White Sauce Pasta Recipe - a popular well known pasta dish which is loved by all just like tomato red pasta & Italian 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 to create this filling creamy white pasta. Learn how to make white sauce for pasta with step by step pictures and video.
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.
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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
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, sugar 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.
Step by Step 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. Add in garlic if you prefer that flavour.
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, nutmeg 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.
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 pull apart rolls.
FAQ
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.
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.
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.
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.
📖 Get Recipe
White Sauce Pasta | White Sauce Pasta Recipe | White Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pasta
For White sauce (bechamel sauce)
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 teaspoon Garlic peeled & chopped finely
- 2 tablespoon All Purpose Flour | Plain Flour (you can use whole wheat flour)
- 300 ml Milk (cold | chilled)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon White Pepper powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Dry Chilli Flakes optional
- ½ cup Cheese I used parmesan
Instructions
- Cooking Pasta - 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.
- White sauce for pasta - When the pasta is cooking, start the sauce. Melt down butter in a pan. Add in garlic if using and saute for a min. Add in all purpose flour and mix well. Stir for few mins till the raw smell leaves away. Turn off the flame and pour in cold milk and keep mixing till it is mixed. Heat again and Cook this till it gets thick. Now add in salt, sugar. chilli flakes, nutmeg, white pepper and oregano. mix well. Add in cheese and mix. Sauce done.
- Mixing sauce with pasta - Once white sauce is ready. Add cooked pasta into the sauce. Toss pasta in the sauce and serve with a extra grating of cheese and herbs.
Video
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
Tried this Recipe
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Anonymous
Hi Arthi...hope u r doing fine...I wanted to try this out...could u pls let me know what does 'oregano' mean in tamil?
Aarthi
@AnonymousNot sure about the tamil name.
akila nallusamy
Oregano is nothing but our karpooravalli ..it is all our herbs only, but we never use them in our cooking until it is called as oregano or other fancy English or French name....
Anonymous
Hii...glad u shared this recepie...though i made before also in such way...but...prob occoured...whn ...it got cool...n it get so thick tht its not sauce anymore....n thtz nothin lik sauce i wanted... Wt shall i hav done more?wt went wrong?
Aarthi
@AnonymousIf it gets thick, add some hot milk over the paste and cook till it is saucy.
Chicken Pasta Recipes
Hello mam insisted of butter can i use vegetable oil?
Aarthi
@Chicken Pasta Recipesyes u can use vegetable oil as well.
Anonymous
Can v use mozzarella cheese?
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes u can use any cheese
Prativa Ray
Hi Aarthi.I ust love your recipes.It is somple to prepare and the pictures just makes ot too clear for us.Thanks a lot
Anonymous
hello
For doing white pasta sauce, can ghee be used in place of butter.
Thank you
Anonymous
Yes but little ghee with little oil
Anonymous
hello
For doing white pasta sauce, can ghee be used in place of butter.
Thank you
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can use oil instead of butter
nisha santhosh
Sugar is new to me...I add garlic to the heated butter...lemme try this.:)
anonymous
Can I use any other flour
Aarthi
@anonymousif you want you can use wheat flour
Anonymous
You make cooking look easier kudos great work . . happy to learn recipes from your blog
Anonymous
Can I add chicken pieces in this recipe? ? Will it go with the sauce as it has got milk in it..
Aarthi
@Anonymousyou can cut up some cooked or grilled chicken and add to this
Aimy
Hi. Can we use fettucini pasta instead of linguini? And chedder cheese instead of parmesan?
Aarthi
Yes you can. Yes you can use cheddar cheese
foodhoarder
This is great- thank you Aarthi
I needed something quick and easy and here it was 🙂
I'm gonna try this out nd fingers crossed it works!
Thanks again 0.0
Priya
Hai mam it's look great.. l also tried it and it comes very well.. my kids ask me to make it for their lunch.. but is this possible?? Because if the pasta get cool it became hard and tight and by noon how can the kids have it. If it possible can you share me the tips and they will enjoy it
Aarthi
I would recommend to add extra milk and make the sauce very loose. so the consistency doesn't harden.