Name: One Pot Pasta with Tomato Mascarpone Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 2 tomatoes, diced; 1 zucchini, diced; 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 12 oz. rotini; 3 cups boiling water; 3 tbsp mascarpone; 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

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A quick and easy one pot pasta with fresh tomatoes, zucchini, and basil. And the creamy tomato mascarpone sauce will keep you coming back for more. Perfect for when you need to get dinner on the table fast!

I’ve only recently hopped on the “one-pot pasta” bandwagon. I admit that I was skeptical at first, but it really is a genius cooking hack. Why cook your pasta separately from the sauce when you can cook them together in one pot?? And this pasta recipe with tomato mascarpone sauce is a great dish to utilize this technique!

For this recipe, plump rotini pasta is cooked in a tangy red sauce featuring tomatoes, zucchini, onion, and basil. And there is a magical ingredient added at the end: mascarpone. This buttery Italian cheese adds silky creaminess with such depth of flavor, and makes the sauce so addictive. This pasta recipe can truly be called comfort food, despite the fact that it’s super healthy. And dinner can be on the table in less than 30 minutes!

tomato basil pasta with zucchini on a white plate with fork

Recipe Notes and Helpful Tips

Although the amount of salt listed (1 1/2 tsp.) may seem like a lot, you aren’t adding any salt to the pasta water, so the dish is not overly salty at all.

If the mascarpone tomato sauce is too thick and you want to thin it out a bit, add hot water one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.

Serve immediately or heat before serving. It can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

zucchini, tomato, and onion cooking in a dutch oven with wooden spoon

one pot pasta with tomato mascarpone sauce in a large pot

Step-By-Step Instructions

In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and oregano, and cook for an additional minute.
Add tomatoes, zucchini, tomato paste, and salt and stir to combine. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.
Pour boiling water and rotini into the pot. Give it a stir and simmer for 10-12 minutes. You may need to adjust the heat to low if it reaches a rapid boil and starts to splatter. Remove from heat.
Add mascarpone and basil and stir thoroughly. If mixture is too thick, add an additional tablespoon or two of hot water.

fork holding up bite of pasta with tomato mascarpone sauce on a white plate

Variations & Substitutions

Try different pasta shapes each time you make this, and see which one you like best! I like rotini for this dish because it holds the thick sauce really well.

Use spinach pasta (or any type of pasta made of veggies) or gluten-free pasta to make an even healthier meal.

Add your favorite protein for a heartier dish (chicken, turkey, tofu, or chickpeas would all work great!).

For a spicier pasta dish, add 1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes before serving.

More Pasta Recipe Ideas!

wooden spoon lifting up serving of tomato pasta out of a large pot

Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.