I didn’t grow up eating creamy tomato sauces. Or really even cream sauces. Being Southern Italian, my childhood was full of homemade tomato sauces, either cooked with homemade or store-bought canned tomatoes. My mom to this day makes one of the best tomato sauces I’ve ever had and she starts with canned tomato sauce.
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Tomato mascarpone pasta is a 3o minute, easy dinner recipe I turn to when a dose of cozy is needed. It has a grown up flavor thanks to some white wine, but not too much that the kiddos are going to turn up their noses. Besides, the bucatini pasta I use adds a bit of slurpy fun.
This is one to add to the weekly rotation.
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Ingredient spotlight: tomato passata
Go to the Italian section of any grocery store and you will see a host of tomato options. Canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato sauce —there are a lot of tomatoes to choose from. And tucked away, and sometimes overlooked, is a gem of tomato heaven known as passata.
Passata is an uncooked, unseasoned tomato puree and is sold in a glass bottle, which only adds to its homey vibe. I chose to use passata in this mascarpone tomato sauce because of the bright freshness it offers.
One other standout ingredient in this simple sauce is mascarpone. I love to add it to my Thanksgiving mashed potatoes, ranch dressing and pesto salad dressing.
In addition to these, there are a few more ingredients to gather like a dry white wine, onion, garlic, a little butter and olive oil. It’s a pretty simple list with each ingredient having a job.
Oops. I almost forgot the bucatini. I love how the sauce gets stuck in the hollow tube. Just the best!
How to make tomato mascarpone pasta
- Start with a large skillet and saute the onion in butter and olive oil. After it softens, pop in the garlic.
- Pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol burns off (2 minutes).
- Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mascarpone into the onions, allowing it to melt and make the onions creamy.
- Once the mascarpone is mixed in, pour in the passata and lower the heat. Sprinkle in some kosher salt, ground black pepper and let the sauce simmer and become friendly for about 15 minutes.
- Use tongs to toss the bucatini in the sauce, coating all the strands. Pour in some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
No bucatini? Other hollow noodle alternatives
Rigatoni or cavatappi would be great choices to make here. Elbow macaroni or shells would work too.
Serving and pairing
I love a big spoonful of freshly grated Romano cheese on tomato mascarpone bucatini and then a lovely drizzle of some chili oil to add a little punch. Garnish the whole thing with a big sprinkle of fresh julienned basil leaves, tucking some whole leaves into the twirls of bucatini for a pop of color.
fall menu idea
This bucatini recipe also makes a great side dish in the Fall with a juicy roast pork tenderloin and a bright green butter lettuce salad dressing with fig salad dressing.
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30-Minute Pasta with Tomato Mascarpone Sauce
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Ingredients
- ½ lb bucatini, cooked al dente
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 T unsalted butter
- ½ onion chopped, about ¾ cup
- 1 tsp salt; divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine, dry like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese
- 14 oz tomato passata , I use Mutti
Garnish
- parmesan cheese
- fresh basil leaves
- drizzle of spicy chili oil
Instructions
- Bring a stockpot of water to a rapid boil.Season generously with kosher or sea salt. Add the bucatini and gently use the spoon to bend it into the water. Stir to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook according to package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta into a colander.½ lb bucatini
- Over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil until the butter is melted. Add the onion and season with half each of the salt and pepper and saute for about 3-5 minutes.1 T olive oil, 1 T unsalted butter, ½ onion chopped, 1 tsp salt; divided, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Add in the the garlic right at the end of the onions cooking. Stir until you can smell them, about 30 seconds or so.4 cloves garlic
- Pour in the white wine. Cook until the alcohol cooks off the wine for 2 minutes.½ cup white wine
- In the wine and onion skillet, stir in the mascarpone and mix until creamy. Pour in the passata, season with the remaining salt and pepper. Allow the sauce to thicken and simmer for about 15 minutes.4 oz mascarpone cheese, 14 oz tomato passata
- Use tongs to toss the cooked bucatini pasta into the skillet of sauce, until all the strands are coated. Add in some pasta water (start with ½ cup) as needed to loosen the sauce. Don’t go too crazy as you don’t want to dilute the flavor of the sauce too much.
- Twirl onto warm plates or bowls. Top with fresh parmesan cheese and basil and a drizzle of spicy chili oil, if you choose.parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, drizzle of spicy chili oil
