Vegetarian creamy tomato and mascarpone pasta with rocket

Vegetarian creamy tomato and mascarpone pasta with rocket: a quick pasta recipe with cherry tomatoes, mascarpone, garlic and olive oil.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 15 min
• Total time: 25 min
• Calories: 510 kcal per serving
• Protein: 14 g
• Fat: 24 g
• Carbs: 55 g

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove
• 250g cherry tomatoes
• 1 handful of rocket
• 200g pasta
• 2 tbsp mascarpone
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

You’ll need: frying pan · saucepan · chopping board · knife · sieve · wooden spoon

1. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Save a little of the pasta water before draining.
2. Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes. Peel the garlic and cut it into thin slices.
3. Gently heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the garlic and cherry tomatoes until the tomatoes soften and release their juice.
4. Add the mascarpone with a little pasta water to the pan and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper until you have a creamy sauce.
5. Add the drained pasta straight to the sauce and toss everything thoroughly. Carefully fold in the rocket only at the end.
6. Divide between plates and serve straight away. Finish with a little black pepper, if you like.

Good to know

This pasta is simple, and that's exactly why it's so good. Creamy, fresh and on the table in no time. At the end, the rocket adds a little bite and a peppery note.

Swaps

1 tbsp olive oil → 1 tbsp avocado oil (heat-stable) 2 tbsp mascarpone → 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt or skyr (more protein, less saturated fat) 200g pasta → 200g wholewheat or lentil pasta (more fibre) 1 handful of rocket → 1 handful of spinach or lamb's lettuce (mild and versatile)

Allergens

The dish contains gluten (pasta) and milk (mascarpone). Usually well suited to children; with a sensitive stomach, raw or only briefly cooked rocket and garlic can be strong. In pregnancy, wash the rocket well and use pasteurised dairy products.

Frequently asked questions

What's in cherry tomatoes, nutritionally?

Cherry tomatoes provide vitamin C, potassium and the carotenoid lycopene. The lycopene content can vary a little with variety and ripeness.

Is rocket just a garnish?

Rocket brings more than peppery heat: it contains vitamin K, some folate and plant compounds from the glucosinolate group.

Why do olive oil and tomatoes go so well together?

Olive oil mainly provides monounsaturated fatty acids. The lycopene in tomatoes is fat-soluble, so tomatoes and a little fat make a natural pairing.

Does garlic suit everyone?

Not always. Garlic contains sulphur compounds and FODMAPs, which can cause bloating or a feeling of pressure in sensitive people.

How rich is mascarpone?

Mascarpone contains milk fat and small amounts of lactose, and is very high in fat overall. If rich dairy products don't suit you, small portions often work better than large ones.