White Sauce Pasta Recipe – a popular well known pasta dish which is loved by all just like tomato red pasta. Basic white sauce on pasta is a simple elegant dish which uses flour, butter and milk to make white sauce which is also known as bechamel sauce. Combine white sauce with cooked pasta, herbs and vegetables to create this filling creamy white pasta. Learn how to make white sauce for pasta with step by step pictures and video.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
White Sauce Pasta
My kids love pasta. White sauce pasta and red sauce tomato pasta is what I make for my kids often. Whenever I make white sauce pasta, I like to add lots of vegetables in it to make it super healthy. In this recipe post, I have shared two version of making white sauce pasta. Once is a basic pasta flavoured with herbs and cheese and other one has lots of vegetables added.
About White Sauce Pasta
White sauce pasta also known as bechamel sauce pasta or white pasta is a popular pasta dish. This is so easy to make and can be made in less than 10 mins. The time it gets to cook the pasta is what you need to make the sauce.
White sauce pasta is made with bechamel sauce, vegetables, cheese and cooked pasta. You can customize it as per your liking. The first step is to make the white sauce, then cook vegetables or chicken, cook pasta, combine everything and enjoy.
If you are making this for kids, Add vegetables or cooked chicken to make it more tasty and filling. If you are out of tomatoes, then this recipe comes handy. It is made using flour and milk, which is one of the staple ingredients in every home. This recipe can be put together in under 15 mins. Some other recipes made using white sauce are this white sauce chicken sandwich and carrot cheese white sauce sandwich.
Similar Recipes
Watch White Sauce Pasta Video
White Sauce (Bechamel Sauce) Ingredients
Butter – use unsalted or salted butter for making bechamel sauce. Good quality butter imparts flavour to the dish. For lighter version you can swap butter with olive oil.
Plain Flour – all purpose flour is added to butter. some times when I am making white sauce pasta for kids, I like to swap plain flour with wheat flour which imparts nutty aroma.
Milk – full fat milk is added in white sauce. I like to use cold milk when making bechamel sauce which prevents lump in the sauce
Seasonings – salt, white pepper are the main seasoning. white pepper will add peppery taste without changing the colour of sauce.
Ground nutmeg – one of the main flavouring in white sauce which adds nutty and warm note to the sauce.
Optional – herbs like oregano, basil can be used. I like to add garlic in my white sauce which adds aroma to the pasta.
White Sauce for Pasta Basic Formula & Tips
The main ingredient for this pasta is the white sauce. it is also known as bechamel sauce. Making bechamel sauce is easy. The measurement for white sauce is 1:1:10 which is 1 part butter, 1 part flour and 10 part milk.
Sometimes when making white sauce, when you pour milk into the flour, the sauce might get lumpy. To avoid this and to get smooth, creamy, lump-free bechamel sauce (white sauce) there are two tips which I follow.
Always turn off the flame when you pour in the milk. Make sure the milk is cold when you pour in the flour mixture which helps to get lump free bechamel sauce.
White Sauce Pasta Ingredients
Bechamel Sauce – basic white sauce flavoured with garlic, herbs and spices is used.
Pasta – you can use any pasta shapes in this dish. Macaroni, penne, spirals, fusili, spaghetti, linguine can be added.
Olive Oil – I add olive oil when cooking vegetables. You can use butter too.
Mixed Vegetables – vegetables adds colour and nutrition. carrots, green beans, broccoli, mushrooms, green peas are some of the common vegetables.
Flavourings – dried herbs like oregano, red chilli flakes, basil is used.
Cheese – I like to use parmesan cheese which adds umami note. You can use mozzarella or cheddar cheese as well.
White sauce pasta preparation in 3 easy steps
Cook Pasta & Vegetables
Start by cooking the pasta. Bring lots of salted water to a boil. Add in pasta and cook as per package directions Drain and set aside. If you are using vegetables, saute in olive oil with seasoning and herbs. Set aside.
Making White Sauce
Melt butter in a pan, add in flour and mix for a minute till the raw flour taste goes away. Turn off the flame, Slowly add in cold milk and keep whisking. The sauce will thicken. When the sauce coats the back of the spoon then it is done, it will thicken as it cools. Add in nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Finishing White sauce pasta
Now toss pasta in the sauce and serve with a extra grating of cheese and mix in cooked vegetables.
How to Make White Sauce Pasta (Stepwise Pictures)
This recipe is basic white sauce pasta. It is made with basic cheese flavoured white sauce, cooked noodles or pasta is added and tossed.
Making white sauce
1)Start by melting butter in a sauce pan.
2)Add in plain flour. you can swap plain all purpose flour with wheat flour.
3)Stir fry butter and flour together for 1 to 2 minutes till raw smell leaves from it.
4)Once the flour is cooked with butter. Turn off the flame and pour in cold milk. Mix well till lump free and smooth.
5)Now turn on the heat and keep mixing till it thickens and smooth.
6)Add in salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar which is optional.
7)Add in Italian herbs and red chilli flakes.
8)grate some fresh parmesan cheese. Add in parmesan cheese.
9)Mix well. White sauce is ready.
Cooking Pasta
10)bring lots of water to boil. Add in salt.
11)Add in pasta and mix well. I used linguine pasta.
12)Cook as per package directions. Set aside.
Mixing & Serving White Sauce pasta
13)Add cooked pasta into the sauce.
14)Toss pasta in white sauce. It will get creamy as you toss.
15)Plate some white sauce pasta in a pasta plate.
16)Sprinkle some herbs and extra parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
White Sauce Pasta with Vegetables
Cooking Vegetables
1)For making white sauce pasta with vegetables. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add in vegetables of choice. I am using peas, carrots, broccoli.
