Creamy Caper Pasta
A deliciously creamy tomato sauce with the addition of capers for extra depth of flavor! This vegetarian sauce is an umami lovers dream and comes together in just 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400 g) dried pasta
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 fresh or roasted red pepper, diced
- 4.5 oz (130 g) mushrooms, diced
- ¼ - ½ cup (4 Tbsp) capers, drained - see notes for guidance on the quantity
- 1 tsp mixed Italian herbs
- 28 oz (800 g) canned tomatoes, whole, diced or chopped
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) double (heavy) cream
- ½ cup (50 g) parmesan, pecorino or Italian hard cheese, more for topping
Instructions
- Cook your veggies. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and saute the mushrooms and shallot until the mushrooms are starting to brown. Add the pepper and saute until soft.
- Add the garlic, herbs and capers. Use the wooden spoon to smoosh the capers into the sides of the pan and crush them down a little - this will help release all the flavors and cook it more evenly in the sauce.
- Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and sugar.
- Simmer for as long as you can - 45 minutes is ideal. Stir regularly. You want to see the sauce thickening up. If you're using whole tomatoes, use the spoon to break them up regularly as you stir.
- Once the sauce is almost ready, set your pasta cooking.
- Once you're almost ready to serve, add the cheese and cream to the sauce and stir through over a very low heat until the cheese has melted in and the sauce is thick and rich.
- Toss the pasta in with the sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
Use the lower amount of capers for a more subtle result, and the higher amount if you want a very strong caper presence. Or anything in the middle.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 610kcal, Carbohydrates: 96g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 909mg, Potassium: 1008mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 1034IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 284mg, Iron: 5mg