Best Pink Sauce Pasta (20 minutes!)
Updated May 15, 2025, Published Apr 27, 2022
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Creamy, dreamy, and ready in just 20 minutes, this Italian Pink Sauce Pasta blends rich tomato and cream into the perfect weeknight dinner. It’s a fast, flavorful recipe that tastes like it came from your favorite Italian trattoria!
You’ll also love my sugo al pomodoro sauce, cheese sauce pasta, and tomato paste pasta sauce.
Why This Recipe Is the Best
My recipe uses simple, high-quality ingredients and an easy, authentic method that delivers rich flavor in every bite—no shortcuts, no jarred sauces. It’s quick enough for a weeknight, yet elegant enough to serve to guests. This is pink sauce, the Italian way.
” We loved this pink sauce! Super easy to make and the flavor was 100! My four kids all wanted seconds.”
– KELLIE
Table of Contents
What is Pink Sauce?
Italian pink sauce—also known as salsa rosa, rosa sauce, or Parma Rosa—is a creamy tomato sauce made with tomato purée and heavy cream. Quick, simple, and ready in 20 minutes, it’s perfect for coating your favorite al dente pasta with rich, velvety flavor.
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 pasta of choice): Penne is perfect for catching the creamy sauce in its ridges, but feel free to use rigatoni, fusilli, or spaghetti—whatever you love!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds a rich, fruity base flavor to the sautéed onion and garlic—use a good-quality one for best taste.
- Fresh Garlic: Provides a fragrant, savory foundation. Use freshly minced for bold, authentic flavor.
- Yellow Onion: Gently sweetens the sauce and adds depth when sautéed until soft and golden.
- Tomato Purée: Forms the tomato base of the sauce—smooth, slightly sweet, and vibrant in color.
- Tomato Paste: Intensifies the tomato flavor and helps give the sauce that beautiful pink hue when combined with cream.
- Heavy Cream: The key to that luscious, silky texture—blending with tomato for the signature “pink” color.
- Fresh Basil: Brightens the dish with its herbal aroma—add at the end for a fresh burst of flavor.
- Salt (for pasta water): Essential for seasoning the pasta itself—don’t skip it! It makes all the difference.
- Parmigiano or Parmesan Cheese: Adds savory, umami richness and ties the whole sauce together.
- Optional – Red Pepper Flakes: For a little kick of heat that cuts through the creaminess, add to taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Variations:
- Add baked chicken thighs, grilled Redrock shrimp, or pancetta for protein.
- Stir in spinach, mushrooms, or oven-roasted zucchini and yellow squash for extra veggies.
- Use fresh chopped tomatoes instead of purée for a lighter sauce. Try my fresh tomato and basil pasta sauce.
- Swap basil for parsley or thyme for a twist. Add my homemade Italian seasoning.
- Spice it up with red pepper flakes or Calabrian chili paste.
Substitutions:
- Heavy cream → half-and-half or dairy-free cream
- Tomato purée → crushed tomatoes or passata
- Penne → rigatoni, spaghetti, or gluten-free pasta
- Parmesan → Pecorino Romano or dairy-free cheese
- Olive oil → butter or avocado oil
How To Make Pink Sauce Pasta
Making pink pasta sauce is simple, making it an easy go-to recipe. For a printable version, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step #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.
Step #2: Pour in tomato puree and tomato paste. Stir well to combine.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
Step #3: Pour in the cream and stir to combine.
Step #4: Add the parmigiano cheese and fresh basil to the tomato sauce. Stir to combine.
Step #5: Let the sauce bubble for a few minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stovetop.
Step #6: 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.
Step #7: Serve with extra parmigiano cheese, red pepper flakes (if desired), and fresh basil leaves. Mangia! (Eat!)
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Use high-quality tomato purée and cream for the best flavor and creamy texture—no watery sauce!
- Sauté the garlic and onion slowly until soft and fragrant—don’t rush this step. It builds depth.
- Cook the tomato paste until it deepens in color to enhance its sweetness and richness.
- Add cream slowly and stir continuously for a smooth, emulsified sauce.
- Reserve some pasta water and add it at the end to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
- Use freshly grated Parmigiano for a more flavorful, melty finish—pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt as well.
- Toss pasta with the sauce in the pan for even coating and a silky finish.
FAQ’s
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.
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.
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 Salmon Piccata Recipe. Serve with a pear gorgonzola salad and ciabatta bread!
Don’t forget dessert: Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl), Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic), or Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust!
More Easy Pasta Recipes
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Pink Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta of choice, 454 grams
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 28-ounce can tomato puree
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup parmigiano, more for serving
- ½ cup fresh basil torn by hands, more for garnish
- red pepper flakes for serving, optional
- 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
- Use high-quality tomato purée and cream for the best flavor and creamy texture—no watery sauce!
- Sauté the garlic and onion slowly until soft and fragrant—don’t rush this step. It builds depth.
- Cook the tomato paste until it deepens in color to enhance its sweetness and richness.
- Add cream slowly and stir continuously for a smooth, emulsified sauce.
- Reserve some pasta water and add it at the end to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
- Use freshly grated Parmigiano for a more flavorful, melty finish—pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt as well.
- Toss pasta with the sauce in the pan for even coating and a silky finish.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you! My picky eaters loved this over seafood ravioli! Easy recipe, will definitely make again!
Yum! I love the combination with the seafood ravioli. Great combo!
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!