This easy and delicious pasta dish will have you in awe when you see how flavorful a 30 minute meal really can be. It is creamy and decadent, balanced with freshness from the juicy peas – I know you’ll love it.
I cook nearly every night (shocker, I know) but when time is tight and the kids are hungry, a 30-minute pasta dish with vegetables is my go to. I know it comes together quickly, is hearty, but still has the nutrients I want to feed my children. To add a touch of decadence to this dish, I added a bit of mascarpone cheese I had leftover from a previous recipe and a healthy shaving of Pecorino Romano cheese. This dish has it all – I hope you try it!
Buon appetito!
Creamy Pasta with Tomato Mascarpone Sauce and Peas
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta of choice (I used eliche giganti – a large type of fusilli pasta)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4-6 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
- 1 shallot, sliced thinly
- 1 Pepperoncino or Red Pepper Flakes to taste
- 1 14 oz can tomatoes (I used Mutti Cherry Tomatoes)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 bag frozen peas (6.5 oz)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously.
- When the water is at a simmer, begin your sauce. In a large frying pan on medium heat, heat the extra virgin olive oil with pepperoncino or red pepper flakes, and add garlic and shallots. Sauté until fragrant – 2-3 minutes.
- To the frying pan, add your tomatoes and fill the can halfway with water to rinse the can. Add this water to the pan. Then, add the salt and bring to a low simmer. When the sauce is simmering, add the frozen peas and stir to combine. Let cook until sauce begins to simmer again, 3-4 minutes.
- When water is boiling, begin cooking pasta.
- Add the mascarpone cheese and stir to combine. The heat of the sauce will melt the cheese down.
- When the pasta is 2-3 minute shy of its cooking time (this can be found on the box), use a mesh sieve to transfer the pasta to the sauce. Add in about 1 cup of the cooking water and toss to combine.
- When the pasta water has absorbed into the sauce and the pasta is cooked to your liking, add the Pecorino Romano cheese and toss until melted and combined. Serve immediately.
