Creamy One Pot Pasta with Tomato and Mascarpone Sauce is big on flavor and ready in 35 minutes. Penne pasta and silky mascarpone cheese in a rich tomato marinara creates the ultimate creamy veggie pasta recipe. Share with Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad to complete the meal.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recipe Review “Oh wow! What a easy, quick, yummy and spicy pasta dish.” ~ Ceejay
Highlights of One Pot Pasta with Tomato Mascarpone Sauce
We’ve Nora Singley to thank for bringing us the genius of one pot pasta via Martha Stewart Living in 2013 (Food52). It was a revelation in my cooking years ago and was the inspiration not only behind this recipe but also my Creamy One Pot White Bean and Mushroom Orzo.
Although this tomato and mascarpone sauce pasta strays from Nora’s original one pot pasta recipe, I applied her simple method here.
This Recipe Is
- SO creamy (!!)
- made in one pot
- easily gluten free
If you love hearty Pasta Recipes, then you’ll enjoy this one pot pasta.
Mascarpone Cheese (mahs-car-POH-nay) is an ultra silky and creamy cows milk Italian cheese that’s rich with a slightly sweet flavor that pair so well in both sweet or savory recipes. It melts easy in sauce recipes, making it ideal for this mascarpone tomato pasta.
_________________________
How to Make Creamy Veggie Pasta with Tomato Mascarpone Sauce
step by step
This recipe can be made in a 3.5 – 4 quart Dutch oven or saute pan. You’ll need to give yourself enough room to stir the sauce, pasta and for wilting the spinach.
We love this recipe with veggie sausage. Our favorite is Seattle Field Roast Italian Garlic and Fennel. I cook it in the Dutch oven first, remove it, then add it back to the pot after the pasta is finished to warm through.
Traci’s Tips
- Find Mascarpone Cheese in the deli or specialty cheese sections of your well-stocked grocery store. It generally comes in 8-ounce tubs. I like BelGioioso Mascarpone and Vermont Creamery Mascarpone.
- Share with freshly grated parmesan, basil leaves and plenty of fresh ground black pepper. Serve with a baguette or warm Seeded Sourdough Bread and a salad such as a Kale Caesar Salad.
35-Minute One Pot Pasta with Tomato and Mascarpone Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 cup (35 grams) Shallot, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Fresh Garlic, minced, about 3 plump cloves
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 28 ounces (794 grams) San Marzano Style Tomatoes, canned, whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 3/4 cups (385 grams) Water
- 1 teaspoon Dried Italian Seasonings
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 8 ounces (230 grams) Penne Pasta
- 2/3 cup (5 ounces / 140 grams) Mascarpone Cheese
- 5 cups (5 ounces / 140 grams) Fresh Spinach, lightly packed, large leaves chopped
Garnish With:
- Parmesan Cheese, Fresh Basil, Ground Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- In a 3.5 quart saute pan or 4 quart Dutch oven, add the olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the shallots and garlic. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, OR until shallots are soft and garlic is slightly golden and fragrant.
- Meanwhile, empty the tomatoes into a bowl and either crush the tomatoes by squeezing them with your hands or mash with a potato masher until broken down into smaller bits. Set aside.
- To the shallots and garlic, add the tomato paste, stirring and mashing frequently for about 3 minutes, or until slightly darker in color. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, red pepper flake and salt. Stir.
- Pour the tomatoes and water into the pot and bring to a boil. Add the penne, adjust the heat to simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cook until aldente, about 11-14 minutes. It will seem almost soupy, but will thicken as the remaining ingredients are added.
- Remove from heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese until completely melted. Return to low heat and stir in the spinach, adding one handful after another stirring until wilted. Taste for salt adjustment.
- Spoon into bowls and serve with fresh grated Parmesan, torn basil leaves and fresh ground black pepper.
- To Store: Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Gently reheat stove top. You can freeze this recipe, however, the pasta looses its firmness and breaks easily.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications or helping other commentors.
This recipe was delicious! We will make this on a regular basis!
I had a lot of mascarpone cheese and I really didn’t want to waste it. I made this pasta (I just happen to be one of those people who keeps 3 pound cans of Marzano Tomatoes handy. I had to use frozen spinach but it was still good. I added more macaroni so the sauce was not thin and watery. It worked out fine and we loved it. Keeper.
Absolutely delicious and very little mess to clean up! I added a little nutritional yeast because why not. Delicious!
Hi Christie! Thank you for your note and star rating! Thrilled you’re enjoying the recipe. Thank you for your tip on the nutritional yeast! YUM!
We just finished this, and everyone went back for seconds! I had all the ingredients (cream cheese for the mascarpone). I will make again. It was easy and tasted great.
Best. News. Ever! Thank you for your note and rating, Veronica :D
I made this a couple of weeks ago. Both my husband and I loved it. Couldn’t believe how quick and easy it was to make. Thanks bunches.
Super happy to hear, Kristina! Thank you for your note!
I absolutely loved this! I would share a pic if I had a public Instagram account. As a single person, this is so good to splurge on a weeknight (so little prep!) and then save / free for future lunches and/or dinner. OMG so yummy!
Hi Kristin! Thank you for coming back, sharing your thoughts and rating! I couldn’t agree more about a splurge on a weeknight :D
This recipe checked the boxes for easy and delicious! LOVED it!
Leftovers heat up beautifully too!
Hi Alana! Thank you for your note for giving the recipe a go! Super happy to hear!!
This recipe masters everything I want in a creamy, dreamy pasta dish. It’s incredibly easy and the leftovers were even better.
Hooray! Thank you for your note, Elissa! Super happy to read it’s evvverything!
we doubled the seasonings but otherwise made just as directed and my father’s response was “the best pasta i can remember having!” so glad to have another pasta in rotation – think i’ll mix some chickpeas in the next time around too ☺️
Hi Gina! Thank you for your note, rating and giving the recipe a go! Yes to doubling the seasonings (yum!). So happy to hear everyone enjoyed the recipe! Chickpeas sound fabulous!
another really wonderful recipe, the whole family loved. I did add the Field Roast sausage. Easy and easy clean up – win win win! (then for dessert I made the chocolate coconut date balls – with bourbon – too good!! Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. Too many to name.
Hiii Maggie! Thank you for your note, sending a smile, rating and giving the recipe a goooo! I looove a good win win win! And that dessert… I love how you balanced rich pasta with a ‘healthier’ treat! :D