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5.0 from 24 votes

Pink Sauce Pasta

A close cousin to to penne alla vodka, pink sauce pasta is made with a velvety smooth tomato cream sauce. Just a few minutes of hands-on time for restaurant-quality flavor!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 595 kcal
Course: Main Course , Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic 
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 28 oz whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
  • 16 oz uncooked rigatoni pasta
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for serving
  • ¼ cup freshly sliced basil or 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
  • Additional parmesan and fresh basil for topping optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large saucepan or pot over medium heat, heat oil and butter until the butter has melted.
  2. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, until softened (about 3-5 minutes).
  3. Add garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  4. Add tomato paste, salt, thyme, and pepper and stir well.
  5. Slowly pour in wine (or broth), scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula to loosen any browned bits. Cook until liquid is reduced by about half.
  6. Add whole tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with your spatula as you cook.
  7. Slowly drizzle in cream, stirring until well combined.
  8. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer sauce to a blender and puree in batches, then return to the pot.
  9. Reduce heat and simmer sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. After about 15 minutes, begin to prepare pasta (this will give you about 30 minutes of simmering total, which is ideal for this dish).
  10. Prepare pasta. Cook pasta in well-salted water according to package instructions. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water (you likely will not need all of it, just save extra in case, it's also nice to store and add a splash if reheating leftovers the next day).
  11. Add drained pasta, cheese, and basil along with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir well and cook over low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened and coats the noodles. If needed, add more pasta water, a splash at a time.
  12. Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated parmesan cheese and torn fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Notes

  • Canned tomatoes can vary in degrees of acidity. Always taste-test your sauce as it simmers, if yours seems acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to save some of the reserved pasta water on the side, then reheat the pasta on the stovetop with a splash of the pasta water to rehydrate it and keep the sauce creamy and smooth.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 595kcal (30%) Carbohydrates 67g (22%) Protein 15g (30%) Fat 29g (45%) Saturated Fat 16g (80%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 9g Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 71mg (24%) Sodium 766mg (32%) Potassium 576mg (16%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 1187IU (24%) Vitamin C 16mg (18%) Calcium 154mg (15%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 595

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 595kcal 30%
Carbohydrates 67g 22%
Protein 15g 30%
Fat 29g 45%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 9g 45%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 766mg 32%
Potassium 576mg 12%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 1187IU 24%
Vitamin C 16mg 18%
Calcium 154mg 15%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.