Summer Pasta with Mascarpone Cream Sauce
My summer pasta with mascarpone cream sauce was so easy, incredibly tasty and will be the perfect ending to a warm summer day.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 50
- Yield: 4 - 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilling & Saute
- Cuisine: Pasta
Ingredients
Basil Vinaigrette
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves*
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar*
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Grilled Shrimp
- 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1/2 cup of Basil Vinaigrette
- ½ lemon, cut into wedges
Mascarpone Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grated or minced garlic
- 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Summer Pasta
- 1 pound pasta, your choice (I used linguine)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kernels removed from 2 medium ears of uncooked corn, about 2 cups
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, either cut in half or left whole
- Basil, for garnish
Instructions
Basil Vinaigrette
Add the ingredients to your blender and blend until the mixture is smooth and pourable. Adjust seasonings, if needed. If you are not using this immediately, then you can store it in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Grilled Shrimp
Place the shrimp in a medium sized bowl. Add the basil vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Marinate the shrimp for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your grill to at least 350 degrees. After the shrimp is done marinating, add them to skewers and place on the hot grill. Cook on the grill for about 3 minutes per side. Sometimes I do 4 minutes per side because we like them a bit firmer. Just remember, the bigger the shrimp, the longer the cooking time will be.
When the shrimp is done cooking on the grill, remove it from the skewers and set aside until you’re ready to use.
Mascarpone Cream Sauce
Preheat a skillet over medium/low heat. Make sure all your ingredients are ready to go to avoid burning the garlic.
Add olive oil to the pan. Add in the garlic and sauté for about a minute or until it becomes fragrant. Do not burn the garlic. If it burns, discard burned garlic, clean out your pan and begin again.
Now stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should become thick and creamy.
Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese until it’s melted. Set aside until ready to use.
Summer Pasta
Bring large pot of water to a boil, add a liberal amount of salt and cook pasta to the package directions. Drain the pasta and place it back in the hot pot. Add the mascarpone cream sauce to the pasta and stir to coat the pasta completely.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil to it. Add in the corn and tomatoes. Season this immediately with salt and pepper and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes. You want to make sure that the tomatoes start to burst. Remove from the heat.
Top the mascarpone cream covered pasta with the corn/tomato mixture and the grilled shrimp*, if you’re using it. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the summer pasta with mascarpone cream sauce and grilled shrimp. Garnish with basil, if desired.
Notes
- I used about 3 cups the last time I made this. It was heavier/thicker, but still had great flavor.
- The original recipe calls for red wine vinegar, but I’ve used ACV in it’s place and it’s pretty darn tasty.
- Leave the shrimp out for a vegetarian pasta dish!
Keywords: shrimp pasta, summer pasta, pasta, vegetarian pasta, vegetarian, shrimp, summer, seafood, seafood pasta