Pink Sauce (Italian Parma Rosa)

Italian Pink Sauce Recipe (Tomato Cream) - a crave-worthy 20-minute pasta sauce with a few simple ingredients for a busy weeknight. Italian pink sauce is one of the most simple creamy tomato sauces to prepare for seasoning any type of pasta. This pink tomato cream sauce gets the name “rosa”, or pink, in Italian, from the mix of heavy white whipping cream and red tomato purée. You can make the sauce more or less pink depending on your preferred ratios.

sea salt, for pasta water
1 lb pasta (454 g)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
½ yellow onion, diced
1 (28 oz) can tomato purée
½ Tbsp. tomato paste
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated
½ cup fresh basil, torn

To Serve:
cooked pasta, reserve ¼ cup of pasta water
Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated
red pepper flakes
fresh basil, torn

Heat olive oil in a large skillet pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Pour in tomato purée and tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Add salt and bring to a soft boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add cream, Parmigiano cheese and fresh basil to the creamy tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Let bubble for a few minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat. Take the pan off the stovetop.

Serve with reserved pasta water if too thick, extra Parmigiano cheese, red pepper flakes and a few fresh basil leaves.

The sauce can be made a few days ahead and kept in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, gently heat on the stove and add freshly cooked pasta.

Makes 4-6 servings.