Pink Sauce Pasta

Ingredients

• 300 g pasta of choice (penne is recommended)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion (small, minced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1.5 cup tomato passata (or puree or sauce; not tomato paste)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 chicken bouillon cube (crumbled)
• sugar (pinch)
• red chili flakes (sprinkle)
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 cup milk
• 0.4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
• 0.25 cup pasta water (reserved from cooking; use as needed to loosen sauce)

Steps

1. 1

   Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions.

2. 2

   Drain the pasta, ensuring you reserve at least 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water for later use.

3. 3

   Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil.

4. 4

   Once the butter has melted, add the minced red onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.

5. 5

   Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

6. 6

   Add the tomato passata, dried basil, crumbled chicken bouillon cube, pinch of sugar, sprinkle of red chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.

7. 7

   Simmer the tomato mixture for a few minutes to allow flavors to meld.

8. 8

   Stir in the heavy cream, milk, and shredded mozzarella cheese until a thick, pink sauce forms.

9. 9

   Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine, warming through for a few minutes until the pasta is evenly coated.

10. 10

    If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it to your desired consistency. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

Tomato passata is pureed and strained tomatoes, usually found in jars; do not confuse it with tomato paste. If you don't have bouillon cubes, you can substitute with a teaspoon of bouillon base or omit and adjust salt. You can substitute Parmesan for mozzarella if desired, though mozzarella provides a signature gooey texture.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegetarian
• quick-dinner
• middle-eastern
• creamy