This rich and creamy Pink Sauce Recipe makes dining in taste extra delicious—especially with homemade pasta!
Pasta is an obsession of mine and the reason I could never follow a low-carb diet. I don’t know how you keto people do it. I could never say no to a plate of homemade fettuccine swimming in a creamy sauce. But hey, you do you.Â
I hold pasta sauces with equal appreciation. To think there was a time when I thought canned pasta sauce was okay. And I’m not talking about the fancy $10 jars named after someone’s nonna. I mean the bargain bin variety that tastes like salty tomato water with bits of basil and oregano floating in it. That’s a hard pass. Though I throw no shade at the college students living off the stuff. We’ve all been there.
Eventually, I grew up, and so did my tastes. That’s when I began making my own sauces, like marinara and arrabbiata. By that point, I had stopped frequenting chain Italian restaurants altogether because my sauces were better. Okay, that sounds egotistical. Not my intent. I’m no culinary prodigy. It’s just that I started using better ingredients. Shocking, I know. And given how expensive it is to dine out for my family of five, my aim was for every home-cooked pasta recipe to taste like we should be tipping a waiter. This pink sauce is a great place to start.
Pink sauce is basically a creamy twist on pomodoro, and there are all sorts of ways to make it. For example, some recipes call for tomato sauce, but I prefer tomato paste’s deeper flavor. While paste can be quite robust, the heavy cream smooths it out into something silky without losing the tomato-ness. Then you have the butter, onions, and garlic, all of which lay down a savory base. Add a few tablespoons of white wine for acidity and brightness, and I promise, this recipe tastes fancier than it probably should.
Tomato paste vs tomato sauce
For whatever reason, a lot of pink sauce recipes use tomato sauce instead of paste. Maybe because the sauce looks more pink—who knows? However, I prefer paste because it tastes less watered down. As I said earlier, the cream will tame the paste so it doesn’t overtake your sauce. Plus, when you cook the paste with the butter, onions, and garlic, you’ll get this caramelized, roasted flavor that tomato sauce can’t match. Give it a try!
How do I store leftovers?
If you kept the sauce separate, it’ll refrigerate nicely for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight jar or container. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat. The sauce will thicken in the fridge, so splash in some water or cream to thin it out.
If you’ve already added the sauce to your pasta, refrigerate your leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on your stove at a low heat, stirring occasionally. The microwave also works. Either way, stir in some water or cream to loosen up the sauce.
Serving suggestions
Well, first off, I recommend Homemade Pasta if you have the time. This sauce tastes incredible with it! Or make some Blackened Chicken and fettuccine, but instead of Alfredo, use pink sauce! Also, considering pink sauce is so dip-friendly, bake a batch of Garlic Breadsticks. I can’t think of a more delicious way to clean your plate.
Pink Sauce Recipe
Ingredients Â
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 small onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces pasta cooked
InstructionsÂ
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat the butter. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Pour in the dry white wine and let it reduce for about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and heavy cream. Allow the sauce to simmer for around 5 minutes until it begins to thicken.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the grated Parmesan cheese. Season with red pepper flakes (if using) and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the sauce immediately, tossing it with cooked pasta.
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