Description
This Pink Sauce Pasta is creamy, tangy, and absolutely delicious! With a rich balance of tomato and cream, it creates a velvety sauce that coats the pasta perfectly. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s an easy, restaurant-quality dish
Ingredients
Scale
-
For the Pasta:
- 12 oz pasta (penne, fettuccine, or rigatoni)
- 1 tsp salt (for boiling water)
For the Pink Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a kick)
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half & half for a lighter version)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup pasta water (if needed for thinning)
- 1 tbsp butter (for extra creaminess)
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.
- Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil or butter.
- Add chopped onion and cook until soft (about 3-4 minutes).
- Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make the Pink Sauce
- Pour in tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the Cream & Cheese
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream.
- Mix in grated Parmesan cheese, allowing it to melt into the sauce.
- Add butter for extra richness and stir until smooth.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Combine & Serve
- Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce, stirring well to coat.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan.
- Enjoy!
- Serve immediately with garlic bread or a side salad.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half.
- If you like a little heat, increase the red pepper flakes or add a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese will give the sauce a richer flavor compared to pre-grated versions.
- The pink sauce can also be used as a base for other pasta dishes, or as a dipping sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 55mg