2)Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till vegetables are steamed. Add salt to taste.
3)Add in dried oregano and red chilli flakes. stir fry for 2 minutes.
4)Remove vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
Garlic Flavoured White Sauce
5)Heat butter in a pot. Add in finely chopped garlic.
6)Stir fry garlic in butter for 1 to 2 minutes till aromatic. Add in plain flour.
7)Cook flour with butter for 2 minutes till raw smell leaves. Don’t let the flour change colour. Make sure it is white in colour.
8)Add in dried oregano and red chilli flakes. You can flavour pasta with parsley, basil or paprika.
8)Stir fry the herbs with butter for few more seconds.
9)Sometimes when making white sauce, when you pour milk into the flour, the sauce might get lumpy. To avoid this and to get smooth, creamy, lump-free bechamel sauce (white sauce) there are two tips which I follow.
Always turn off the flame when you pour in the milk. Make sure the milk is cold when you pour in the flour mixture which helps to get lump free bechamel sauce.
10)Mix the flour with milk using a whisk till lump free. Season with salt and nutmeg powder.
11)This is the consistency you are looking for. When you draw a line on the back of a wooden spoon using your fingers the line should stay in place. This is the proper consistency you are looking for.
Making White Sauce Pasta with Vegetables
12)Add in cooked vegetables, grated cheese.
13)Combine, this is your white sauce with vegetables.
14)Add in cooked pasta and mix well. White sauce with vegetables is ready to serve.
Expert Tips
Pasta – you can use any pasta shapes as you prefer. some of the popular options are spaghetti, penne, macaroni pasta shaped. Cook pasta till al-dente before adding into the sauce. Over cooking pasta will make your white pasta mushy and gloppy.
White sauce – make sure you follow the ratio 1:1:10 for making white sauce pasta. The measurement for white sauce is 1:1:10 which is 1 part butter, 1 part flour and 10 part milk. You can make white sauce a day ahead and store in fridge. When reheating add extra milk and reheat.
Consistency of white sauce – If you are packing white sauce pasta for lunch box, add extra ½ cup of milk to the white sauce and make sure it is liquidy. Because as the pasta rests for few hours it tends to get gloppy and thick
Variations & Serving
- you can add cooked chicken, prawns, tofu, paneer, vegetables, mushrooms in white pasta.
- Any herbs like basil, oregano, paprika can be used. For Indian touch, you can use cumin powder, chilli powder and curry powder when making sauce.
- Any cheese can be used. grated mozzarella, cheddar or parmesan cheese can be added.
For Baked white sauce pasta – Once pasta is done baking, transfer it to baking dish. Sprinkle the top with cheese and bake in 220 degree C preheated oven for 20 minutes till cheesy and bubbly.
For white pasta with crispy bread crumbs topping – Once pasta is done baking, transfer it to baking dish. Mix breadcrumbs with parmesan cheese, herbs and melted butter. Sprinkle this over pasta and top with cheese. Bake in 220 degree C preheated oven for 20 minutes till cheesy and bubbly.
White sauce pasta can be served with garlic bread, garlic cheese toast, garlic pull apart rolls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the white pasta sauce called?
white sauce used in pasta is called as bechamel sauce. It is one of the 5 mother sauces.
Can I make white sauce with wheat flour?
Yes you can use whole wheat flour instead of plain flour or maida. Stir fry whole wheat flour for few more seconds to remove the raw smell.
Can I use oil instead of butter in white sauce?
Even though butter imparts flavour in white sauce. You can easily replace oil instead of butter. Use equal amount oil for butter.
What pasta can I use for white sauce pasta?
you can use any pasta shapes in this dish. Macaroni, penne, spirals, fusili, spaghetti, linguine can be added.
How to store white sauce or bechamel sauce?
Pour the sauce in a container. Cover it with plastic wrap, make sure the top of the sauce touches the plastic wrap this prevents a skin from forming. Store in fridge and use as needed. This keeps well for 3 to 4 days.
How to prevent white sauce pasta from turning gloopy and thick?
Don’t use too much flour when making white sauce. The ratio to make white sauce should be followed to get perfect consistency. Mix pasta with white sauce just before serving. If you are planning to make this ahead, I recommend making the white sauce extra runny, so when you mix in pasta and as it cools down it will get to the proper consistency.
How to pack white sauce pasta in lunch box?
If you are packing white sauce pasta for lunch box, add extra ½ cup of milk to the white sauce and make sure it is liquidy. Because as the pasta rests for few hours it tends to get gloppy and thick
More Pasta Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe Card
White Sauce on Pasta | White Sauce Pasta Recipe | White Pasta
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 255kcal
Equipment
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Sauce Pan
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Whisk
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Cooking pot
Ingredients
Basic & Simple White Sauce Pasta
For White sauce (bechamel sauce)
White Sauce Pasta with Vegetables
For garlic flavoured white sauce
Instructions
How to make Basic White sauce pasta
Cooking Pasta
White sauce for pasta
Mixing sauce with pasta
How to make white sauce pasta with vegetables
Cooking pasta
Cooking Vegetables
Making Garlic Flavoured white sauce
Finishing and serving white sauce pasta
Notes
- You can use whole wheat flour instead of plain flour.
- Instead of butter, olive oil can be used.
- Cooked chicken , prawns, vegetables and mushrooms can be added in this pasta.
- You can increase milk quantity if you are planning to pack in lunch box.
- Any pasta shaped can be used. Make sure you cook pasta till al dente.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servings | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1899IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 219mg | Iron: 1mg
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