Creamy Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta

Sweet tinned tomatoes simmered with garlic, then loosened into a glossy, luxurious sauce with a spoonful of mascarpone. It's the kind of quick, comforting pasta that tastes far more special than the effort suggests. Ready in around 20 minutes, start to finish.

This is the pasta to reach for when you want something creamy and comforting but haven’t got long. Tinned tomatoes do the heavy lifting, mascarpone brings the velvety richness, and a little garlic and basil tie it together. No cream, no cheffy technique, just a proper bowl of glossy tomato pasta on the table in about twenty minutes.

Ingredients

• 400 g dried pasta — penne, rigatoni or fusilli all work well
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion — finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic — crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp caster sugar — to balance the acidity
• 150 g mascarpone
• 40 g Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese — finely grated, plus extra to serve
• 1 small handful fresh basil — torn
• 1 pinch chilli flakes — optional
• to taste salt and black pepper

Method

1. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet timings until just al dente. Before draining, scoop out a mugful of the starchy cooking water.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
3. Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes, if using, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the tomato purée and fry for 1 minute to deepen its flavour.
4. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and sugar, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened and no longer sharp.
5. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the mascarpone and grated Parmesan until you have a smooth, glossy sauce. Loosen with a splash of the reserved pasta water if it looks tight.
6. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss well, adding a little more pasta water as needed so every piece is coated in silky sauce.
7. Stir through most of the basil, taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve straight away topped with the remaining basil and extra grated cheese.

Serve it with

• Warm garlic bread or crusty ciabatta
• A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
• Extra grated Parmesan at the table
• A glass of light Italian red
• Griddled courgettes or roasted vegetables

Why this works

Mascarpone melts into a stable, ultra-smooth sauce without splitting the way cream can, while the starchy pasta water emulsifies everything into a glossy coating that clings to every piece.

Common swaps

• Use crème fraîche or full-fat cream cheese in place of mascarpone
• Swap fresh basil for 1 tsp dried oregano or a spoonful of fresh pesto
• Add a handful of spinach or roasted peppers to bulk it out
• Use gluten-free pasta to make it coeliac-friendly
• Stir in chilli flakes and a squeeze of lemon for an arrabbiata-style kick

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling the sauce hard after adding the mascarpone, which can make it grainy — keep the heat low
• Forgetting to save pasta water, so the sauce turns thick and claggy instead of silky
• Under-seasoning; tomato sauces need a good pinch of salt and the sugar to taste balanced
• Overcooking the pasta, so it turns soft once it sits in the hot sauce

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Cool any leftovers quickly and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a pan over a low heat with a splash of water or milk, stirring until piping hot; avoid boiling so the sauce stays smooth.

Allergen notes: contains Milk, Gluten. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.