Italian Pink Sauce Pasta Recipe (Tomato Cream)
Apr 27, 2022, Updated Sep 16, 2024
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Italian Pink Sauce 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 tomato cream sauce for any pasta. It is also known as Rose or Parma Rosa Sauce.
Table of Contents
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 heavy white whipping cream and red tomato puree. You can make the sauce more or less pink depending on your ratios.
You can prepare it in only 30 minutes, making it a great recipe for a fast yet delectable Italian-style pasta night.
Recipe Ingredients
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 Pink Pasta Sauce
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…
Photos 1-4
- 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.
- Pour in tomato puree and tomato paste. Stir well to combine.
- Add salt and bring to a soft boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Photos 5-11
- 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!
- Add cream, parmigiano cheese, and fresh basil to the tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Let bubble for a few minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat. Take the pan off the stovetop.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the reserved pasta water. Stir until well combined.
- 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!
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 in 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
Substitutions
This sauce encompasses bold and bright flavors with 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 instead of heavy cream.
These substitutions will slightly change the flavor and texture, but they are equally enjoyable!
Recipe 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, and 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. If you don’t have vodka on hand you can use white wine.
- 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
- Cheese – add some mozzarella cheese to the top instead of parmigiano
Top tips
- DO use a good quality tomato sauce
- Don’t boil the sauce on high heat; 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)
- Lobster ravioli sauce
- Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice
- Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
Equipment for recipe
You only need a large skillet to make the sauce and mix the pasta in the hot pan to coat the sauce evenly.
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 the stove and add freshly cooked pasta.
- Leftovers can be warmed and covered, in the microwave. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or hot pasta water to loosen up the pasta if needed.
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 read more about what sauces go well with what sauces, see the chart in this post: Cheap vs. Expensive Pasta (Why Pasta Quality Matters!).
Using the right tomato puree is key to 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 acids to preserve freshness- or it can make the sauce acidic. TIP: If you 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, or 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.
Adding a little tomato paste to 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.
Vodka Sauce– American version
Pink Marinara Sauce– American
Sugo Rosa– Italy
Rosé Sauce (rose sauce)- France
Salsa Rosada– Columbia.
What To Serve With This Recipe
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 ciabatta 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.
Recipe Video
This recipe is super easy to make! Watch the video to see.
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Pink Sauce Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
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.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (454 grams) pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 can (28 oz) tomato puree
- 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup parmigiano (more for serving)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil torn by hands (more for garnish)
- Optional (red pepper flakes for serving)
- Salt (for pasta water)
Instructions
-
Heat olive oil in a large skillet pan 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.
-
Pour in tomato puree and tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Add salt and bring to a soft boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente texture.
- Add cream, parmigiano cheese, and fresh basil to the creamy tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Let bubble for a few minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat. Take the pan off the stovetop.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the reserved pasta water. Stir until well combined.
- Serve with extra parmigiano cheese, red pepper flakes (if deserved), and a few fresh basil leaves. Mangia! (Eat!)
Notes
Storage:
- 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.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian
More traditional Italian pasta sauce recipes: Best Arrabbiata Sauce Recipe (Spicy Spaghetti Sauce), Authentic Italian Pasta Puttanesca Sauce, Restaurant Style Italian Cacio e Pepe (Best Tips), Lemon Butter Pasta Sauce (Pasta al Limone), 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).
This recipe is so simple to make and so delicious. Crowd pleaser for sure! This is requested frequently in my house.
Happy you and the family love it so much!