Description
A rich and creamy tomato pasta sauce made with tomato paste, cream, parmesan, garlic, and onion, perfectly balanced with lemon juice and black pepper. This sauce is quick to prepare and pairs wonderfully with your favorite dried or fresh pasta for a comforting and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter
- ½ onion finely chopped (about 70 grams)
- 3 garlic cloves finely diced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup (70 grams) tomato paste
- 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: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta, timing it so it finishes just as the sauce is ready. Reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Sauté Onions: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook on medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes until they are soft and translucent.
- Add Garlic and Pepper: Add the finely diced garlic and black pepper to the pan. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes on low heat, ensuring nothing browns.
- Incorporate Tomato Paste: Add the tomato paste and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Add Cream: Pour in the cream and whisk to combine evenly. Keep the sauce at a very gentle simmer on low to medium heat to prevent curdling.
- Add Lemon Juice: Quickly whisk in the lemon juice. If concerned about curdling, add lemon juice at the very end with the pasta.
- Add Parmesan: Gradually add the finely grated parmesan in three additions, whisking well between each to melt the cheese 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. Allow the pasta to cook gently in the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken and bind, loosening with more pasta water if needed.
- Season and Serve: Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve immediately with additional parmesan, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves if desired.
Notes
- Onion size varies by region; a half onion in the USA is approximately 70 grams.
- Timing the pasta cooking and sauce preparation is key; start the sauce when the pasta has about 7 to 8 minutes remaining to cook.
- Always reserve pasta water before draining as it helps in loosening and binding the sauce perfectly.
- The sauce may seem abundant at first but pasta absorbs it quickly as it sits; having extra sauce is preferable to too little.
- Serve alongside a fresh iceberg wedge salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
