White Sauce Pasta is a rich, and creamy dish loaded with flavors of garlic and Italian seasonings. The Penne Pasta is usually cooked to tender and mixed with a silky smooth White Sauce called Bechamel Sauce made with butter, flour, and milk.
The recipe I have shared here explains to you how to make a White Sauce Pasta with easy-step-by instructions with photos. I have also shared a video tutorial of the recipe to make the process visually clear for you to try at home. This White Sauce Pasta is usually served for lunch and dinner, or as a kid-friendly after-school snack. And the best part is it is fresh and purely homemade.
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What is White Sauce Pasta?
White Sauce Pasta is a flavorful Italian dish made with Penne Pasta and super creamy Bechamel Sauce. It is a rich sauce usually made with butter, all-purpose flour, and milk that is seasoned with Italian herbs and spices. And it is also called the mother of sauces, as it acts as the base sauce for most of the other sauces used in Italian Cuisine.
This Pasta dish shared here is one of the popular dishes in Italian cuisine and is known for its super-rich and creamy texture. Not to mention the flavor and taste that you get from the Italian herbs and garlic. Classic!
The White Sauce that we are going to use is the star of the dish which makes it a delightful meal. Even though the sauce can be made just alone with the seasonings, you can always mix in your favorites according to your taste buds. The most preferred add-ins are usually, cheese, chicken, shrimp, clams, or veggies. So let's see what you will need to make this dish in the below sections.
Ingredients
The ingredients that you will need for this recipe should be easily available in most grocery stores and you can customize the veggies and proteins according to your family favorites.
- Penne Pasta - I have chosen Penne Pasta to make this dish, but you can also use rotini, spaghetti, linguine pasta as well
- All Purpose Flour - This flour is an important ingredient to make the base for the sauce
- Butter - I have used salted butter here, but feel free to add unsalted ones if that's handy to you. But adjust the salt quantity, if you are using the salted butter
- Milk - Use room temperature whole milk or reduced fat milk which gives a perfect consistency to the sauce
- Italian Herbs and Spices - I have used dried basil, oregano, parsley, pepper powder, and chili flakes in this dish
- Veggies - Bell peppers, carrot, peas, corn, mushroom, and broccoli work great for this recipe
How to make White Sauce Pasta?
The White Sauce Pasta recipe shared here is without cheese and delivers a smooth, creamy, and moderately spicy Italian dish. Here I have added veggies but feel free to use chicken, shrimp, or other proteins you like. Also, you can reduce the spice level that best suits your taste buds.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this dish but for detailed step-by-step instructions with pictures and video, check out the recipe card below.
- Cook Pasta - In a wide bottom pan, add 3 cups of water, oil, and salt and bring it to a boil. Add 1 cup of Penne Pasta and cook until it turns tender. Once they are tender, drain and reserve them for later use
- Saute Veggies - In a pan with medium heat, add butter and saute garlic until fragrant. Add the onion and other veggies to soft and reserve for later use as well
- Make White Sauce - In a pan with medium heat, add butter and flour. Saute the flour without forming any lumps until fragrant. Now add room temperature milk and mix until it thickens. Pour the remaining 1 cup milk and mix again until it thickens. The right consistency is that the sauce has to coat the spatula or spoon(note - make sure to keep the heat settings from low to medium heat during this process)
- Add the Italian Herbs and Spices - Now add in the dried basil, oregano, parsley, pepper powder, chili flakes, and sauteed veggies. Check for salt at this stage
- Serve - Now serve this delicious White Sauce over Penne Pasta and enjoy for lunch, dinner, or snack
Variations
- Chicken -Add chicken boneless pieces to make it a filling meal
- Shrimp - You can also add shrimp if you really love to add seafood in pasta
- Cheese - I haven't added cheese here but feel free to add mozzarella or parmesan cheese for a more creamy and saucy dish
- Without Flour - If you really don't want to use flour to make this White Sauce, then you can use cream and Mozzarella cheese to achieve the similar results
Tips
- Tender Pasta - Always cook the pasta as per instructions in the package and make sure they are not too soft or mushy
- Consistency of White Sauce - Making a perfect White Sauce is the key to making this dish delicious, so I have shared detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video to make a perfect dish
- Pasta Variety - I have used Penne Pasta for this recipe but you can also use rotini, spaghetti, or linguine pasta that is handy for you
- Spice Level - I have added chili flakes and pepper powder which gives good heat to your white sauce but feel free to reduce the quantity to decrease the spice level
- Proteins - I have to use veggies for this dish but you can also add chicken, shrimp, and other proteins to make this pasta
- Serving - The White Sauce is usually poured over cooked pasta and relished as it is. You can also add some grated cheese to make it richer and kids-friendly. And it is perfect for lunch, dinner, or as an evening snack
Storage Suggestions
This White Sauce pasta tastes delicious and comforting when served warm. I would recommend not to freeze it as it will not be fresh and appetizing compared to freshly made ones. But you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for a day and reheat them before serving the dish.
