Your sauce is the star of your pasta and can change the entire taste of it. Hence, you need to have the knowledge of various types of pasta sauces and the flavour they add to your pasta. Knowing your pasta is something very basic that you should definitely know as it helps you decide the pasta you want to cook.
Suppose you had a bad day at work and you want to cook yourself some comforting pasta for dinner to get over it. Now the best choice for a relaxing meal is a savoury and creamy sauce that is light in flavour like bechamel but instead you cook it is arrabiata sauce. The hot and spicy arrabiata will leave your inside burning for the rest of your night and you might not be able to get a sound sleep. That's not what you were expecting.
The Knowledge Of Different Types Of Pasta Sauce
There are uncountable pasta sauces that you can use depending on the time of the meal, the number of people and personal preferences. Hence, it is always good to be aware of the options you have when it comes to pasta sauce so that you always have a range of dishes to choose from. If you don't know much about pasta sauce, we have got you covered. Here are the common types of pasta in which we usually cook pasta. Get ready to make notes.
Different Types Of Pasta Sauces
Bolognese Sauce
Bolognese is everyone's favourite sauce. This north Italian sauce is meat based and contains onions, celery and carrots along with some wine to add a tangy flavour to it. This magnificent sauce takes 4-5 hours to cook as it needs to simmer for a long time so that all the flavours are completely absorbed by the sauce. You can cook it is large amount and store for later use. Bolognese is great for a filling and heart non-vegetarian meal that is spicy and savoury. Here is the recipe for this heavenly sauce.
Bolognese Sauce Recipe
- Heat 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a sauce pan. Add 1 cup diced onions, 1/2 cup diced celery and 1/2 cup diced carrots. Cook with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes.
- Add 680 gm ground beef to the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes until the beef is no longer pink.
- Add 1 and a 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1 pinch cayenne pepper and black pepper and mix.
- Add 1 and 1/2 cup milk to the beef and simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Add 2 cups of white wine and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Add 800 gm of mashed tomatoes with 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat and on low flame, simmer the sauce for about 4 hours. Add water if necessary and cook well.
You can try this delicious bolognese spaghetti recipe with your hard cooked bolognese sauce.
Spaghetti Bolognese
- Cook your spaghetti al dente and drain it.
- Toss is with bolognese sauce so that the pasta and sauce mix well. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Marinara Sauce
This tomato based sauce is everyone's classic favourite. Marinara has a delightful and bright taste and it is super easy to cook. That is the reason why it is loved by so many people. It works great with almost any type of pasta and is good for a tangy and savoury meal that is just the right amount of spicy and relaxing. Let's start with the recipe.
Marinara Sauce Recipe
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a sauce pan. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 tsp salt, 1 chopped onions and 1 tsp oregano and saute for 10 minutes.
- Add 800 gm of crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 20 minutes then season with basil and salt.
Now that we have our marinara sauce, why not cook some marinara spaghetti for ourselves. Let's go.
Spaghetti Marinara
- Cook 450 gm of spaghetti al dente and drain it.
- Add it to heated marinara sauce and some water for consistency.
- Add 2 tbsp butter and mix well. Garnish with basil and serve hot.
Bechamel Sauce
Bechamel is a treat for your taste buds as this smooth, creamy, gooey sauce is just what you need to calm your intestines. Made up of roux and milk, this sauce is super easy and simple yet it has a great taste. It is good for a classic pasta recipes that is not spicy and fiery but relaxing and light. Let's have a look at its recipe.
Bechamel Sauce Recipe
- Heat 2 tbsp butter in a sauce pan. Then add 2 tbsp all-purpose flour.
- Keep stirring and cook for 2 minutes. Don't let the flour turn brown.
- Then slowly add 1 cup of warm milk while constantly stirring.
- Simmer until the sauce thicken for about 2-3 minutes. Then add 1/2 tsp black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Add 2 tbsp grated Parmesan if you want a cheesy sauce. Bechamel is done.
You can use this bechamel to cook a great penne pasta recipe. Just follow these simple steps.
Bechamel Penne Pasta
- Add 1 cup cooked penne pasta to the sauce you prepared above.
- Add oregano, basil and dried thyme as per your preference and mix well. Serve hot
Alfredo Pasta Sauce
Alfredo is a creamy and cheesy white sauce that is cooked with butter, Parmesan and cream. It adds a rich and smooth texture to your pasta, actually this sauce is best paired with pasta noodles as it provides a thick and gooey texture the thin pasta. Alfredo sauce recipe is easy to cook and it is great for a relaxing and filling meal. Let's start.
Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Heat 1/4 tbsp butter in a sauce pan and add 1 cup heavy cream in it.
- Simmer for 5 minutes and then add 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 and a 1/2 cup grated Parmesan.
- Whisk quickly while heating. Garnish will parsley and its done. Simple!
Your Alfredo is ready in such short time. That deserves a celebration, let's cook this simple Fettuccine Alfredo pasta that will be ready in just 5 more minutes.
Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta
- Heat your Alfredo in a pan with some oil. Skip this if your sauce is freshly prepared and still hot.
- Add cooked fettuccine pasta to the sauce and mix well. Garnish with parsley and grated Parmesan and serve hot.
Arrabiata Sauce
Arrabiata is the best sauce for a spicy, fiery meal. It is a tomato sauce that is cooked in garlic and peppers that gives it a hot, smoky flavour. It is simple to cook and the best for a hearty meal that will be like an explosion of flavours in your mouth. The hotness of chillies, the soothing nature of tomatoes and the addictive smell of garlic that stays on your tongue forever. Try making Arrabiata with this easy recipe that you can use to make pasta, pizza and sandwiches as well.
Arrabiata Sauce Recipe
- Heat some oil or butter in a sauce pan. Add 1 chopped onion and 4 minced garlic cloves and saute for 5 minutes.
- Now add 400 gm diced tomatoes, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 2 tbsp parsley, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup red wine, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp chopped basil and 2 tbsp tomato paste.
- Mix well and simmer for 15 minutes. Your Arrabiata is done.
Now that you have cooked your Arrabiata, its time to try it. Cook this easy fusilli Arrabiata for a spicy meal.
Fusilli Arrabiata
- Heat some oil in a pan and add half of the Arrabiata sauce you prepared.
- Add some salt to taste and some water to bring the consistency you want for your sauce.
- Now add 175 gm of fusilli pasta cooked al dente and mix well.
- Garnish with basil and grated Parmesan (optional) and enjoy your pasta.
Pasta tastes the best when it is made from home made sauce. However you can always opt for ready-made pasta sauces that are available in the market. These recipes are easy to cook and you can cook them in extra quantity and store for later use as well. So you don't have to cook them again and again. But make sure you know the shelf life of the sauces. There are many such delicious and amazing pasta sauces that will give you a great pasta experience. You should try them to give a new twist to your pasta.
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