Pasta
Fresh Tomato Cream Sauce plus Angel Hair Pasta (Pink Pasta)
Fresh tomato cream sauce with angel hair pasta is a reliable summer pasta recipe, especially if you have lots of garden tomatoes.
Fresh tomato cream sauce with angel hair pasta is a reliable summer pasta recipe, especially if you have lots of garden tomatoes.
At a glance
What stands out: The recipe is straightforward to mix and is a great way to use extra ripe tomatoes.
How long it takes: 30 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: pasta pot, large skillet
Servings: 4
Our mom calls this “pink pasta.” It’s one of our favorite ways to eat pasta, with an irresistible combination of fresh and decadent that’s simply reliable. Garden fresh tomatoes and heavy cream are the stars in this recipe.
We love it when simple ingredients come together to shine in a recipe like this. Life doesn’t have to be complicated and recipes certainly don’t have to be complicated. This no-fuss pasta is brilliant in the most effortless, unassuming way.
However, we wouldn’t consider this pasta sauce rustic; it remains a classy dish reliable for any occasion. Maybe it’s the cream and butter.
Okay, it probably is the cream and butter. That dynamic duo easily elevates any dish, wouldn’t you say?
Some of you may be familiar with the TikTok favorite, baked feta and tomato pasta sauce. This pink pasta recipe reminds us a little bit of that one. We do love creamy sauces. Another favorite is our carrot pasta sauce. It’s unique, beautifully colored, and slightly sweet. We love it.
About This Recipe
One of a standby parts of this tomato cream sauce is the tomatoes. It works best with ripe garden fresh tomatoes, not the hard waxy off season tomatoes. If you have a bountiful harvest of tomatoes, you’ll definitely want to try this recipe. We've also used ripe Campari tomatoes with good results.
The ripe tomatoes are evenly complemented by the rich cream base of the sauce. You definitely don’t want to skimp on the fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, either.
Many of our recipes are easily adapted and flexible to encourage you to use different ingredients or even different amounts. We wouldn’t mess with this one though. Butter, onions, garlic, fresh tomatoes, heavy cream, Parmesan and basil. Just do it!
On that note, in many (most) of our recipes, we use whole wheat pasta; however, in this recipe, we recommend traditional pasta, specifically angel hair pasta. The tomato cream sauce is delicate and light and wouldn’t hold its own against the heartier flavor of whole wheat pasta.
What To Serve With Pink Pasta
While this recipe could be a light main course, it also is a great side dish. Serve the pasta alongside bruschetta grilled chicken, (a reliable match!) or this straightforward baked salmon with lemon and chives.
Make the pasta a main dish by adding sautéed shrimp as a topping. A crispy green salad is wonderful with the pasta, topped with this lemon basil vinaigrette dressing. Bonus: You can use that big bunch of basil for the pasta and the salad.
To review: Butter, onions, garlic, FRESH tomatoes, heavy cream, Parmesan, FRESH basil, and angel hair pasta. Trust us!
Before you start
Keeping leftovers
Pink pasta is best when it’s served immediately. If you have some leftover, cover and refrigerate it. It will keep for a few days. It does not freeze well.
To reheat, microwave individual portions in 30 second increments until it’s warmed through. Don’t overheat it because the sauce may separate.
- Yield: 4 servings
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook: 20 minutes
- Total: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons minced yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
- ¾ cup seeded, peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes (see note)
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, more if desired
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, more for garnish
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat (see note about peeling tomatoes). Cook angel hair pasta as directed on package, drain.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic until onion is translucent.
- Add cream and cook until reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and basil and cook until sauce turns a light pink color.
- Mix in cooked pasta until evenly coated. Serve immediately, topped with additional fresh basil.
Notes
Add more tomatoes: You can’t go wrong with a few additional tomatoes so if you have extras, don’t worry, just add them to the sauce! it will make your sauce a deeper pink.
To easily peel tomatoes, we use our boiling water before we put the pasta in it. Score a small “X” in the bottom of each tomato with a sharp knife. Place them in a heat-safe colander with a handle (or you can use a slotted spoon) and place them in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes or until you see the skin separating from the flesh of the tomatoes. Remove from boiling water and place in an ice bath (ice cubes + cold water). The skin should come off easily once the tomatoes cool a bit.
We use whole wheat pasta 95% of the time when we cook, but since this sauce is delicate, regular pasta is best.
