Creamy Mascarpone Parmesan Pasta

When it comes to cream sauce and pasta, nothing beats this Creamy Mascarpone Parmesan Pasta! The creamiest of them all, this sauce is prepared with both mascarpone and parmesan cheese, seasonings, and fresh lemon juice. Topped with toasted breadcrumbs for taste and texture, this quick and easy meal is simply delicious!

It is the combination of two cheeses that makes this pasta dish taste so good! The mascarpone adds a little bit of sweetness in terms of flavour, but adds so much creaminess and richness to the sauce. In contrast, the parmesan adds saltiness and silkiness to the sauce. Throw in some salt and pepper, some garlic and onion powder, maybe some crushed red chili flakes, and a splash of lemon juice, and you’ve got yourself a meal! Creamy Mascarpone Parmesan Pasta is a meal so delicious, I’d serve it to anyone!

WHAT IS MASCARPONE CHEESE?

Mascarpone is a very smooth, spreadable cheese made with fresh cream. The flavour is milky and slightly sweet, and it has a richness to it. The texture is almost buttery, but that’s because of the high butterfat content. In comparison to heavy cream, for example, mascarpone can have up to 75% fat content, while heavy cream falls somewhere between 35 and 38%

Mascarpone can be quite costly, but it does go on sale quite often. It is not something you would want to eat every day, so on occasion, it’s nice to splurge a little and treat yourself.

Mascarpone can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes. Either way, it will always make sure the recipe is rich and creamy! You can use it instead of whipped cream in some recipes. In terms of savoury recipes, like this Creamy Mascarpone Parmesan Pasta, you can use it in place of cream in nearly any dish. It can also be used to thicken soups! I think one of the most common ways to serve it is in a tiramisu or with fresh berries and fruit.

PARMESAN CHEESE

I know a wedge of parmesan – even a small one – can be anywhere from 12 to 20 dollars. So, you can use other cheeses that will save you a few bucks. My go-to cheese if I can’t get good parmesan is pecorino romano. It has a very similar taste and texture.

I have another option that’s a little outside the box, but don’t knock it until you try it! Have you heard of nutritional yeast? It’s quite good and is an ingredient many vegans will use as a parmesan alternative.

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast commonly used as an ingredient in creamy, dairy-free cheese substitutes. You can often find it used as a topping for foods like my Doritos Cool Ranch Popcorn.

I’ve also used it in my Homemade Ranch Seasoning, which is great stirred into buttermilk to make a salad dressing. Or into sour cream for a very tasty ranch dip! I’ve also used it in this Garlic Bread recipe. Honestly, Dear Reader, it’s delicious!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this Creamy Mascarpone and Parmesan Pasta recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Pasta – You will need to cook your pasta in salted water. Once cooked, drain it and reserve one cup of the pasta water for later.
• Mascarpone – You will need one container of cheese. I love the Tre Stelle brand, because, unlike other brands, there are never any concerns about moisture separation.
• Parmesan Cheese – I love to use freshly grated parmesan whenever possible, but I’m not against the kind bought in a can either if that fits better into your grocery budget. However, with that said, pasta is always best with freshly grated parmesan.
• Lemon Juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Parsley – This is used to add colour and freshness as well as a garnish.
• Dried Red Chili Flakes – These are optional, so only use a pinch or two if you want a bit of heat.
• Panko – These are Japanese bread crumbs. They’re crispier and lighter than regular Italian bread crumbs.
• Olive Oil

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY MASCARPONE PARMESAN PASTA

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, add the panko breadcrumbs and the olive oil to a skillet. Stir well over medium heat. Toast the breadcrumbs until they are lightly browned and crunchy. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate to cool.

Next, in a large skillet, over medium heat, add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, along with the mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper, and dried red chili flakes. Stir, warming thoroughly until the ingredients come together to form a creamy sauce. Once the sauce is creamy, add in the parmesan cheese and stir well.

Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to mix with the sauce. Add the parsley and continue to cook until the pasta is reheated. At this point, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water if you prefer a thinner sauce. Toss well to incorporate.

Add half of the toasted breadcrumbs, stir to incorporate, and turn off the heat. Plate and top with some of the remaining breadcrumbs. Garnish optionally with parsley, parmesan, and more chili flakes.

COOKING PASTA

Let me talk to you a bit about how to get the pasta just right without overcooking it. Someone once told me that I prepare pasta like an old Italian grandma. That has stuck we me for so many years. You see, Dear Reader, I’m far from perfect, but cooking pasta is one thing I can certainly do perfectly. I don’t care what the back of the pasta package says, cook your pasta according to taste and texture. Ignore everything else. Here are my 4 steadfast rules:

Rule #1: Say no to oil!

Do you add oil to your pasta water before adding the pasta? Stop that right now! I don’t know who’s responsible for that, but I have seen some TV chefs do it! If you add oil to your pasta water, do you know what happens when you put the sauce on it? The sauce won’t stick as well as it should. It will slide off because the oil prevents it from sticking.

Rule #2: Add extra salt!

Salt the water. I used to be so afraid of salting pasta water because I thought it would be too salty to eat. Salting the water, before you add the pasta, is the only chance you get to season that pasta. Let the water come to a full boil before adding your salt. The water should taste like the ocean. Your version of this Artichoke and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad will thank you! Don’t dump the salt in; stir it in. Preventing the salt from settling at the bottom of your pot will keep your pot looking shiny and new. If you have pots with what looks like a tarnished or unpolished interior bottom, it’s because salt sits at the bottom of your pot.

Rule #3: Get that pasta moving about immediately!

Stir the pasta for a good minute when you first add it to the water. This helps to wash off some of the starch and prevents the pasta from sticking to the pot and to itself. I always pull out a piece of pasta 4 minutes before the package says it will be ready. Taste it. Chew it. It shouldn’t be completely soft. If it has a bit of bite left in the center, get it out of the water and drain it immediately. You can thank me later!

Rule #4: Do not rinse!

So many of us are tempted to rinse pasta under running water after it’s been drained. I think it comes from the notion that it gets rid of the starch. Well, it does in a way. But, when pasta begins to cool off and dry, it becomes a little sticky. That stickiness soaks up pasta sauce, so don’t flush it out! A quick drain is all you need. Get the pasta into a bowl or onto a plate. Get the sauce on it and serve it up. (That all applies to hot pasta dishes, but for a pasta salad, go ahead and rinse. Get all of that starch off!)

HOW TO REHEAT LEFTOVER PASTA

Reheating leftover pasta is always a risk because overcooked pasta can easily become gluey and not very satisfying to bite into. Whenever you are reheating pasta that has a cream sauce, the best way to combat a not-so-favourable texture is to add more fat. Here’s how I do it.

Add a teaspoon of butter to a skillet with a splash of milk. Over medium heat, allow the butter to melt. Once melted, add the leftover pasta to the skillet and place a lid on it. Wait for 2 minutes and then use tongs to toss the pasta, loosening it up and mixing that melted butter and milk with the cold cream sauce. If it’s still too dry, add another splash of milk and put the lid back on for another minute or two.

Toss again and continue to do this until the pasta is fully reheated and the cream sauce has transformed its way back to a glistening, silky, smooth consistency. Plate, garnish, and get it into your belly!