Description
Make a restaurant-quality, velvety pink sauce pasta quickly using simple ingredients like tomato sauce and heavy cream.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (penne or rigatoni recommended)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low. Slowly stir in the heavy cream until fully combined with the tomato sauce, creating the pink color. Stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat every piece. Add more pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, if the sauce tightens up too much.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- To achieve a silky texture, always add the cream to the tomato sauce off the direct heat or on very low heat, and incorporate the cheese last.
- If you prefer a tangier sauce, substitute 1/4 cup of the heavy cream with 1/4 cup of cream cheese, softened slightly before adding.
- For a richer flavor, use a high-quality marinara sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 17
- Unsaturated Fat: 13
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 75