Serving Suggestions
This homemade White Sauce Pasta tastes great on its own but you can also serve it along with some garlic breadsticks, and garlic knot buns for a more filling meal.
You can also find similar Pasta recipes below and more at Italian recipes.
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Shrimp Alfredo
- Chicken Alfredo
- Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Garlic Parmesan Pasta
- Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
- Salmon Pasta
- Masala Pasta
White Sauce Pasta Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this White Sauce Pasta recipe that I hope will help you to make a rich meal at home. For a quick reference, you could also find this recipe in story format.
📖 Recipe
White Sauce Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 cup Penne Pasta
- ¼ cup Carrot, chopped
- ¼ cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup Onion, chopped
- 2 tsp All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Milk
- 3 tbsp Oil
- Salt, as needed
- 1 tsp Parsley, dried
- ½ tsp Basil Leaves, dried
- ½ tsp Oregano
- ½ tsp Pepper Powder
- ½ tsp Chili Flakes
- 2 tsp Garlic, minced
- 3 tsp Butter, salted
- 3 cups Water
Instructions
To Cook Penne Pasta
- In a wide bottom pan, pour oil, add salt and bring it to boil. Once the water starts to boil add penne pasta and give a mix
- Allow the Penne Pasta to cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until it turns tender. Drain the Penne Pasta from the water and reserve it for later use
To Stir Fry the Vegetables
- In a pan with medium heat, add 1 tsp of butter and add garlic. Sauté the garlic until it turns aromatic
- Now add onion, red, yellow bell peppers, carrots and saute until it turns soft
- Remove the veggies from the pan and keep them for later use
To Make White Sauce
- In a pan with medium heat, add 2 tsp of butter and all-purpose flour
- Mix the flour without forming any lumps and allow it to turn aromatic
- Now add 1 cup of milk and mix well until it thickens
- Add another 1 cup of milk and mix well. Stir until it starts to thicken. Adding the milk in batches helps to make a perfectly creamy sauce
- Now add the dried basil leaves, oregano, parsley, pepper powder, chili flakes, and the sauteed veggies and give a good mix
- Now our creamy White Sauce is ready to serve over Pasta
To Serve
- Serve this White Sauce over Penne Pasta and enjoy it for lunch, dinner, or as an evening snack
Video
Notes
- Tender Pasta - Always cook the pasta as per instructions in the package and make sure they are not cooked too soft or mushy
- Consistency of White Sauce - Making a perfect White Sauce is the key to making this dish delicious, so I have shared a detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video to make a perfect dish
- Pasta Variety - I have used Penne Pasta for this White Sauce but you can also use rotini, spaghetti, or linguine pasta that is handy for you
- Spice Level - I have added chili flakes and pepper powder which gives good heat to your white sauce but feel free to reduce the quantity to decrease the spice level
- Proteins - I have to use veggies to this dish but you can also add chicken, shrimp, and other seafoods to make this white sauce pasta
- Serving - The White Sauce is usually poured over cooked pasta and relished as it is. You can also add some grated cheese to make it more kids friendly. And it can be served for lunch, dinner, or as an evening snack
Nutrition
FAQ
White Sauce Pasta is a creamy and saucy dish made with cooked pasta and a thick sauce called Bechamel Sauce. The sauce is usually made with butter, flour, and milk. Then the sauce is perfectly seasoned with Italian spices and herbs and typically poured over cooked pasta. This dish is usually served for lunch, dinner, or a quick evening snack.
Yes, you can add chicken to this pasta and it makes a delicious filling meal.
Since this White Sauce act as a base sauce for most Italian sauces, it is called the mother of sauces.
Yes, you can make this sauce without flour/maida. You add 2 tsp of cream and ½ cup mozzarella cheese instead of flour to achieve a similar taste and creamy texture.
I really hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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