Penne with chorizo rosé sauce
- Preparation 20 min
- Cooking 30 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing Absolutely
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🍝 My best rosé sauce, built through trial and error
I developed this rosé sauce my own way, drawing on plenty of other recipes and testing until I nailed it. And honestly, it’s a really good rosé sauce, genuinely easy to make. It works with any pasta: on a Tuesday night, you boil some penne, stir this in and dinner is done. It’s even perfect over ravioli. It’s the kind of recipe that looks like nothing and gets everyone up from the table happy.
🌶️ The chorizo and its fat, plus melted mozzarella
What takes my rosé to another level is the chorizo. It adds an incredible depth of flavor. The secret is to keep the chorizo fat once it’s seared: that’s where all the flavor hides, so you cook the onion and garlic right in it. And my real twist is the mozzarella melted into the sauce. The parmesan is there too, but the mozzarella binds everything together and gives that creamy, wrapping texture I love.
🍅 The perfect balance, ready in 30 minutes
The little detail that changes everything: a splash of white wine and a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity of the passata. It makes a round sauce, never too sharp, with an incredible depth of flavor. I use 15% country-style cream, which I find perfect: creamy without being too rich, exactly right for a weeknight dinner. In about thirty minutes, you’ve got a homemade rosé sauce that beats any store-bought jar.
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🌶️ A dry Spanish chorizo, mild (or spicy if you like)
I always use dry Spanish chorizo, firm and mild: it cubes up nicely and gets lightly crisp in the pan. If you like heat, go ahead and grab a spicy chorizo, it lifts the sauce no problem. It’s what gives that smoky edge and depth that make all the difference.
🫒 Keep the chorizo fat, it’s essential
Once the chorizo is seared, don’t throw out the fat it renders in the pot. It’s very, very important: it’s packed with flavor. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon to keep that fat, then cook your onion and garlic in it. They’ll soak up all that chorizo flavor from the start.
🧀 Melted mozzarella, my twist
Parmesan is a must at serving. But my real secret is grated mozzarella melted right into the sauce. It binds everything together and gives a creamy, wrapping texture you don’t get from cream alone. Add it along with the cream and the chorizo, and stir until smooth.
🍷 The white wine, don’t skip it
Dry white wine is really what delivers the depth of flavor: between the sugar, the acidity and the alcohol cooking off, it structures the whole sauce. If you’re truly stuck without wine, you can add a little chicken broth, but honestly I’d suggest not skipping it. It’s worth it.
🥛 15% country-style cream
I always use 15% country-style cream. I find it perfect: it gives all the creaminess you want without being as heavy as 35%. For a weeknight dinner, it’s exactly the right balance. Add it over medium-low heat so it blends well with the passata.
🌡️ To keep the sauce from splitting
The classic mistake with a rosé sauce is that it splits. It’s never happened to me, and the trick is simple: when you add the cream, don’t keep the heat too high. Pour it in gently, stir well, and let the sauce warm through slowly. No hard boil, and it holds together perfectly.
✅ What to serve with my penne with chorizo rosé sauce?
I serve this with a good cheesy garlic bread for mopping up, and an arugula salad with balsamic for freshness. The sauce is so versatile it works on ravioli or any short pasta too. And if you love creamy pasta, check out my creamy chicken penne or my vodka Romanoff pasta.
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Ingredients
- 454 g penne
- 250 g chorizo, cut into small cubes
- Olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine
- 2 1/2 cup (625 ml) passata
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried basil
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar
- 237 ml 15% country-style cream
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated mozzarella cheese
- Grated Parmesan for the service
- Salt and pepper from the mill
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Preparation
- In a large saucepan filled with boiling salted water, cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Pour into a colander, drain and set aside.
- In the same saucepan heated over medium-low heat, place the chorizo and add thin drizzle of olive oil. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes or until the chorizo is slightly crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon (to retain the oil) and set aside in a bowl.
- Add the onion and garlic and mix. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the passata, basil, oregano, sugar, season with salt and pepper and mix. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the cream, the mozzarella and the chorizo then mix. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the pasta, mix and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat well! Serve and garnish with Parmesan to taste.
In this recipe, rose sauce comes together from passata, white wine, and 15% cream, simmered with basil, oregano, and a touch of sugar, then finished with mozzarella. The tomato base and cream blend into that classic pink color and silky texture.
Expect a creamy, mildly tangy tomato sauce with a touch of sweetness from the sugar and herbs, mellowed by the cream and melted mozzarella. The crispy chorizo adds a smoky, savory bite that balances out the sauce’s softness in every forkful of penne.
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