Pink pasta is a creamy take on classic pasta with tomato sauce, seasoned with garlic, onion, and Parmesan. This indulgent pink sauce pasta recipe can be made in only about 20 minutes!
Note: this post was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2026 with improved instructions and new photos. The recipe was also modified to include more sauce!
Are you craving pasta, but need something a little more indulgent than typical jarred tomato sauce? BUT, you also don't want to do a ton of extra work or spend a ton of time? Then you definitely need to try this easy pink pasta recipe!
This easy pasta recipe starts with a base of jarred tomato sauce, but amps up the flavor with fresh garlic, onion, tomato paste, Parmesan, and of course, heavy cream for that silky smooth taste and texture.
And, this entire pink sauce pasta recipe takes only about 20 minutes to make, start to finish!
What is pink sauce?
Pink sauce for pasta is basically a tomato-based pasta sauce with a creamy component added in, which results in a sauce that has a pretty pinkish-orange hue. The creamy element can be heavy cream, half and half, or alfredo sauce, depending on the recipe.
Pink sauce is similar to vodka sauce, but they are not quite the same. Pink sauce and vodka sauce are both pink-hued, creamy tomato sauces. However, vodka sauce has vodka added (surprise!), whereas pink sauce does not.
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Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Pasta: I am using rigatoni, but you can use any shape you prefer. In the Recipe FAQs section I discuss other pasta shape suggestions.
- Tomato sauce: just any jarred (or homemade) tomato sauce that you like the flavor of will work.
Step by step photos
Here is the step by step breakdown on how to make this easy pink pasta:
Step 1
Start the pasta cooking. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a sauté pan. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Step 2
Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring continuously.
Step 3
Pour in the tomato sauce and heavy cream. Bring the pink sauce to a simmer, making sure to turn the heat down to avoid boiling the sauce.
Step 4
Simmer the sauce for about 6 - 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce thickens.
Step 5
When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the pan with the pink pasta sauce. Toss the pasta together with the sauce.
Step 6
Sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and gently stir it into the pasta. If you like, garnish the pasta with more cheese and/or fresh herbs (basil or parsley).
Sauce too thick (or too thin)? Here's how to fix it:
- If the pink sauce is too thick, stir in a few spoonfuls of the pasta cooking water.
- If the sauce is too thin, just let it sit for a few minutes. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Another option is to add more grated Parmesan cheese (always a good choice in my opinion!).
More tips and tricks
- I like using a sauté pan to make the pink pasta sauce. It has a wide, flat bottom and straight sides that are about 3 - 5 inches (~7.5 - 12.5 cm) tall. The higher sides contain the sauce well and give enough room to easily mix in the cooked pasta.
- If you don't have a sauté pan, use a large saucepan.
- The amount of salt in the tomato sauce will vary by brand, so be sure to salt to taste. If you're not sure, you can always add a little less than you think you'll need, and then add a little more at the end if needed.
- Speaking of salt, be sure to generously salt the pasta water, this is the best way to get seasoning into the pasta itself!
Quick-boil tips
Waiting for the pasta water to boil can bog down your cook time. Try these tips to get that pot of water boiling quickly:
- start with warm water, not cold
- use a wider pot, rather than a tall narrow pot
- put a tight-fitting lid on the pot, and turn the heat all the way up, until the water is boiling
- use the largest burner that matches the size of your pot
Storage instructions
- This pink pasta recipe will taste best made fresh, but, if you have any leftovers, they will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for 3 - 4 days.
- The pasta will continue to absorb the pink sauce as it sits in the fridge, making the texture of the dish drier as time goes on. So, I recommend enjoying the leftovers the next day if you can.
- Because the sauce has cream in it, it will not freeze well.
Reheating instructions
- To reheat, place the leftover pink pasta in a small skillet or sauté pan. Cover the pan with a lid and place on the stove top. Heat the pasta on the lowest heat setting, lifting the lid to stir occasionally. Only heat until warmed through to maintain the creamy texture of the sauce.
- If the leftover pasta looks dry, I recommend adding a bit of extra heavy cream and/or tomato sauce to the pot before reheating on the stove top.
- Alternatively, you can microwave 1 - 2 servings of the leftover pink sauce pasta on 50% power for 1 minute at a time, stirring in between, until heated through. (Cover the bowl with a paper towel to catch any spatter!)
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make just the pink pasta sauce ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. When you want to serve the pasta, just gently re-heat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Then mix it together with freshly-cooked pasta and Parmesan as described in the recipe.
While you can use any shape of pasta you like, creamy sauces such as this pink pasta sauce work well with wide, flat shapes such as tagliatelle, fettuccine, or linguine.
Medium, tube shaped pasta shapes also work great, such as penne, rigatoni, or ziti. For an even more indulgent experience, you can try making this pink sauce pasta with cheese or meat ravioli or tortellini.
Here is a great resource on finding a good pasta shape for different types of sauces.
Regardless of the shape, if you have the option, also look for bronze-cut pasta. Bronze-cut pastas have a rough exterior, perfect for grabbing onto the creamy sauce.
This pink pasta recipe uses heavy whipping cream, which I chose because it has a very high fat content (at least 36%). This high fat content is useful because it not only makes the pasta super creamy, but also helps protect the sauce from separating when being simmered.
If you would like to use half and half instead, I recommend tempering it first before adding (similar to my recipes for Greek yogurt buffalo chicken dip and creamy hamburger potato soup). Then, just warm the sauce through on the lowest heat setting, rather than simmering it as called for in the recipe. Because the sauce won't have time to reduce through simmering, just add enough half and half to get the consistency you are looking for.
I don't recommend making pink pasta sauce with milk, it's just not creamy enough to get the job done (in my personal opinion!).
Related recipes
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Print📖 Recipe
Pink Pasta
This creamy pink pasta sauce is a more indulgent version of pasta with tomato sauce. It's easy to make in only about 20 minutes!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: entree
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340 g) dried pasta, any shape (recommendation: rigatoni)
- 1 cup (156 g) finely chopped onion (from about 1 small onion or ½ large onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste (plus salt for pasta water)
- ¼ cup (67 g) tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) tomato sauce
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup (14 g) finely-shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Set a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When the water begins to boil, add a large pinch of salt and the pasta to the water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, proceed with the following steps (see note 1 re: timing for the pasta).
- Heat the tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the onion for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan. Cook and stir for 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste. Stir and cook for another minute.
- Pour the tomato sauce and heavy cream into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer the sauce for 6 - 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. If needed, turn the heat down to maintain the simmer. Taste the sauce and add more salt and/or pepper if needed.
- When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it well. Add the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce and stir to combine.
- Add the finely shredded Parmesan cheese and gently stir to combine. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese (optional).
Notes
- If the sauce is finished before the pasta is done, the sauce will keep well on the stove on the lowest heat setting while the pasta finishes cooking (just stir the sauce occasionally).
- A sauté pan has a wide, flat bottom and straight sides that are about 3 - 5 inches tall. This pan is a good option for this recipe because it contains the sauce well and gives enough room to easily mix in the cooked pasta with the sauce at the end. If you don't have a sauté pan, use a large saucepan.
- If the sauce seems too thick after adding in the pasta, you can stir in a few spoonfuls of the pasta cooking water. If the sauce seems too thin, let the pasta sit for a few minutes; the sauce continues to thicken as it cools.
The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. The nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brands and exact amounts of ingredients used. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ recipe
- Calories: 526
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 449 mg
- Fat: 22.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 69 g
- Fiber: 4.2 g
- Protein: 13.8 g
- Cholesterol: 64 mg
K viscusi says
Love it
Kate says
Thank you so much! 🙂