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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Creamy Tomato Pasta with Pancetta and Shallots

    Published: Jan 27, 2022, Last updated: Jan 27, 2022 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

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    An easy and delicious Creamy Tomato Pasta. Tomatoes mixed with mascarpone cheese, salty pancetta, shallots and a pinch of chilli flakes for a little heat. This recipe is so easy, ready in under 30 minutes and is packed full of flavour.

    Creamy tomato pasta in a bowl sitting on a wooden surface with a glass of wine in the background

    When you're craving something comforting and delicious but don't have a lot of time on your hands this creamy tomato pasta is the one.

    Not only is it super quick to make but it's got so much flavour. A rich tomato cream sauce made with tomato passata (tomato puree in the US) mixed with mascarpone cheese, crispy pancetta, shallots and a pinch of red pepper flakes (chilli flakes).

    Toss it with your favourite pasta and grab a slice of crusty bread or homemade focaccia to mop up all that delicious sauce. Buon Apetito!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients - what you need
    • Step by step photos and recipe instructions
    • Recipe tips and FAQs
    • More easy pasta recipes you might like
    • 📖 Full Recipe

    Ingredients - what you need

    See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make this recipe plus some important tips on ingredients!

    An overhead shot of all the ingredients you need to make creamy tomato pasta
    • Pasta - you can use pretty much any pasta shape you like, we used fusilli.
    • Passata - tomato passata is known as tomato puree in the US. It's smooth, pureed tomatoes in a jar and shouldn't have any garlic or herbs added.
    • Mascarpone - a couple of tablespoons creates a rich and delicious creamy tomato sauce
    • White wine - this is used to deglaze the pan after frying the pancetta and it adds a delicious depth of flavour to the sauce. Use an Italian white such as Pinot Grigio, Pecorino, or Vermentino.
    • Pancetta - we used pancetta cut into cubes.
    • Shallots - two small-medium shallots finely sliced.
    • Red pepper flakes - we just add a pinch for a subtle heat, you can leave them out if you prefer.

    Step by step photos and recipe instructions

    Step 1 - Add olive oil to a large pan and brown the pancetta until lightly golden. Add the shallots and red pepper flakes and saute until soft (photos 1-3).

    Step by step photos showing how to brown pancetta and shallots

    Step 2 - Add the wine and reduce it by half (simmer until half the liquid remains). Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. After 5 minutes, start cooking the pasta (photos 4 & 5).

    Step 3 - add the mascarpone, stir and simmer for a few more minutes until the pasta is done (photos 6 & 7).

    Step by step photos showing how to make a creamy tomato pasta

    Step 4 - transfer the pasta to the creamy tomato sauce and stir until thoroughly combined, serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (photo 8).

    Recipe tips and FAQs

    • Italian tomato passata - this is smooth pureed tomatoes sold in tall jars, it does not have any added sugar, flavouring, herbs, garlic etc it's just pure tomato and it's great for creating delicious sauces. In the US it's called tomato puree (it is not tomato concentrate), the brands we use are Mutti or Cirio.
    • Adjust chilli flakes to taste - you can leave them out or add more to taste.
    • What pasta to use - use any pasta shape you like, short pasta shapes work really well.
    • Reserving pasta water - there should be enough sauce here that you don't need to emulsify it with pasta water but it's always a good idea to reserve a little just in case.
    Can I use cream instead of mascarpone?

    Absolutely, add around 2-3 tablespoons of cream, stir it in then add more to taste.

    Can I make this without wine?

    Yes, you can leave it out altogether there's no need to replace it with anything.

    How long do leftovers last?

    Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be eaten cold or reheated. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

    A close up of creamy tomato pasta in a bowl topped with parmesan

    More easy pasta recipes you might like

    • Creamy 'Nduja Pasta with Baby Spinach
    • Shrimp Spaghetti with 'Nduja and Lemon
    • Sausage and Cavolo Nero Pasta
    • Easy Tuna Pasta with Tomatoes and Capers
    • Pasta al Limone (Creamy Lemon Pasta)

    If you’ve tried this Creamy Tomato Pasta recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST or sign up to our NEWSLETTER to see more of our delicious food

    📖 Full Recipe

    Step By Step Photos AboveMost of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
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    A close up of a creamy tomato pasta in a bowl
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    5 from 1 vote

    Creamy Tomato Pasta with Pancetta and Shallots

    An easy and delicious Creamy Tomato Pasta. Tomatoes mixed with mascarpone cheese, salty pancetta, shallots and a pinch of chilli flakes for a little heat. This recipe is so easy, ready in under 30 minutes and is packed full of flavour.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 4 - 6 servings
    Calories 775kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb short pasta (450g)
    • 3 cups passata (tomato puree in US) (680g)
    • 2 shallots finely sliced
    • 1 ¼ cup pancetta (160g)
    • â…“ cup white wine (70ml)
    • 2 tablespoons mascarpone (60g)
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (chilli flakes)
    • salt to season
    • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Parmigiano Reggiano for topping

    Instructions

    • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, once boiling add a generous amount of salt.
    • Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan and add the pancetta, fry until lightly golden then add the sliced shallots and red pepper flakes. Saute until soft (1-2 minutes).
    • Add the wine and reduce it by half. Add the tomatoes and a good pinch of salt and stir, simmer for 10 minutes.
    • After 5 minutes, add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente (about 8-9 minutes depending on shape and brand).
    • After simmering the sauce, add the mascarpone and stir in and simmer for a few more minutes until the pasta is done. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine, serve with freshly grated parmigian reggiano.

    Notes

    • Italian tomato passata - this is smooth pureed tomatoes sold in tall jars, it does not have any added sugar, flavouring, herbs, garlic etc it's just pure tomato and it's great for creating delicious sauces. In the US it's called tomato puree (it is not tomato concentrate), the brands we use are Mutti or Cirio.
    • Adjust chilli flakes to taste - you can leave them out or add more to taste.
    • What pasta to use - use any pasta shape you like, short pasta shapes work really well.
    • Reserving pasta water - there should be enough sauce here that you don't need to emulsify it with pasta water but it's always a good idea to reserve a little just in case.
    • Leftovers - leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be eaten cold or reheated on the stovetop. Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 775kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 1137mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1166IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

    More Italian Pasta Recipes

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      Creamy Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage
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      Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage and Brown Butter Sauce
    • An overhead shot of shrimp spaghetti in a rustic bowl sitting on a wooden surface with a glass of white wine at the side.
      Shrimp Spaghetti with 'Nduja and Lemon
    • Orecchiette pasta with a creamy tomato sauce in a rustic ceramic bowl topped with cheese
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Hannah

      February 18, 2022 at 11:49 am

      I used penne pasta and it was delicious! My new go to pasta recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Emily

        February 18, 2022 at 3:11 pm

        Hi Hannah, I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply

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