Creamy blush pasta with crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and parmesan—ready in 30 minutes for a comforting meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 400 g (14 oz) penne or rigatoni
→ Pink Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 tsp dried oregano
07 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
08 - 1 tsp sugar
09 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
10 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
11 - 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
12 - 100 g (1 cup) freshly grated parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Garnish
14 - Fresh basil leaves, chopped
15 - Additional parmesan cheese, for serving
# Steps:
01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 3–4 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, butter, and parmesan cheese. Mix until the sauce becomes creamy and blush pink in color.
06 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with fresh basil and extra parmesan.
