Pink sauce pasta is a simple pasta dish that is quick to make and can easily be made gluten free. This recipe is a classic and is perfect for meal prepping or a simple dinner at home. The homemade pink sauce is simple to make and can be swapped in anywhere you would normally use a pasta sauce and want the pink sauce flavor. You can even make pink sauce ahead of time and have it on hand for a pink sauce pasta later in the week.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick: This pink sauce pasta recipe takes 20 minutes at most to complete. By the time the pasta is cooked to al dente and the sauce is made it’s a quick combine and you are ready to eat.
- Simple: Start the pasta and make the sauce at the same time, mix it together, and that’s all! The easiest steps to make a homemade pink sauce pasta.
- Great for meal prep: Pasta is always one of the easiest options for meal prep. You can portion it easily and it reheats quickly for lunch or a snack anytime.
- It’s homemade: A homemade pink sauce is the perfect option when you want a pasta sauce and either want something different from the jars you keep on hand or simply don’t have a backup and want a pasta meal. Plus you can skip the noodles and just make the sauce ahead of time to have on hand for a pink sauce pasta later in the week.
Ingredients to Make Pink Sauce Pasta
To make your homemade pink sauce and pasta you will start with 16 ounces of penne pasta or a pasta of your choosing. You will need 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil, one diced medium yellow onion, and a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes.
The seasonings required are a tablespoon of minced garlic, one chicken bouillon cube, a teaspoon of dried basil, a half teaspoon of oregano, and a teaspoon of salt. Lastly you need a cup of heavy cream and a cup of finely grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese.
Optional ingredients for serving: 1 cup loosely packed chopped basil, additional parmesan
How to Make Pink Sauce Pasta
Making a homemade pink sauce pasta meal is (literally) as easy as 1, 2, 3! Start cooking the pasta, get the sauce made, and combine and that’s all. Consider skipping the pasta part of this recipe and simply make your homemade sauce ahead of time for an even easier pink sauce pasta meal later on in the week.
Step One
Start the recipe by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta to al dente. Use the instructions on the packaging to make sure it cooks appropriately for the brand or style of pasta you are using. Remember to reserve one cup of the water from the pasta before you drain it!
While the pasta is starting to cook, heat the butter or oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter or oil is hot, add in the diced onion and let it cook for about 4 minutes.
Once the onion begins to turn translucent, add the minced garlic and let that cook together with the diced onion for about a minute.
Step Two
Now that the onion and garlic have started and the pasta is cooked to al dente, add the crushed tomatoes to your onion and garlic. Break up the boullion cube with your fingers and crush it as you add that to the pot with the tomatoes.
Next, mix the basil, oregano, and salt into the pot and stir until it is combined. Bring the pot to a light simmer while stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat to medium.
Step Three
This is where you will add the cream and grated cheese to the pink sauce. Again, stir until it is combined well, and then bring the pot up to a light simmer with medium high heat. Once simmering, gently toss the al dente pasta in the pot until it has a good coating with the sauce.
Pour in a half cup of the reserved pasta water and toss again gently. Check your pink sauce and if you would like a thinner sauce, pour in the remaining pasta water and toss together. If you like the thickness of the sauce without the last half cup of pasta water, you can skip this step.
Remove your pink sauce pasta from heat and add any additional cheese or basil as desired.
Making Gluten Free Pink Sauce Pasta
To make this pink sauce pasta gluten free you will substitute the 16 ounces of pasta for your favorite gluten free variety. My favorite gluten free pasta to use for this recipe are Barilla gluten free penne and Jovial gluten free penne but you can use your favorite brand or whichever you have on hand.
Since the pasta will cook separately to the sauce at the beginning, you will just cook you’re gluten free pasta according to the al dente directions on the packaging and finish the recipe as shown above.
Serving and Storing Instructions
Serve your homemade pink sauce pasta with a garnish of a little extra chopped basil and/or a sprinkling more of shredded cheese. It will accompany a fresh side salad and a breadstick or two rather well unless you are avoiding the gluten, of course. I also love serving this recipe with a side of a roasted vegetable like broccoli, balsamic glazed carrots, or similar.
To store pink sauce pasta let it cool to room temperature and place it in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will keep well refrigerated for abut 5 days. This recipe is a great candidate for meal prep containers, as well, since it can portion into the perfect leftover meal or snack serving and will reheat well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pink sauce actually called?
Most commonly pink sauce is simply referred to as “pink sauce” but it can also be called rose sauce, parma rosa sauce, or blush sauce. Sometimes it’s easiest to just name the sauce after its color!
What is pink sauce made of?
Pink sauce generally consists of tomatoes and cream. The red from the tomatoes and the white from the cream making the pink color, hence the name. Typically a pink sauce will have tomatoes, cream, garlic, chicken stock, parmesan cheese, and parsley or basil.
Is marinara the same as pink sauce?
Marinara is not the same as pink sauce. Sometimes marinara sauce is the “red” portion of a pink sauce and is combined with Alfredo sauce (the “white” portion) as a quick version of a pink sauce.
Where did pink sauce pasta come from?
Pink sauce pasta came from Italy, surprise! It comes as the middle ground between a red sauce and a white sauce and can also be called parma rosa sauce, rose sauce, or blush sauce.
Other Pasta/Meatball Recipes You’ll Love!
- Firecracker Meatballs
- Curry Chicken Meatballs
- Easy Greek Meatballs
- Ricotta Meatballs
- Pesto Gnocchi
- Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Pasta
- Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
Pink Sauce Pasta
Pink sauce pasta is a simple pasta dish that is quick to make and can easily be made gluten free. This recipe is a classic and is perfect for meal prepping or a simple dinner at home. The homemade pink sauce is simple to make and can be swapped in anywhere you would normally use a pasta sauce and want the pink sauce flavor. You can even make pink sauce ahead of time and have it on hand for a pink sauce pasta later in the week.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: chicken
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: american
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon oreagno
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan
- Optional for serving: 1 cup loosely packed chopped basil, additional parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the butter or oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.
- Once hot, add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes until they’ve started to soften and become translucent.
- Then add in the garlic and cook for another 1 minute
- Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water prior to draining
- Add the crushed tomatoes and break up the bouillon cube in your fingers crushing it as you add it into the tomatoes. Add the basil, oregano and salt and stir to combine. Bring the tomatoes to a light simmer, stirring occasionally, and then reduce the heat to medium
- Add the cream and parmesan and stir it into the sauce. Bring to a light simmer again and then add in the cooked pasta. Toss to coat and add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and toss again. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of pasta water if you’d like a thinner sauce
- Remove from the heat and serve with additional cheese and basil if desired
Notes
- You can replace parmesan with shredded mozzarella if you prefer.
- For gluten free pink sauce pasta substitute the regular pasta for a gluten free variety and make the recipe as normal.
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Meredith says
We all inhaled this! Even my picky toddler! Going into the rotation
paleobailey says
Thrilled to hear it! Thank you so much for taking the time to make it and let me know it was a hit!
Catherine says
This was sooooo good. We added browned crumbled spicy sausage and kept it as is for our two kids. Very good! And easy!