Pasta with Creamy Roasted Tomato and Mascarpone Sauce Recipe
This pasta is homemade Italian comfort food – a simple, creamy sauce made from roasted tomatoes and mascarpone that coats every piece of pasta. It’s something between a classic tomato sauce and a delicate cream sauce. In Italy, dishes like this are often made on weeknights, when you don’t have much time but still want a proper home-cooked dinner.
This pasta combines the depth of roasted tomatoes with the velvetiness of mascarpone, creating a sauce that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours but comes together in under an hour. It’s a great example of Italian home cooking: just a few ingredients, each with a purpose – roasted tomatoes bring umami and sweetness, mascarpone softens the acidity, and garlic and herbs add character. The dish is light in flavour yet very satisfying.
Chef's tips
Roast the tomatoes until they’re lightly charred at the edges and have released their juices – those caramelised bits are where most of the flavour is. Add the mascarpone at the very end, off high heat, so the sauce doesn’t curdle and stays smooth. Always save some pasta cooking water and add it gradually to the sauce until it nicely coats every piece – that’s the key to a creamy consistency without heaviness.
How to serve
Serve with a glass of simple Italian red wine, such as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, or with water and a slice of lemon if you’re eating midweek. Put only freshly grated Parmesan and a bowl of green salad with vinaigrette on the table – no extra sides are needed. At my place this pasta most often saves Monday evenings, when I get home late from work and want something “restaurant-like” without long cooking.
Ingredients
- short pasta (penne, fusilli or rigatoni) (or another favourite) - 320 g
- cherry or plum tomatoes (you can use regular tomatoes cut into quarters) - 600 g
- mascarpone cheese (can be replaced with thick 30% cream) - 150 g
- garlic (lightly crushed) - 3 cloves
- olive oil (preferably extra virgin) - 3 tablespoons
- dried oregano - 1 teaspoon
- fresh basil (leaves, torn by hand) - 1 handful
- salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- grated Parmesan or Grana Padano (for serving; can be omitted for a version without hard cheese) - 40 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat).
- Wash the tomatoes, cut larger ones in halves or quarters. Arrange on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Add the garlic cloves to the tray (in their skins, lightly crushed with a knife), drizzle everything with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Mix with your hands so the tomatoes are well coated in the seasonings.
- Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the tomatoes soften, are lightly browned at the edges and release their juices.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt it generously (the water should be distinctly salty, like the sea). Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente, with a slight bite in the centre.
- Remove the roasted tomatoes from the oven. Discard the garlic skins and return the soft centres to the tomatoes.
- Transfer the tomatoes and garlic to a tall container. Add the mascarpone and blend with a hand blender until smooth and creamy. If the sauce seems too thick, add 2–3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
- Return the pasta to the pot, pour in the tomato and mascarpone sauce and add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Stir over low heat for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce coats the pasta and becomes silky.
- Add the torn basil leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix.
- Serve immediately, sprinkling each portion with grated Parmesan.
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce. Avoid boiling so the sauce doesn’t split.
