GOOD TASTE: Easy Pasta with Pink Sauce Recipe

It’s back to school time in a lot of households and that means the schedule starts to get jam packed with activities, homework, and earlier bed times. It also means less time for meal prep. Pasta is always a winner in our house and this Pasta with Pink Sauce is easy to make and delicious. I can whip this up in a half hour and when the schedule is tight, every minute counts.


I modified this recipe from a Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. This is the type of basic sauce that you can alter to your family’s taste buds. Add chicken or shrimp, make it pinker or add vegetables. We tend to like it plain or with shrimp.

print recipe

Pasta with Pink Sauce

by Carolyn Garris August-18-2016

I created this recipe by modifying a creamy tomato pasta recipe I found. By using jar sauce and fresh key ingredients, this is a delicious but easy dinner to throw together.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Pasta such as penne
• 1/4 cup Chopped onion
• 1 large clove Minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 cup or a little less Chicken Broth
• 1/8 cup or more Snipped Fresh Basil
• 1 Tbsp or a good pinch of dry parsley Snipped Fresh Parsley
• 1 cup of homemade or jar sauce Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup of homemade or jar sauce Alfredo Sauce
• 1/4 cup or less Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

In a large skillet or sauce pan, cook the chopped onion and minced garlic in hot olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Carefully add the chicken broth, snipped basil, and parsley. Cook for 1 more minute. Add the tomato sauce and Alfredo sauce and stir. Add the parmesan cheese and season with pepper. Simmer. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Pour sauce over the pasta. Serve with fresh parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 6 -8 servings

The key to this sauce is to use short cuts, like jar Alfredo Sauce but balance that with fresh ingredients like basil from your garden.


Of course, I don’t always have fresh basic growing and have used my preserved basil or dry basil from the store. I say if you can get dinner on the table, it’s a win no matter how you accomplish it.


If you have tomatoes growing, whip up a batch of homemade red sauce and freeze it on batches. Because I make this pink sauce recipe so often, I freeze leftover red sauce in 1 cup portions to have on hand for this recipe.


You can grab the recipe card above but here’s the step by step in pictures. This always smells so good when I make it. When you get to the last step and add your Alfredo Sauce, you can add more or ease up depending on how pink you like your sauce. My family likes a 50/50 ratio of red to pink.

Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese makes a difference too. It adds that extra yum factor to your pasta.

Hooray for back to school and hooray for easy meals.  Buon Appetito!

Thanks so much for stopping by.