This white sauce pasta has an amazing base cream sauce that everyone will love! Eat it plain or pair it with more veggies or protein.
Hello pasta lovers. You’ll never have to make boxed mac and cheese again. Enter this base Pasta with white sauce! It’s a basic recipe for us. The easy cream sauce is so creamy and full of flavor, and get this: it doesn’t even use cream! All you need is a handful of ingredients that you probably already have on hand. It only takes 10 minutes: enough time to prepare the pasta. Eat it on its own, as an accompaniment to pasta, or add more raw or cooked vegetables to the sauce. A quick dinner idea in minutes!
Looking for vegan? Go to Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo.
Ingredients for pasta with white sauce
You may already have the ingredients for this white sauce pasta in your pantry and fridge. You will be amazed at the great taste that comes from simple ingredients! Because of this, we believe it’s far superior to boxed macaroni and cheese. Easy Cream Sauce uses 2% milk, no cream, and makes the tastiest white sauce you’ll ever have. Here’s what you need:
- Noodles of any shape
- Salted butter
- Garlic
- Plain Flour
- milk
- Salt
- parmesan cheese
Want a change? try that White wine sauce made with white wine and cream!
How to make a cream sauce: some tips!
Making a simple cream sauce is a technique every home cook should know. You start by creating a Ginger (pronounced “roo”). A roux is flour and butter cooked together and used to thicken sauces. It is usually made with equal parts flour and butter. Here are some tips for this process as cooking is quick:
- Measure out all the ingredients first and don’t leave the stove! The cooking process is fast so you don’t have to stop to measure an ingredient. Don’t get distracted, especially in the first few minutes!
- Sauté the garlic for just 30 seconds. Be careful not to overcook: you don’t want it to brown!
- Add the flour and stir constantly. Flour can overcook and turn brown in no time. Cook it just until golden brown.
- Gradually add the milk. Just add a little milk and then whisk it. Keep adding small pieces until the sauce is smooth. Then cook until thickened, about 5 minutes, then add the parmesan and salt. like that !
Pasta shapes that work well
You can use any shape of pasta for these pasta with white sauce! But we have some recommendations for what we like best. Here are our top picks for pasta:
- Pieces: Instead of spaghetti or fettuccine, our favorite long pasta is bucatini. It’s like hollow spaghetti. They have way more texture than spaghetti and are more fun to eat!
- Rigatoni: For a short pasta, we love the texture and look of rigatoni. Penne is another natural option.
- Corkscrew: Cavatappi is a fun corkscrew shape that goes great with a white sauce!
Variations: Supplement for pasta with white sauce!
Here comes the fun part: how to serve pasta with white sauce! It’s just carbs and dairy, so consider adding colorful veggies or more protein as a side dish or in the pasta itself. Here are some supplement ideas:
- Tomatoes: Add sliced cherry tomatoes or chopped ripe tomatoes
- Zucchini: Thinly slice and add raw or sautéed (you can add about half of the linked recipe)
- Spinach or Kale: Let it melt in a saucepan for a few minutes, then lightly salt it before adding. *Tip: Or put baby spinach or baby cabbage in the colander and pour off the pasta water: it will cook immediately!
- Broccoli: Chop and sear or fry the broccoli.
- Pepper: Chop the peppers and sauté with the onion, then add.
- Herbs: Add any type of chopped fresh herbs.
- Shrimp: Add shrimp with garlic butter for an incredibly flavorful main dish. Or make creamy shrimp pasta!
Quick to combine side dishes
Looking to add nutrition to this pasta with white sauce on the side? Here are some quick side dishes to add:
This white sauce pasta recipe is…
Vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, head to Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo.
The description
This white sauce pasta has an amazing base cream sauce that everyone will love! Eat it plain or pair it with more veggies or protein.
- 1 Pasta of all shapes: spaghetti, bucatini, penne, riagotni, cavatappi, etc.
- 2 tablespoons Salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Boil a pot of well-salted water. Cook the pasta until just al dente (start tasting a few minutes before package suggestion: you want them to be tender but still a bit firm inside; usually around 7 to 8 minutes). drain.
- Meanwhile, measure out all the ingredients in advance; the cooking process is fast!
- Right after you add the pasta to the pan, start the sauce: In a small or medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the grated garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and beat constantly, until bubbly and golden brown, 1 minute to 90 seconds. Don’t overcook it: the flour can turn brown in seconds. Pay attention!
- Add a little milk and whisk: the sauce will thicken immediately. Add splashes of milk, whisking constantly, beating until all is incorporated and the sauce is smooth.
- Reduce heat and beat until sauce thickens and no longer tastes like raw flour, about 5 minutes. Add salt and parmesan. Taste and add a pinch or two of additional salt if desired.
- Drain the pasta, then add the sauce. Add a little milk or two to fluff the sauce and stir until you get the right consistency. Taste and add a few pinches of salt if needed. (The sauce is best made fresh, so we don’t recommend making it ahead of time). Serve with additional Parmesan if desired.
- Category: main course
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: Italian
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: Pasta with white sauce Pasta with white sauce
Easier pasta recipes
Do you like this pasta with white sauce? Here are some easier pasta recipes you might enjoy:
