Description
A rich and creamy tomato pasta sauce made with tomato paste, cream, parmesan, and a hint of lemon juice, perfect for tossing with your favorite pasta for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 30 grams butter (2 tablespoons)
- ½ onion finely chopped (about 70 grams)
- 3 garlic cloves finely diced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 70 grams tomato paste (¼ cup)
- ¾ cup cream
- 40 grams parmesan finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Pasta
- 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh pasta
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Get a pot of heavily salted water boiling and cook the pasta, timing it so it can be added directly to the sauce at the end. Reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water before draining if the pasta finishes before the sauce is ready.
- Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the finely chopped onions. When sizzling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft.
- Add Garlic and Pepper: Add the diced garlic and black pepper, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes on low heat to avoid browning.
- Incorporate Tomato Paste: Add the tomato paste and whisk to combine, cooking it for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add Cream: With heat on low to medium, gradually add the cream while whisking to combine evenly. Keep the sauce at a very gentle simmer to prevent curdling.
- Add Lemon Juice: Quickly whisk in the lemon juice. To avoid curdling, you can add it later with the cooked pasta if preferred.
- Mix in Parmesan: Stir in the finely grated parmesan in three additions, whisking after each to ensure it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce along with about ¼ cup of reserved pasta water. Let it bubble gently for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken, adding more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Season and Serve: Taste the sauce and add salt as needed. Serve garnished with extra parmesan, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves if desired.
Notes
- Onion size varies by region; a half onion in this recipe is approximately 70 grams.
- Timing pasta and sauce cooking together improves with practice; start the sauce about 3 to 4 minutes into pasta cooking for dried pasta that requires 11 to 12 minutes.
- Always reserve some pasta water before draining, as its starchiness helps thicken and loosen the sauce.
- The sauce may seem very saucy at first, but pasta absorbs it quickly as it sits, reducing visually.
- Serve with a fresh iceberg wedge salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
