Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 yellow or sweet onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, double-concentrated if available
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 3 ounces mascarpone cheese
- Parmesan cheese (optional, for topping)
- Fresh parsley or basil (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Prepare Aromatics: Dice the onion and finely chop the garlic to ensure they release maximum flavor during cooking.
- Heat Oil and Cook Onion: Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot or large frying pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the diced onion and sweat it until translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the chopped garlic and cook just until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute, being careful not to let it brown.
- Incorporate Tomato Paste: Add tomato paste to the pan and cook it with the onion and garlic, allowing it to brown slightly for about 2 minutes. This step deepens the tomato flavor.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom to incorporate their flavor.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasoning: Add the canned tomatoes (crush whole peeled tomatoes by hand if used), Italian seasoning, chili flakes if using, and salt. Stir everything together.
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes to meld and thicken the flavors.
- Adjust Seasoning and Finish: Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Remove the sauce from heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese until smoothly combined, creating a creamy texture.
- Serve: Optionally, mix in cooked pasta and top with grated Parmesan and fresh herbs like parsley or basil for extra flavor and a beautiful presentation.
Notes
- This sauce works wonderfully over pasta, veggie noodles, chicken cutlets with melted provolone or mozzarella for a creamy chicken parmesan, zucchini boats, stuffed peppers, or sausage sandwiches.
- For pasta dishes, use approximately 8 ounces of pasta to one batch of sauce.
- For a creamier texture, increase the amount of mascarpone added at the end.
- To create a smoother sauce, blend all or part of the tomatoes before adding them to the pot.
- Store the sauce in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave, watching for splatters.
- If freezing, omit the mascarpone during storage and add it only when reheating to preserve the sauce's creamy texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
