Creamy Pink Tomato Sauce for Gnocchi

By
Kyle Phillips
Kyle Phillips
Food, wine, and travel writer Kyle Phillips lived in Tuscany and developed his passion and expertise for food and cooking through travel.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/22/23
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Creamy Pink Tomato Sauce for Gnocchi

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This is a quick, easy-to-make, and delicate tomato-cream sauce with a pleasing, blush-pink hue. It allegedly has French origins, and it's perfect for potato gnocchi or short pasta shapes. It would also pair well with many types of pasta bakes or filled pasta such as ravioli or tortellini. 

This pink sauce is made with tomato sauce, heavy cream, garlic, cheese, and parsley and takes a mere 25 minutes from start to finish. This is a great recipe for when you're in a rush or unexpected company shows up. It looks so elegant that nobody will suspect how simple it was to make. 

It is also popular with kids because it's tasty and uncomplicated. 

Serve with a tossed salad or crusty homemade bread, or jazz it up even further and add some baked chicken or grilled sausage on the side.

"This creamy, delicious pink tomato sauce is deceptively simple to prepare and will make your guests think you were cooking for hours. The portion size may look small, but the creamy sauce and gnocchi are very rich and filling." —Diana Andrews

Creamy Pink Tomato Sauce for Gnocchi/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • Fine salt, as needed

  • 1 pound (454 grams) potato gnocchi, or a short pasta shape such as penne or farfalle

  • 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought

  • 1 medium clove garlic, peeled and chopped

  • 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) heavy cream

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, more for serving, if desired

  • Coarsely chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Creamy Pink Tomato Sauce for Gnocchi ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Bring a large, well-salted pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Cook the gnocchi or other short pasta of choice according to package directions.

    Cook the gnocchi in a pot with water

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat.

    Heat the tomato sauce and garlic in a large saucepan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. When the tomato sauce reaches a simmer, lower the heat to low. Add the cream and cook, stirring continuously, until the cream combines with the sauce and is heated through.

    Add cream to the sauce in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

    Season the sauce with salt and pepper

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. When the gnocchi or pasta is ready, drain it and transfer it to the skillet.

    Add the gnocchi to the pasta in the pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Stir to coat it in the sauce, and add the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

    Add the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to the sauce and gnocchi

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Toss to coat the gnocchi or pasta evenly.

    gnocchi covered with sauce and cheese

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with more grated cheese, if desired.

    Creamy pink tomato sauce over gnocchi with parsley and freshly grated cheese

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

 

Tip

Your pasta should be cooked just to al dente so it is firm and not soggy.

Recipe Variations

  • For a milder sauce, use onions in place of garlic.
  • For a more piquant, somewhat spicy sauce, you can add a pinch of crushed dried red chile peppers (peperoncini) to the tomato sauce when simmering it with the garlic. 
  • Top with a few fresh basil leaves instead of parsley when serving.
  • For a lighter version, use cream cheese instead of heavy cream.
  • Top with mozzarella cheese instead of using Parmesan cheese, if you desire additional cheese for topping.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
656 Calories
45g Fat
53g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 656
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g 58%
Saturated Fat 28g 141%
Cholesterol 170mg 57%
Sodium 603mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 14mg 72%
Calcium 127mg 10%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 559mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)