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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Sauces

    Italian Pink Sauce

    Published: Sep 17, 2022 Modified: Sep 16, 2022 by Isabel Laessig

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    My Italian Pink Sauce recipe is creamy, cheesy, and perfect for pairing with pasta of all kinds. Enjoy pink pasta sauce with ham, sausage, pork, chicken, or steak pasta using your favorite noodles. Ready in 20 minutes or less!

    pink sauce pasta in a blue handle pan
    Jump to:
    • Tomato Cream Sauce
    • Parma Rosa Sauce FAQs
    • Rosa Sauce Ingredients
    • How to Make Pink Sauce
    • Pink Sauce Recipe Tips
    • Pasta Sauce Recipes
    • 📌 Pin it for later!
    • 📖 Recipe

    Tomato Cream Sauce

    I have been making my tomato cream sauce pasta for my family for years, and can tell you it is always a hit! My kids love this recipe, and it's such a staple for our household, I can't wait to serve it to my grandkids.

    That's part of what makes this Italian pink sauce recipe truly special - you can count on it to be a comforting, delicious, and easy pasta sauce your own family will love. It's hearty and filling, while remaining light and creamy at the same time.

    The best part about pink sauce pasta is you can change the protein based on what your family prefers. Mine loves this dish with ham or sausage, but you can use chicken, steak, or even simple vegetables.

    Let me know how you serve this amazing pink sauce recipe in the comments below. We love to hear from you!

    pink pasta in a pan with parsley and paremsan on top

    Parma Rosa Sauce FAQs

    What is a pink pasta sauce?

    Typically, pink pasta sauces use a mixture of cream and tomato sauce. Pink pasta sauce is a tomato cream sauce using olive oil, garlic, tomato sauce, chicken stock, half & half, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and parsley.

    What is the difference between pink sauce and vodka sauce?

    Although vodka cream sauce and pink pasta sauce are both tomato cream sauce recipes, vodka sauce uses vodka, while pink sauce is an alcohol-free sauce using chicken stock.

    Can you make pink sauce pasta without heavy cream?

    You can make pink sauce without heavy cream by using half & half or even milk. The texture will be thinner if using milk, but you can thicken it as you like with additional cheese or by adding a roux.

    Rosa Sauce Ingredients

    • Pasta noodles of choice (I used elbow macaroni noodles)
    • Butter
    • Minced garlic or garlic paste
    • Italian sausage, mild or spicy; or, diced ham
    • Tomato sauce
    • Half & half
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    • Parsley
    ingredients for pink pasta sauce on a table

    How to Make Pink Sauce

    1. Cook pasta noodles according to package directions.
      pouring pasta into boiling water
    2. Add half a stick of butter to a skillet over medium-high heat and melt.
      melting butter in pan for pink pasta sauce
    3. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned, being careful not to burn it.
      adding garlic to butter in pan
    4. Add Italian sausage, ham, or meat of choice. For sausage, break it up into tiny pieces using a wooden spoon and cook until browned. For ham, cook until it is browned and begins to "pop" in the pan. For all other meats, cook through completely and to desired doneness before moving on to the next step.
      cooking sausage in a pan for pink pasta sauce
    5. Once meat is done cooking, add tomato sauce and stir until well-blended.
      sausage in a pan with tomato sauce
    6. Lower the heat. Gradually pour in half & half while stirring. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is well-blended.
      pouring half & half into sausage and tomato sauce
    7. Add in your cooked pasta, then mix in Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Once fully mixed, top with parsley if desired, and enjoy!
      parmesan cheese added to pink pasta in pan

    Pink Sauce Recipe Tips

    • You can use any meat you like. If using chicken or steak, cook in strips or cubes and make sure the meat is cooked through before adding sauce ingredients. Season the meat as desired before cooking, but test salt levels before adding more.
    • Cook pasta so it is just slightly underdone, because it will continue to cook when you add it to the sauce.
    • Add the half & half gradually, not all at once, and only after lowering the heat. If you add the half & half too quickly, it may curdle.
    • Break up any chunks of Parmesan as you add it to the sauce.
    sprinkling parmesan onto pink sauce pasta

    Pasta Sauce Recipes

    • Alfredo Sauce
    • Leek Sauce
    • Mushroom Sauce
    • Pea Sauce for Pasta
    • Garlic Sauce

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    Did you try this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments below or send us an email! We love to hear from you.

    📖 Recipe

    pink sauce pasta up close in a pan

    Pink Pasta Sauce

    Isabel Laessig
    My Pink Pasta Sauce recipe is creamy, cheesy, and perfect for pairing with pasta of all kinds. Ready in 20 minutes or less!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Sauce
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 697 kcal

    Equipment

    • Skillet
    • Colander
    • Large pot
    • Wooden spoon

    Ingredients
      

    • 16 ounce box pasta your choice, I recommend a shell pasta or macaroni
    • ½ stick butter 4 Tablespoons
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic or garlic paste
    • 1 pound Italian sausage mild or spicy - or 2 cups ham, or any meat of choice
    • 2 cups tomato sauce
    • 1 cup half & half
    • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • parsley for garnish (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • Cook pasta noodles according to package directions.
      pouring pasta into boiling water
    • Add half a stick of butter to a skillet over medium-high heat and melt.
      melting butter in pan for pink pasta sauce
    • Add garlic and cook until lightly browned, being careful not to burn it.
      adding garlic to butter in pan
    • Add Italian sausage, ham, or meat of choice. For sausage, break it up into tiny pieces using a wooden spoon and cook until browned. For ham, cook until it is browned and begins to "pop" in the pan. For all other meats, cook through completely and to desired doneness before moving on to the next step.
      cooking sausage in a pan for pink pasta sauce
    • Once meat is done cooking, add tomato sauce and stir until well-blended.
      sausage in a pan with tomato sauce
    • Lower the heat. Gradually pour in half & half while stirring. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is well-blended.
      pouring half & half into sausage and tomato sauce
    • Add in your cooked pasta, then mix in Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Once fully mixed, top with parsley if desired, and enjoy!
      parmesan cheese added to pink pasta in pan

    Video

    Notes

    • You can use any meat you like. If using chicken or steak, cook in strips or cubes and make sure the meat is cooked through before adding sauce ingredients. Season the meat as desired before cooking, but test salt levels before adding more.
    • Cook pasta so it is just slightly underdone, because it will continue to cook when you add it to the sauce.
    • Add the half & half gradually, not all at once, and only after lowering the heat. If you add the half & half too quickly, it may curdle.
    • Break up any chunks of Parmesan as you add it to the sauce.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 697kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 28gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 1031mgPotassium: 581mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 537IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 235mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword pink pasta sauce, pink sauce, pink sauce for pasta, pink sauce pasta, tomato cream sauce
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    About Isabel Laessig

    Isabel Laessig, better known as Family Foodie and the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement, is passionate about food and family! She is the author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook, and hosts Family Foodie Friday on WTSP's Great Day Tampa Bay along with other television appearances to spread her mission of bringing Sunday Supper back around the family table in every home.

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