This dreamy Pink Sauce Pasta combines the best of both worlds – creamy tomato sauce and perfectly cooked pasta. Ready in just 45 minutes, this restaurant-worthy dish delivers rich flavors while being incredibly simple to make at home.
The velvety rose-colored sauce coats each strand of pasta, creating an irresistible meal that’s both comforting and elegant. With 19g of protein per serving and only 30 minutes of simmering time, it’s a practical choice for both weeknight dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients Needed
- Fats: 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter for a rich base
- Aromatics: 6 minced garlic cloves, 1 diced shallot for depth
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, red chili flakes
- Main Components: 28 oz San Marzano tomatoes, 1 lb rigatoni, 1¼ cup heavy cream
- Finishing Elements: 1 cup parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves for garnish
- Optional: ¼ cup dry white wine for extra flavor depth
Cooking Instructions
- Base Preparation: Heat skillet over medium heat, combine butter and oil until melted
- Aromatics Layer: Sauté shallots 3-4 minutes, then add garlic and spices for 1 minute
- Sauce Building: Hand-crush tomatoes into pot, add remaining juice, simmer 30 minutes
- Pasta Cooking: Prepare rigatoni in salted water, save 1 cup pasta water before draining
- Sauce Finishing: Blend sauce until smooth, stir in cream and parmesan until melted
- Final Assembly: Toss pasta with sauce, adjust thickness with reserved pasta water
- Serving: Garnish with fresh basil and extra parmesan cheese
Cooking Techniques
The magic of this pink sauce happens in layers of flavor! Start by cooking the shallots until they’re soft and sweet – this builds a tasty base. When you add the garlic and spices, you’ll smell amazing aromas filling your kitchen.
Here’s a neat trick: adding wine helps lift up all the yummy browned bits from the bottom of the pan. These little bits pack tons of flavor! When blending the sauce, you can use either a regular blender or a hand immersion blender – both work great. Just blend until it’s silky smooth for that perfect pink sauce texture.
Variations & Substitutions
This recipe is super flexible! No shallots? Use half an onion instead. For a lighter version, swap half-and-half for the heavy cream. Don’t have rigatoni? Any pasta shape works well – try penne, fusilli, or even spaghetti.
Vegetarian parmesan alternatives work great too. If you’re not using wine, just skip it – the sauce will still taste amazing. Want it spicier? Double the red pepper flakes or add a pinch of cayenne. For extra richness, try adding a splash more cream or a knob of butter at the end.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy pink pasta shines as a main dish! Serve it hot with extra fresh basil and a generous sprinkle of parmesan on top. Add a simple green salad and some warm garlic bread on the side.
For a complete Italian-style meal, start with a small antipasto plate. Want to add protein? Grilled chicken, sautéed shrimp, or crispy prosciutto make perfect toppings.
Storage Tips
Your pink sauce will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta might soak up some sauce as it sits, so when reheating, add a splash of cream or pasta water to bring back that silky texture.
Warm it gently on the stove or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring often. You can even make the sauce ahead and freeze it without the cream – just add it fresh when you reheat!
Pink Sauce Pasta
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoon butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 whole shallot finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/4 cup dry white wine optional
- 28 ounce whole peeled tomatoes San Marzano brand
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and oil and once better has melted, add shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add garlic and dry spices and cook for 1 minute.
- Optional: add white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Use (clean) hands to crush the whole tomatoes right into the pot, and add the rest of the juice from the can. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
- Cook rigatoni in salted boiling water, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, and drain cooked pasta (don’t rinse).
- Use a blender or hand immersion blender to puree the sauce until smooth. Return to pot over low heat.
- Stir in the heavy cream until combined. Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Taste and add additional seasonings if needed.
- Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add some pasta water as needed, to thin the sauce.
- Serve garnished with fresh basil and extra parmesan cheese.
