This Pink Sauce Pasta is the perfect easy 30-minute dinner. With less than 10 ingredients, it's the perfect dinner for a busy weeknight!
I don't know about you, but sometimes I come home from work and I just want a quick and simple recipe. You know the kind. The ones that I can have done in 30 minutes and that still pack the flavor. I am all about that easy life. This Pink Sauce Pasta is just that. Ready in just 30 minutes, easy to make and full of bold flavors. Paired with a creamy and rich sauce, this one won't disappoint!
For some other delicious pasta recipes, try this Easy Lasagna Verde, this Green Pasta Sauce or this Cajun Pasta with Smoked Sausage.
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What Makes This Pink Sauce Pasta So Great
- 30 Minutes- This pink sauce pasta is ready in just 30 minutes which makes it the perfect meal to make any day of the week!
- Bold Flavors- The tomatoes, basil, garlic, and coconut milk work together to create beautiful bold flavors.
- Less than 10 ingredients- This whole recipe has less than 10 ingredients which makes it the perfect meal to just throw together and there is minimal effort involved in making it!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Coconut Milk-To keep this recipe lighter and dairy-free, we are using full-fat coconut milk from a can. You can swap for heavy cream or half and half if you aren't dairy-free.
- Whole Peeled Tomatoes-I love using whole tomatoes in this recipe because as the sauce cooks, the tomatoes will break down creating a beautiful creamy sauce. Feel free to use regular diced tomatoes if that is what you have on hand.
- Nutritional Yeast-To give this recipe a cheesy flavor while still keeping it light on the dairy, we use nutritional yeast. Feel free to swap it with mozzarella cheese if you aren't dairy free.
A complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes and spices, and stir in until incorporated.
Step 3: Add the coconut milk and nutritional yeast. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 7-10 minutes over high heat until the sauce is reduced by half and the tomatoes are broken down.
Step 4: Boil the penne noodles according to the package directions. Once finished, drain but reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Add the noodles to the skillet with the sauce and heat until warmed through.
Hint: Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining and add it to the sauce. The salty, starchy water not only adds flavor but helps glue the pasta and sauce together
Variations
- Extra Creamy - If you want a thicker sauce, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch to 2 tablespoons water, forming a slurry, pour the slurry into the sauce and stir until thickened.
- Cheesy - If you want to make this extra cheesy, feel free to add mozzarella or your favorite vegan cheese and stir until melted.
- Extra Vegetables - This is the perfect sauce to sneak in extra vegetables. I love stirring in some chopped spinach or mushrooms on occasion.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This pasta is hearty and filling enough on its own, however here are some ideas of what to serve with it if you want a full meal!
- French Bread
- Chopped or Caesar Salad
- Focaccia Bread
- Garlic Bread
Storage
Store the pasta in an airtight container for up to three days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave. The noodles will soak up more of the sauce as it sits so just be aware of that.
I would not recommend freezing this recipe as the cooked noodles will fall apart when thawed.
Top tips
- Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining and add it to the sauce. The salty, starchy water not only adds flavor but helps glue the pasta and sauce together. It will also help to thicken the sauce.
- Make sure to cook the pasta until just al-dente. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
- If you want a smooth sauce without the onion/pepper texture, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce before adding the pasta.
Recipe FAQ's
Pink sauce is similar to vodka sauce but there are notable differences. Pink sauce gets its name from its color, and while some pink sauce recipes will use vodka sauce as a base and add more cream to taste, many pink sauce recipes will vary widely from vodka sauce dishes
Typically, pink pasta sauces use a mixture of cream and tomato sauce. To keep this dairy-free, the cream is substituted for coconut milk.
It is called pink pasta because it is a blend of tomato and cream sauce, so the resulting pasta sauce is colored pink.
Other Great Pasta Dishes to Try
Pink Sauce Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Medium Skillet
- 1 8 quart dutch oven
- 1 cutting board
- 1 chef knife
Ingredients
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 28 ounces Whole Peeled Tomatoes
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 16 ounces Penne Pasta
- 14 ounces Full-Fat Coconut Milk from can
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil
- ⅓ cup Nutritional Yeast
Instructions
- Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and spices, and stir in until incorporated.
- Add the coconut milk and nutritional yeast. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 7-10 minutes over high heat until the sauce is reduced by half and the tomatoes are broken down.
- Boil the penne noodles according to the package directions. Once finished, drain but reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Add the noodles to the skillet with the sauce and heat until warmed through.
Notes
- Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining and add it to the sauce. The salty, starchy water not only adds flavor but helps glue the pasta and sauce together. It will also help to thicken the sauce.
- Make sure to cook the pasta until just al-dente. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
- If you want a smooth sauce without the onion/pepper texture, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce before adding the pasta.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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