This creamy Pink Sauce Pasta recipe is warm, comforting, and has the best flavor! It’s inspired by the popular pasta dish at Mama D’s restaurant in Newport, CA.
Pink Sauce Pasta deserves the hype.
Pink Sauce Pasta deserves the hype.If you’re not sure what “pink” sauce is, it tastes like the marriage between the best alfredo sauce and your favorite marinara sauce, and it’s every bit as delicious as it sounds. Pink sauce pasta is a very popular dish at Mama D’s in Newport, CA but I’d argue my homemade version is even tastier than the original.
(The sauce is actually very similar to the base of vodka sauce, without the vodka, and is more creamy while vodka pasta is more tomato based.)
For this pasta dish we fully drench the noodles in sauce before serving, but you could also just make the pink sauce and store in your fridge for a few days. Serve over hot pasta when you’re ready, or use it as a dip for garlic knots, or sauce for pizza, grilled cheese, or chicken wraps.
How to make Pink Sauce Pasta:
Sauté Shallot and Crush Tomatoes: Sauté shallot in butter and oil over medium heat. Add garlic and dry spices and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with white wine (optional). With clean hands, crush the whole tomatoes right into the pot then pour in the rest of the juice from the can. Turn heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
Blend Sauce and Add Cheese: Use a hand immersion blender to purée the sauce, or transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour back in pot over low heat. Add heavy cream and stir to combine. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and mix until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Serve: Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add a little pasta water to thin. Serve this creamy tomato pasta sauce recipe with fresh basil and parmesan cheese on top.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
Make Ahead Instructions: Make the pink sauce ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing instructions: For best results, make the sauce just until adding the cream, cheese and pasta. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then rewarm in saucepan. Stir cream, cheese and pasta.
More Pasta Recipes:
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Stuffed Shells
- Instant Pot Pasta and Meatballs
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Homemade Lasagna
- Manicotti
- Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Pastalaya
- Harissa Pasta
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Recipe
Pink Sauce Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoon butter
- 6 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 shallot , finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (58g) , optional
- 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes , San Marzano brand
- 1 pound rigatoni*
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream (300g)
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese* (100g)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (24), chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté shallot: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and oil then once butter has melted, add shallot then cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and dry spices then cook for 1 minute.
- Optional wine deglaze: Add white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Crush Tomatoes: 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).
- Blend Sauce: Use a blender or hand immersion blender to purée the sauce until smooth. Return to pot over low heat.
- Finish: Add heavy cream until combined. Add parmesan cheese then 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.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe March 2023 . Updated post February 2025.
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Thank you for a quick and delicious pasta dish. My family enjoyed it! Always a win when they ask to have it again mid meal!
Is it possible to can this recipe?
Is it possible
To can this sauce recipe?
Great question! For safe canning guidelines, I always recommend checking the National Center for Home Food Preservation (nchfp.uga.edu) or Ball Canning for expert advice. 😊
We love this recipe! I add Italian sausage to add a protein. It’s so yummy!
Cooked a few times without changing the recipe and has become a fan favorite for extended family. Great flavor and richness! Bravo !