Tomato & Mascarpone Sauce
A quick, easy sauce for any pasta you make. Tomato & Mascarpone Sauce takes pasta night to a new level with crushed & diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, and Italian spices, then transforms them into a delicate, tangy yet creamy sauce with the addition of mascarpone. One of my favorite pasta sauces of all time!
Ingredients
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes drained
- 3 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- Salt to taste
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves chopped
- Parmesan cheese for serving
- 1 lb fettuccine or any pasta
Instructions
- Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and add the tomato paste. Stir into the onions and garlic. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, allowing the tomato paste to brown slightly.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the skillet, scraping up any browned bits, if any.
- Add in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, salt, red pepper flakes, and 3/4 of the basil. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, then stir in the mascarpone, adding more or less to your preference. Toss in the cooked pasta, adding a little bit of pasta water at a time until the sauce smoothly coats the pasta.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and the remaining basil.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Dairy doesn't last too long!
- Reheat: You can reheat in a microwave, or reheat in a saucepan over medium or medium-low heat, simmering until it's hot. Add in splashes of water if it ends up being too thick.
- Freeze: You can freeze this, but the mascarpone might separate from the sauce, so here's my warning. It'll freeze for up to 2 months. Make sure the sauce is completely cooled before freezing. Thaw overnight and heat in a skillet or saucepan before using.
- Keep the mascarpone from separating: Make the sauce, but don't add in the mascarpone. Cool the sauce completely, then freeze for up to 2 months. When you're ready to reheat, allow the sauce to thaw overnight. Reheat in a skillet or saucepan. Once fully heated, stir in the mascarpone cheese and serve.
- You can use creme fraiche, which is the closest substitute to mascarpone. You can use cream cheese instead, but it will be much tangier and bolder in flavor, so add a little at a time. A little goes a long way!
- Swap the minced garlic for roasted garlic for a deeper flavor.
- Instead of serving with pasta, you can add this to chicken cutlets to make chicken parmesan, or over veggie noodles like zoodles, or zucchini boats (such as my Italian Zucchini Boats)
- Use this in a sausage and peppers dish.
- Add spinach or steamed broccoli for a nutritional boost.