Rosatella Sauce (Pink Sauce)

Rosatella sauce is a versatile and delicious sauce that is perfect for pasta dishes, pizzas or you can use it even as a dip on a slice of crunchy bread. It is a creamier alternative to the classic marinara tomato sauce. Made with a combination of simple ingredients, this sauce is packed with a lot of flavor and nutrients.

As I said, the rosatella sauce is a great alternative to the classic marinara tomato sauce. You may consider using this sauce instead of marinara in dishes where you are looking for a creamier texture.

All you will need for this delicious sauce is a little bit of canned tomato sauce, freshly shredded parmesan cheese, onions, celery, carrots, and single cream.

Just toss the vegetables a little bit on a frying on to intensify their flavor then mix the rest of the ingredients and the sauce is ready. How simple it is?

We will add a little bit of freshly shredded parmesan cheese to add a nutty and salty flavor to the sauce. On another hand, the sauteed vegetables will add depth and complexity to the flavor of the sauce.

The added single cream with give a smooth and velvety texture and also will balance out the acidity from the tomato sauce which will make the sauce more rich and decadent.

The combination of all these factors will give us a satisfying sauce that we can enjoy.

The simplest method to enjoy this rosatella sauce is to cook a plate of pasta and mix those two together. A simple but very delicious dish.

🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?

• It is easy to make, and you will need only a few simple ingredients that are easy to make.
• A creamier alternative to the base marinara sauce. Ideal if you are looking to add some creaminess to your dishes.
• It is a great way to elevate a simple pasta or pizza and to make this dish more special and comforting.

🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes

• Canned Tomatoes. I used canned tomatoes to save time. To obtain a more uniform texture, you can use “Passata (sieved tomatoes)“. And if you prepare this recipe in season, you can use fresh tomatoes instead. In this case, you will have to cook them longer.
• Vegetables. Onion, garlic, celery, carrot. This is the classic vegetable base for “Italian Soffritto”. If you don’t like any of the vegetables or don’t have them on hand, you omit them.
• Single Cream. I used an 18% fat cream. If you want, you can replace it with heavy cream. You will get an even creamier texture, but also more calories.
• Parmesan. I used parmesan to add depth to the taste, but you could replace it with another cheese such as pecorino or another hard cheese that you prefer.
• Seasonings. I used only salt, and Black Pepper. I opted for this classic mix without using any other strong spices, but you could also add other spices such as rosemary, oregano, or basil.
• Olive Oil. We need the olive oil to saute the vegetables, but you can replace it with butter or another vegetable oil that you prefer to use for frying.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions

Cut the vegetables as small as possible. If you want, you can put them through a chopper to get a more uniform result and to speed up the process. Especially if you plan to cook a larger quantity of the sauce.

After that, put all the vegetables in the pan and simmer them with a little oil. This should take about 4-5 minutes.

After the vegetables have become a little softer, add the spices you have decided to use. Mix everything well and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, mix well, cover with a lid and let all the ingredients simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.

After this time, taste the sauce and adjust the taste if necessary.

Quick Note: If you used fresh tomatoes, make sure they are cooked enough. Also, if you feel that the sauce is too acidic, you can add ½ teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity of the sauce.

Add the cream and mix well. Cook until the sauce starts to boil.

After this, stop the heat. Add the freshly shredded parmesan or another type of cheese that you have decided to use. Mix the sauce well.

Our sauce is ready to be served with any type of pasta you prefer or to add to another type of food.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

If you will ask somebody what is their first serving suggestion for the rosatella sauce, the first answer that you will get will be to combine this creamy sauce with a plate of pasta. Cook the pasta as usual, then in the end, mix it with rosatella sauce, and top with freshly shredded parmesan and chopped fresh parsley or basil for a complete dish.

Another great way to use this creamy sauce is to use it as a topping for a homemade pizza or lasagna.

🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?

• Use good-quality ingredients that you know are flavorful. If you are using canned tomatoes, pick those brands that you know that is good. If you’re going with fresh tomatoes, pick ripe tomatoes that have a rich color.
• For a richer flavor, consider sauteing the vegetables before adding the rest of the ingredients. By doing that, you will intensify the flavor of the vegetables and you will add more depth of flavor to the sauce.
• Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if it will be needed. Add salt and black pepper to your taste. If you will see that the tomatoes are too acidic, you may add a little bit of sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Feel free to experiment with adding different aromatic herbs and spices to add your unique twist to the rosatella sauce. A few suggestions will be to add thyme, oregano, or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like spicy food.

♻️ Make Ahead, Storage and Heating:

📋 Recipe Card: