Add the tomato puree and tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Add the tomato puree and tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Fill the tomato can halfway with water and add that to the sauce.
    • Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes so the flavors come together.
    • Whisk in the mascarpone cheese and parmesan cheese until well combined.
    • When pasta is done, add the cooked pasta directly to the tomato and mascarpone sauce and toss to combine, so the sauce evenly coats all of the pasta. If sauce is too dry, add some pasta water and continue tossing.
    • Serve pasta in bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

    Video

    Notes

    Save 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking water to add to the sauce if needed. 
    Cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions, then finish cooking pasta in the sauce. 
    Sauce can be made ahead up to 3 days in advance. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 835kcalCarbohydrates: 101gProtein: 31gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 507mgPotassium: 909mgFiber: 7gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1982IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 460mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword tomato and mascarpone sauce, tomato mascarpone sauce
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

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    Comments

    1. Brandie (@ Home Cooking Memories) says

      August 25, 2012 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      I'm totally gonna make this. I love how simple it is and while I love scallops, I don't think I've actually had them in a dish like this. Well done!

      Reply
    2. Jenni says

      August 26, 2012 at 10:23 am

      5 stars
      I love swirling in some cheese, olive oil, cream cheese or heavy cream into my pasta before serving--it thickens into a beautiful emulsion and coats every noodle in silky goodness. Will have to try it w/mascarpone sometime!

      I completely agree w/you about finishing your pasta in the pan w/the sauce. Nothing more depressing than naked noodles!

      As to cooking the pasta, I have learned a thing that I will pass on to you. If you start the pasta in cold--yes cold--water w/just enough water to cover, it won't stick together, the water will come to a boil faster, and the pasta will finish cooking 2-3 minutes faster since it was in from the beginning. It has changed the way I plan for cooking pasta--take so much less time. And I promise, no stuck together noodles, even with a minimum of water. I think I learned that from Mark Bittman or someone like that. Try it; I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, even though it does fly in the face of everything we've ever learned about how to cook pasta. 🙂

      Reply
    3. Jessica Macpherson says

      August 28, 2012 at 12:06 pm

      5 stars
      Drooling. That looks/sounds SO good! Thanks!

      Reply

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