Paccheri with Faux Sauce

Name: Paccheri with Faux Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Paccheri pasta 11.3 oz; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Peeled tomatoes Converted from kilograms to pounds, rounded to the nearest tenth for convenience. 2.6 lbs; Tomatoes type Roma ripe 7.1 oz; White onions Converted to imperial units for easier use in recipes. 2.8 oz; Carrots 2.8 oz; Celery 2.8 oz; Garlic 1 clove; Basil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fresh liquid cream 0.8 cup; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese Conversion from grams to ounces, rounded for convenience 3.5 oz; Basil Converted from grams to ounces. 1.8 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 9.4 tbsp

it de es fr br

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Silvia Barban

So here's the thing: if you’re craving that classic Italian vibe, paccheri al sugo finto is the way to go. And you know what? This Tuscan pasta dish comes straight from the heart of Tuscany and Marche. Imagine resourceful cooks whipping up a rich, tender sauce—without any meat at all! Really really impressive. This paccheri recipe leans on a flavorful soffritto. And it's just sweet onions, carrots and celery, cooked just right. Add homemade tomato sauce, then let it all simmer until those flavors blend beautifully.

The result? A deep, savory sauce. It mimics a meat ragù in richness while being completely vegetarian. And those wide, tubular paccheri? Perfect for soaking up every bit of this delicious sauce. Seriously good. What makes this version of paccheri al sugo finto really stand out is the creamy Parmesan fonduta and a splash of fresh basil oil.

The fonduta—so silky, so luxurious—wraps around the pasta. It gives the dish this refined feel, yet it stays true to its roots. Meanwhile, the basil oil? Adds a fresh kick, balancing the richness and keeping things lively. In Tuscany and Marche, this vegetarian pasta sauce is loved for its straightforward flavors and clever use of simple ingredients. With these little touches, it's perfect for a dinner party.

And look, despite being a "fake meat sauce," you won't miss a thing. It's comforting, for sure, and showcases how traditional Italian vegetarian cooking can be so so creative and satisfying. When you're hunting for a meatless pasta sauce that seems like it simmered all day, this recipe hits the mark. Every forkful carries those Italian vibes with a modern twist, giving you a taste of Italy's culinary heritage right at home. It's an inviting blend of tradition and innovation—pretty much guaranteed to impress anyone at your table.

INGREDIENTS

Paccheri pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

for the faux sauce: Peeled tomatoes 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg) - Converted from kilograms to pounds, rounded to the nearest tenth for convenience.; Tomatoes 7.1 oz (200 g) - type Roma ripe; White onions 2.8 oz (80 g) - Converted to imperial units for easier use in recipes.; Carrots 2.8 oz (80 g); Celery 2.8 oz (80 g); Garlic 1 clove; Basil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

for the Parmesan fondue: Fresh liquid cream 0.8 cup (200 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 3.5 oz (100 g) - Conversion from grams to ounces, rounded for convenience

for the basil oil: Basil 1.8 oz (50 g) - Converted from grams to ounces.; Extra virgin olive oil 9.4 tbsp (125 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Paccheri with Faux Sauce

To prepare the paccheri with faux sauce, start with the How to make the soffritto: clean and chop the celery 1, onion 2, and carrot 3.

Then cut the fresh tomatoes into pieces 4. In a large saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and add a crushed clove of garlic, then add the chopped onion 5, carrot, and celery 6 and sauté over low heat until the vegetables are soft and glossy.

Add the chopped fresh tomatoes 7 and let them wither, then season with salt 8 and pepper. Mix well, letting everything flavor until the base is well blended 9.

Crush the peeled tomatoes 10 and add them to the sofrito 11, mix and cook over low heat for about 50 minutes until the sauce is reduced and thick. Meanwhile, prepare the basil oil: heat the oil to about 149°F for 5 minutes, checking the temperature with a food thermometer 12.

Pour the hot oil over the fresh basil leaves collected in the blender cup 13, then blend with the immersion blender 14 until you get a green and fragrant oil 15.

Now move on to the Parmesan fondue: heat the cream in a saucepan without bringing it to a boil and gradually incorporate the grated Parmesan Reggiano 16, stirring with a whisk 17 until you obtain a smooth and velvety cream. Keep it warm. When the sauce is ready, remove the clove of garlic 18.

Season with fresh basil torn directly with your hands 19; mix and let it flavor for a few more moments 20. Bring plenty of salted water to a boil and cook the paccheri 21 until al dente.

Drain them and transfer them directly to the saucepan with the sauce 22. Add a drizzle of oil 23 and briefly toss the pasta, mixing to make it flavor and bind well to the seasoning 34.

Plate the paccheri, complete with a few tablespoons of basil oil 25, and finally garnish with the Parmesan fondue 26. Serve the paccheri with faux sauce hot 27!

Storage

We recommend consuming the paccheri with faux sauce immediately.
The faux sauce can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days; you can also freeze it.
The basil oil can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Tip

Do you want a brighter green basil oil? After blending it, pour it into a food-grade bag and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours. With the cold, the watery part will tend to separate from the oil: at this point, simply make a small hole in a corner of the bag to let the water out and remove it easily, thus preserving only the most intense and bright part.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Paccheri with Faux Sauce

PRESENTATION

INGREDIENTS

How to prepare Paccheri with Faux Sauce

Storage

Tip

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