Italian Pink Sauce Pasta Recipe (Tomato Cream)

Italian Pink Sauce Pasta Recipe (Tomato Cream)- a crave worthy 20 minute pasta sauce with a few simple ingredients for a busy weeknight. An easy pasta dish that brings everyone to the table.

This beautiful Italian pink sauce is a simple pasta tomato cream sauce for any type of pasta. It is also known as Rose or Parma Rosa Sauce. Great sauce for lobster ravioli!

More traditional Italian pasta sauce recipes: Authentic Italian Pasta Puttanesca Sauce, Restaurant Style Italian Cacio e Pepe (Best Tips), and Authentic Italian Pesto Genovese (Basil Pesto).

If you are looking for traditional tomato sauce or red sauce rather than a creamy tomato sauce try: Classic Italian Tomato Sauce (Sugo al Pomodoro). This pink sauce pasta recipe pairs well with this BEST Breaded Chicken Cutlets (Italian).

Jump to:

• What is Italian Pink Sauce?
• Ingredients for Italian Pink Sauce Pasta
• How to make Italian Pink Sauce Pasta Recipe (Tomato Cream)
• How to make Pink Sauce (Tomato and Cream) Pasta- Video
• Pasta recommendations
• Tomato sauce
• Why add tomato paste to tomato sauce?
• Heavy whipping cream for pink sauce
• Other names for pink sauce
• Substitutions
• Pink Sauce Variations
• Equipment for recipe
• Make ahead and storage
• What to serve with pasta and pink sauce
• Top tips
• Easy Italian Pink Sauce Recipe (Tomato Cream Pasta)

What is Italian Pink Sauce?

Italian pink sauce is one of the most simple creamy tomato sauces to prepare for seasoning any type of pasta.

This pink tomato cream sauce gets the name "rosa", or pink, in Italian from the mix of white heavy whipping cream and red tomato puree. You can make the sauce more or less pink depending on the ratios you use.

You can prepare it in only 20 minutes, so it makes it a great recipe for a fast yet delectable Italian style pasta night. 

Ingredients for Italian Pink Sauce Pasta

With only a few simple ingredients and little time you can have this restaurant style recipe ready in no time at all.

• Penne pasta or other pasta of choice
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh Garlic
• Yellow Onion
• Tomato puree  
• Tomato paste 
• Heavy Cream
• Fresh Basil
• Salt (for pasta water)
• Parmigiano or parmesan cheese
• Optional (red pepper flakes)

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Italian Pink Sauce Pasta Recipe (Tomato Cream)

The process for pink pasta sauce is simple and straightforward making this an easy go-to pasta sauce recipe.

Your delicious pasta sauce is just a few simple steps away...

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1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. 
2. Pour in tomato puree and tomato paste. Stir well to combine. 
3. Add salt and bring to a soft boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.

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1. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente texture. Read my detailed guide to make the perfect pasta every time! Make sure you have the right pasta tool for stirring pasta!
2. Add cream, parmigiano cheese, and fresh basil to the tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Let bubble a few minutes on low heat. Turn off heat. Take pan off stovetop.
3. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water and drain pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the reserved pasta water. Stir until well combined.
4. Serve with extra parmigiano cheese, red pepper flakes (if deserved), and a few fresh basil leaves. Mangia! (Eat!)

Hint: Don't forget to taste test your pasta for 'al dente' texture and save a little pasta water to create the perfect sauce!

How to make Pink Sauce (Tomato and Cream) Pasta- Video

This recipe is super easy to make! Watch the video to see.

Pasta recommendations

For this recipe I love a short pasta variety. You can try elbow macaroni, penne, rigatoni, or shells. It works perfectly well with long pasta, or even ravioli!

To ready more about what sauces go well with what sauces see the chart in this post: Cheap vs. Expensive Pasta (Why Pasta Quality Matters!).

Tomato sauce

Using the right tomato puree is key achieving the best sauce. I recommend using a good quality brand that uses tomatoes picked at the peak of ripeness.

Don't use a brand that uses a lot of citric acid to preserve freshness- or it can make the sauce acidic.

TIP: In case you do end up with a sauce that is a little acidic add a teaspoon of sugar.

Brands I recommend:

• Bianco DiNapoli Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes 
• Cento Italian Style
• Dellalo San Marzano
• Muir Glen Organic

If you use whole tomatoes and instead of the puree make sure to blend the tomato until smooth before using them in this recipe.

Why add tomato paste to tomato sauce?

The addition of a little tomato paste in the sauce intensifies the rich tomato flavor. The concentrated bold tomato flavor makes this sauce extra tasty!

The addition of heavy cream can slightly hide the sensational tomato taste and the tomato paste helps bring it back.

Heavy whipping cream for pink sauce

Make sure to look at the ingredients in your whipping cream. Some brands add stabilizers to make the cream have more 'body' instead of ONLY using cream.

This can result to a sauce that isn't as smooth.

TIP: DON'T boil the sauce on high heat or it may affect the cream and cause it to split while cooking

Other names for pink sauce

Different countries have a version of pink sauce. Here are a some:

• Vodka Sauce- American version
• Pink Marinara Sauce- American
• Sugo Rosa- Italy
• Rosé Sauce (rose sauce)- France
• Salsa Rosada- Columbia. 

Substitutions

This sauce encompasses bold and bright flavors with the use of heavy cream tomato sauce. If you are looking to make this dish a little lighter or dairy free- try these substitutions:

• DAIRY FREE: Use canned Coconut milk in place of heavy cream.
• LIGHT: Use Half and Half or Whole Milk in place of heavy cream.

These substitutions will change the flavor and texture slightly, but they are equally enjoyable!

Pink Sauce Variations

Turn this delicious and simple recipe up a notch with these variation ideas.

• Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking the onions to imbue heat into the dish.
• Deluxe - add bacon, pancetta, Italian sausage to add protein
• Boozy - add 1 tablespoon of vodka while cooking the onions to turn this into the American version called- vodka sauce.
• Pasta Water: If you need to thicken the sauce more, save and add a little pasta water.
• Italian Seasoning or herbs- add a sprinkle of herbs to brighten the dish

Equipment for recipe

All you need is a large skillet so you can make the sauce and the mix the pasta in the hot pan to evenly coat the sauce.

I use my Pasta Server & Spaghetti Portion Utensil to stir the pasta and mix it with the sauce.

Make ahead and storage

Yes, you can make this sauce ahead of time and store it.

• The sauce can be made a few days ahead and kept in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, heat on stove and add freshly cooked pasta. 
• Leftovers can be warmed, covered, in the microwave. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or hot pasta water to loosen up the pasta if needed.

What to serve with pasta and pink sauce

The pink sauce pasta recipe makes an easy side dish for Best Italian Stuffed Chicken Thighs (Involtini di Pollo) or Best Salmon Piccata Recipe. Serve with a simple salad and homemade bread!

Don't forget dessert: Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl), Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic), or Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust!

Or try serving the sauce over chicken, sausage, shrimp or even as a sauce for homemade pizza.

Top tips

• DO use a good quality tomato sauce
• DON'T boil the sauce on high heat or it may affect the cream and cause it to split while cooking

More delicious recipes for you

• Cheese and Broccoli Pasta Bake with White Sauce
• Classic Italian Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce
• Easy Baked Honey Orange Sesame Salmon
• Dad's Famous Dry Rub Pork Ribs (EASY)

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