Creamy Tomato and Harissa Pasta

There’s something deeply satisfying about a bowl of pasta that’s both creamy and packed with bold, well-balanced flavours and Creamy Tomato and Harissa Pasta delivers exactly that. A luscious, silky sauce with just the right kick of spice, all clinging to perfectly cooked pasta. It’s the kind of dish that feels indulgent but comes together with minimal effort.

This recipe offers flexibility too. Swap out sundried tomatoes for roasted red peppers, or mascarpone for ricotta, and you’ll have a completely new yet equally delicious meal. The base flavours work with a variety of antipasti, so you can make it your own.

See how I make this dish here.

Table of Contents

• Ingredient Breakdown
• The Power of Harissa
• Mascarpone: The Ultimate Pasta Sauce Ingredient
• Sundried Tomatoes: More Than Just a Pantry Staple
• Pasta Water: The Secret to a Luxurious Sauce
• The Perfect Pasta Pairing
• More Pasta Recipes

Ingredient Breakdown

• Dried pasta: A solid foundation, with bucatini adding extra bite.
• Mascarpone: Rich and creamy, creating a velvety sauce.
• Sundried tomatoes: Deeply savoury and slightly tangy, adding depth.
• Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano: A sharp, salty backbone.
• Fresh basil leaves: Bright, herby freshness to lift the dish.
• Rose harissa paste: A smoky, floral heat that brings warmth.
• Garlic: Essential for a savoury punch.
• Cold water: Helps blend the sauce to the right consistency.

The Power of Harissa

Harissa has long been a staple in North African and Middle Eastern cooking, where it’s used to add depth, warmth, and complexity to everything from stews to marinades. Made from a blend of roasted red peppers, spices, garlic, and olive oil, it brings a unique combination of smoky heat and subtle sweetness that elevates simple dishes.

In Creamy Tomato and Harissa Pasta, harissa plays a crucial role in balancing the richness of mascarpone. Without it, the sauce could feel overly creamy or one-dimensional. Harissa introduces a subtle heat that lingers rather than overwhelms, making it more complex than simply adding fresh chilli or red pepper flakes. The rose variety used in this recipe is particularly special, as it incorporates floral notes that enhance the aromatic depth of the sauce.

The use of harissa in pasta might not be traditional, but it makes perfect sense. Italian and North African cuisines share many common ingredients – garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes being key examples. So incorporating harissa into a Mediterranean-inspired dish creates a seamless fusion. The gentle warmth works beautifully with the umami-rich sundried tomatoes and nutty parmesan, proving that this ingredient deserves a spot in more pasta dishes.

For those who prefer a milder dish, adjusting the harissa quantity is simple. Start with a smaller amount and taste as you go. If you enjoy a smokier profile, opt for a harissa paste with a roasted pepper base. For a sharper heat, look for versions with a higher chilli content. Whatever you choose, harissa ensures this pasta remains vibrant and deeply flavoured.

Mascarpone: The Ultimate Pasta Sauce Ingredient

Mascarpone is often associated with desserts, but it shines just as brightly in savoury dishes. Unlike traditional cream or milk-based sauces, mascarpone has a naturally thick and velvety consistency, meaning it blends seamlessly with other ingredients without requiring a roux or prolonged cooking. This makes it an excellent choice for quick yet luxurious pasta dishes.

One of the key advantages of mascarpone is its mild, slightly sweet profile. Unlike cream cheese, which has a tangier edge, or heavy cream, which can dilute flavours, mascarpone enhances the richness of a dish without overpowering other ingredients. In this Creamy Tomato and Harissa Pasta, it acts as a perfect counterbalance to the smoky heat of harissa and the tanginess of sundried tomatoes, creating a sauce that’s indulgent but not heavy.

Another benefit is its ability to emulsify sauces effortlessly. When blended with a small amount of cold water, mascarpone creates a glossy, well-integrated mixture that clings beautifully to pasta. This allows the other ingredients – harissa, parmesan, and basil – to infuse every bite evenly, ensuring no element feels disjointed. The result is a silky, restaurant-worthy sauce made with minimal effort.

