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–+ servings
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 4 votes
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Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
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 pasta, pink sauce recipe
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