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Pasta Sauce Recipes
Matching Pasta to Sauce
It is very important to give thought to matching pasta type and shape to a congenial sauce to achieve a successful dish. The two basic pasta types that
you'll be considering are the factory-made, egg-less, dried type and the homemade, fresh, egg type. As a general rule, factory-made pasta carries a
sauce while a homemade sauce absorbs it. The firmness and grainier texture of dried pasta make it the first choice with an olive-oil based sauce, a light
tomato or vegetable sauce, or a seafood sauce. Fresh pasta usually makes a more pleasing match with seafood, meat, or vegetable sauces that are
based on butter and often enriched with milk or cream. Your choice of sauce will also be affected by the shape of the pasta. Although there are
exceptions, if you choose a light sauce match it with a thinly shaped pasta. For a heavier sauce, such as a chunky meat sauce, it is best to use a larger
size pasta, such as penne or rigatoni
For more information on which sauce goes best with which pasta, go to our Pasta Shapes page
Traditional Tomato Sauce
(For 1 pound of pasta)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce or puree
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil on low heat about 5 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine well.
Partially cover pot with lid. Simmer approx. 30 minutes.
Note:
This sauce can be made ahead and stored in a sealed container in
the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Marinara Sauce
(For 1 pound of pasta)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped,
or 1 (28 ounce) can Italian crushed tomatoes
Salt to taste
4 fresh basil leaves, torn into bits
Directions:
Saute the garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil about 5 minutes.
Remove and discard the garlic. Add the tomatoes and salt.
Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, unitl the sauce is thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
Note:
This sauce can be made ahead and stored in a sealed container in
the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Tomato Sauce with Butter
(For 1/2 pound of pasta)
This sauce goes well with filled pasta like ravioli or tortellini, which have so much flavor on their own that they only need a light tomato sauce.
Ingredients:
2 cups canned tomato puree
4 ounces butter, cut into pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 medium carrot, peeled and quartered
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
Directions:
Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan.
Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Remove onion and carrot pieces. Serve.
Bolognese Sauce
(For 1 pound of pasta)
Bolognese sauce should be served with a fresh pasta, such as tagliatelle, but it also suits all kinds of long strands of pasta and can be used as a filling
for lasagna.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef (or 8 ounces ground beef and 8 ounces ground pork)
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
1/2 cup milk or cream
Water, beef or chicken broth (If required)
Directions:
Sauté onions in olive oil until soft.
Add ground beef (or beef and pork) and cook until no longer pink.
Add carrots, celery, milk, nutmeg, tomato puree, salt, basil, thyme and pepper. Simmer over low heat, partially covered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
Stir occasionally and add some water, beef or chicken broth if the sauce
gets too thick. Add sugar if the sauce tastes too acidic after simmering
for 1 hour. Just befor serving, stir in milk or cream and heat through.
Note: This sauce freezes well.
Pesto Sauce
(For 1 pound of pasta)
Pesto sauce is best served with long thin pasta, such as linguine but also goes well with penne or farfalle or even with filled pasta.
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh basil leaves **
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, put the garlic, salt, basil, and pine nuts.
Process until well chopped. Slowly add olive oil.
Add cheese and process to blend.
** Do not attempt to make this recipe with dried basil.
Garlic and Oil Sauce (Aglio e Olio)
(For 1 pound of pasta)
Garlic and olive oil sauce suits long pasta like spaghetti and linguine
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Directions:
Put the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a saucepan over low heat.
Cook until the garlic turns golden. Do not brown.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Add cooked pasta and stir in parsley. Serve.
Alfredo Sauce
(For 12 ounces of pasta)
Serve Alfredo Sauce with fresh or dried fettuccine or other long pasta
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Directions:
In a saucepan, melt the butter.
Gradually, stir in the cheese until smooth. Add cream.
Continue heating, just to a boil. Add cooked pasta.
Remove from heat. Stir in parsley.
Butter and Egg Sauce
(For 1 pound of pasta)
This sauce matches well with fresh homemade linguine or fettuccine
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 eggs
Pinch of salt and pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
Beat the eggs lightly with the salt and pepper in a bowl.
Cook the pasta, drain, and add the butter pieces.
Stir until the butter is melted. Add the eggs and nutmeg.
Cook over low heat 1 to 2 minutes to coat the pasta.
Remove from heat and add the Parmesan cheese.
Butter and Sage Sauce
(For 1 pound of pasta)
Butter and sage sauce is wonderful on filled pasta, such as ravioli, but it
also enhances all kinds of pasta
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6-8 fresh whole sage leaves
Directions:
Put the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
When the butter is color is a light gold, add the sage leaves.
Cook for 15-30 seconds, turning the leaves once.
Add the cooked pasta. Serve.
Béchamel Sauce
(Makes about 1 cup)
This sauce is often used a base for other ingredients in a recipe and is often served in a pasta dish that also contains a tomato sauce.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of white pepper and nutmeg
Directions:
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Remove from the heat, add flour, stir to blend.
Whisk in milk and cream. Return to heat.
Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Reduce heat.
Simmer 2-3 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg
Sauce Recipes
THE BEST WAY TO ADD
SAUCE TO PASTA
SAUCE TO PASTA
DO NOT drain your pasta into a colander and rinse it with cold water. About a minute or two before the pasta is cooked to al dente, remove it from the cooking water with tongs (for string pasta) or a strainer or skimmer (for shaped pasta) and add it directly to the cooked sauce still in the saucepan. Cook the pasta for additional time in the sauce. This allows the pasta to absorb more of the flavor of the sauce than if you simply pour the sauce over it in a serving bowl. With this method you also have the reserved starchy pasta water that can be added to the sauce if it appears too thick. Also stir in any fresh herbs at this point to blend them into the sauce. Now you are ready to transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and top with freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese. Mangia!
RELATED ITEMS
INGREDIENTS
RECOMMENDED PRODUCT
I've owned several food mills over the years, and in my opinion, this one is the best. The advantage of a food mill over a food processor or blender is that it separates the skins and seeds from the fruit or vegetable pulp. It is the perfect tool for preparing fresh purees, sauces, and soups. It has a stainless steel inner bowl that is ideal for hot foods and does not stain, and includes 3 stainless steel grinding discs for fine, medium and coarse textures. Use the fine disc for homemade jellies, creamy sauces and baby food, the medium disc for applesauce and vegetable soups, and the coarse disc for mashed potatoes and chunkier sauces. This food mill has a unique release button that makes it easy to exchange discs and disassemble for storage.
RECIPES
Traditional Tomato Sauce
Marinara Sauce
Tomato Sauce with Butter
Bolognese Sauce
Pesto Sauce
Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)
Alfredo Sauce
Butter and Egg Sauce
Butter and Sage Sauce
Bechamel Sauce
Traditional Tomato Sauce
Marinara Sauce
Tomato Sauce with Butter
Bolognese Sauce
Pesto Sauce
Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)
Alfredo Sauce
Butter and Egg Sauce
Butter and Sage Sauce
Bechamel Sauce
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PASTA BASICS > SAUCE COLLECTION > PASTA SAUCE RECIPES