If you don’t have mascarpone on hand, ricotta or even Greek yoghurt can be used as alternatives. However, mascarpone’s high-fat content and natural smoothness make it the superior choice for achieving a truly creamy, cohesive sauce.

Sundried Tomatoes: More Than Just a Pantry Staple

Sundried tomatoes might seem like a small component in this recipe, but they contribute an essential layer of richness. Unlike fresh tomatoes, which can sometimes taste overly acidic or watery, sundried tomatoes pack an intense umami punch that deepens the sauce’s overall profile.

Their concentrated flavour comes from the drying process, which removes excess moisture while preserving natural sugars and savoury compounds. This gives them a more complex taste – slightly tangy, slightly sweet, and intensely tomatoey. When blended into the sauce, they create a velvety base that enhances the dish’s depth without the need for slow cooking or additional seasoning.

Pairing sundried tomatoes with harissa is particularly effective because they both share smoky undertones. The harissa adds heat and spice, while the sundried tomatoes provide an anchoring sweetness. Mascarpone rounds everything out, ensuring the sauce remains well-balanced rather than overly acidic or sharp.

For those who want to experiment, swapping sundried tomatoes for jarred roasted red peppers is an excellent alternative. The result will be a slightly milder, sweeter sauce, but one that still maintains a beautifully creamy consistency. Either way, the key is choosing high-quality, oil-packed sundried tomatoes, as they retain more moisture and blend more smoothly than their dry-packed counterparts.

Pasta Water: The Secret to a Luxurious Sauce

One of the simplest yet most effective techniques for creating restaurant-quality pasta at home is using pasta water to bind the sauce. It’s a step that’s easy to overlook but makes all the difference in achieving the perfect consistency.

When pasta cooks, the starch from the noodles releases into the water, creating a slightly thickened liquid that acts as a natural emulsifier. Instead of adding extra cream or oil, a small ladleful of this starchy water helps loosen the sauce while allowing it to adhere to the pasta more effectively.

In Creamy Tomato and Harissa Pasta, pasta water plays a crucial role in ensuring the sauce isn’t too thick or clumpy. The mascarpone-based mixture is naturally rich, but adding pasta water lightens it just enough to create a silky, flowing texture. It also prevents the cheese from becoming grainy, a common issue when mixing dairy with acidic ingredients like sundried tomatoes.

For the best results, reserve at least two ladlefuls of pasta water before draining. Start by adding one ladleful when tossing the pasta with the sauce, stirring vigorously to coat each strand. If the sauce still feels too thick, add a little more, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. This method ensures every bite is perfectly sauced, with no dry patches or clumps.

The Perfect Pasta Pairing

While this recipe works with any pasta shape, but here are some personal favourites:

• Bucatini is a particularly good choice. Its hollow centre allows the sauce to seep inside, ensuring every bite is packed with flavour. 
• If you prefer a shorter shape, rigatoni or orecchiette work well, offering plenty of surface area for the sauce to grip.

More Pasta Recipes

We all love pasta, there’s no denying it. So if you’re looking for more recipes just like this Creamy Tomato and Harissa Pasta, then here you go:

• Creamy Red Pepper Pasta: It’s amazing how a little onion, garlic, tomato purée, peppers and cream can come together in mere minutes to make a delicious, deeply-flavoured sauce. 
• Creamy Tomato Pasta: Comfort food at its finest! Adding mascarpone and parmigiano reggiano to traditional marinara makes for a delicious pasta sauce. 
• Aubergine (Eggplant) & Tomato Pasta: A delicious vegan pasta dish that even the most avid of meat eaters will love! The sauce combines rosemary roasted aubergine with a tasty tomato sauce.
• Creamy Tomato and Pepper Pasta: This bowl of pasta is the perfect way to embrace the natural sweetness of roasted vegetables while indulging in a rich, velvety sauce.