This easy Pink Sauce Pasta is a cross between alfredo and a traditional tomato sauce. The dish comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner. Don’t forget some wine and fresh garlic bread. Total comfort food!
I love creamy tomato pasta dishes, like my quick and easy Butter Chicken Pasta, fresh Basil Pasta, hearty Sausage & Peppers Pasta, one pot Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti, and Lobster Ravioli Sauce.
These pink sauce pastas pair perfectly with this delicious Texas Toast Garlic Bread or this Parmesan Rosemary Bread. You will be in complete carb heaven!
For a lighter side dish, serve this pink sauce pasta with a simple salad, like my Panera Copycat Greek Salad or Kale Crunch Salad. So fresh and crisp!
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What is pink sauce made of?
Most pink sauce pasta recipes are a blend of alfredo sauce (heavy cream and freshly grated parmesan cheese) and tomato puree or sauce. The deep red and bright white result in a creamy pink pasta sauce. It is a creamy tomato sauce.
The tomatoes that are added balance the richness of the heavy cream and parmesan cheese with their natural acidity.
It is my personal favorite because it is a little lighter than an alfredo sauce, but more flavorful and cheesy than a marinara sauce.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter: Swap the butter for olive oil.
- Shallot: Swap for ½ of a small yellow or red onion.
- Red Chili Flakes: Omit or reduce to ½ teaspoon for less spice.
- White Wine: I like to use sauvignon blanc because it is dry and citrusy. You can swap the wine for vegetable or chicken broth.
- Rigatoni Pasta: Swap for 1 pound of any short cut pasta, like fusilli, penne, or farfalle. You can also use gluten free pasta.
- Parmesan Cheese: Shredded or grated parmesan both work, just be sure it is fresh.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Pink Sauce Pasta
Quick Overview
- Sauté the garlic and cook the shallot. Season with salt and pepper.
- Deglaze the pan with wine.
- Add crushed tomatoes and simmer.
- Stir in heavy cream and parmesan cheese.
- Toss pasta with the pink sauce.
- Top sauced pasta with basil.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Over medium heat in a large pan, add the butter, shallot, and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until browned.
Step 2: Stir in the salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and chili flakes. Sauté for 60 seconds or until fragrant.
Step 3: Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping all of the brown bits off the bottom.
Step 4: Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer. Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package in salted water, while the sauce simmers.
Brown bits should form in pan.
Step 5: Stir in the heavy cream and increase the heat to medium.
Step 6: Once the heavy cream begins to bubble, stir in the parmesan.
Step 7: Reserve some pasta water. Drain pasta and toss with the pink sauce. Add pasta water as needed to thin the sauce.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Use good quality parmesan cheese. I prefer parmesan reggiano. However, it is expensive. As long as you do not use the parmesan that comes in a can in the pantry section, it will be delicious.
- Brown the garlic and shallots. Brown them until bits form in the bottom of the pan. These add so much flavor to the sauce.
- Salt the pasta water. Add a few spoonfuls of salt to the water. This will help enhance the flavor of the pasta and sauce.
- Do not over cook the pasta. Follow the instructions on the package for how long to boil the pasta. Always set a timer. I usually start with the shortest time recommended and usually subtract another minute because I like my pasta al dente. Example: boil for 12-14 minutes, I would boil the pasta for 11 minutes.
- Make pink sauce pasta with chicken. Add sliced grilled or pan seared chicken breast on top.
Recipe FAQs
It is usually just called pink pasta sauce. Some might refer to it as creamy tomato sauce, parma rosa, or even vodka sauce, because it has a similar color.
There are many different types of pasta sauces. The three main types of pasta sauce are tomato based, cream based, and oil based sauces. Marinara, alfredo, pesto, and many more all fall into these three categories.
More Pasta Recipes
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The Best Pink Sauce Pasta
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter*
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot, diced finely*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes*
- ⅓ cup dry white wine*
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta*
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for serving*
- fresh basil leaves, for serving
Instructions:
- Over medium heat in a large pan, add the butter, shallot, and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until browned.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and chili flakes. Sauté for 60 seconds or until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping all of the brown bits off the bottom.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer. Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package in salted water, while the sauce simmers.
- Stir in the heavy cream and increase the heat to medium.
- Once the heavy cream begins to bubble, stir in the parmesan.
- Reserve some pasta water. Drain pasta and toss with the pink sauce. Add pasta water as needed to thin the sauce.
Notes:
- Unsalted Butter: Swap the butter for olive oil.
- Shallot: Swap for ½ of a small yellow or red onion.
- Red Chili Flakes: Omit or reduce to ½ teaspoon for less spice.
- White Wine: I like to use sauvignon blanc because it is dry and citrusy. You can swap the wine for vegetable or chicken broth.
- Rigatoni Pasta: Swap for 1 pound of any short cut pasta, like fusilli, penne, or farfalle. You can also use gluten free pasta.
- Parmesan Cheese: Shredded or grated parmesan both work, just be sure it is fresh.
- Salt the pasta water. Add a few spoonfuls of salt to the water. This will help enhance the flavor of the pasta and sauce.
- Do not over cook the pasta. Follow the instructions on the package for how long to boil the pasta. Always set a timer. I usually start with the shortest time recommended and usually subtract another minute because I like my pasta al dente. Example: boil for 12-14 minutes, I would boil the pasta for 11 minutes.
this cream sauce is SOO yummy! adding white wine really lifted the flavours