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    White Sauce Pasta Recipe

    Last Updated On: Apr 8, 2025 by Aarthi

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    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 and vegetables to create this filling creamy white pasta. Learn how to make white sauce for pasta with step by step pictures and video.

    white sauce served with parmesan cheese and italian herbs on top

    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.

    Table of Contents

    • About White Sauce Pasta
    • Watch White Sauce Pasta Video
    • White Sauce (Bechamel Sauce) Ingredients
    • White Sauce Pasta Ingredients
    • How to Make White Sauce Pasta (Stepwise Pictures)
    • White Sauce Pasta with Vegetables
    • Expert Tips
    • Variations & Serving
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • 📖 Recipe Card
    • White Sauce Pasta | White Sauce Pasta Recipe | White Pasta

    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

    • Stir Fry Spaghetti
    • Keema Macaroni
    • Grilled Chicken Pasta
    • Spaghetti Aglio Olio
    • Chicken Alfredo
    • Chicken & Veggie Pasta

    Watch White Sauce Pasta Video

    YouTube video

    White Sauce (Bechamel Sauce) Ingredients

    bechamel sauce or white 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

    ingredients for making white sauce pasta with vegetables

    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 made with spaghetti

    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.

    close shot of creamy white pasta recipe

    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.

    for making basic white sauce. Heat butter in a sauce pan

    2)Add in plain flour. you can swap plain all purpose flour with wheat flour.

    add in plain flour

    3)Stir fry butter and flour together for 1 to 2 minutes till raw smell leaves from it.

    stir and cook for few more minutes

    4)Once the flour is cooked with butter. Turn off the flame and pour in cold milk. Mix well till lump free and smooth.

    now pour in cold milk slowly and mix well

    5)Now turn on the heat and keep mixing till it thickens and smooth.

    heat again. mix and cook till it thickens

    6)Add in salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar which is optional.

    add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar

    7)Add in Italian herbs and red chilli flakes.

    add herbs and red chilli flakes

    8)grate some fresh parmesan cheese. Add in parmesan cheese.

    add in grated parmesan cheese

    9)Mix well. White sauce is ready.

    mix well, bechamel sauce or white sauce for pasta is ready

    Cooking Pasta

    10)bring lots of water to boil. Add in salt.

    for cooking pasta, heat water and add good amount of salt

    11)Add in pasta and mix well. I used linguine pasta.

    add in pasta

    12)Cook as per package directions. Set aside.

    cook pasta as per package directions

    Mixing & Serving White Sauce pasta

    13)Add cooked pasta into the sauce.

    add in cooked pasta

    14)Toss pasta in white sauce. It will get creamy as you toss.

    mix pasta with white sauce

    15)Plate some white sauce pasta in a pasta plate.

    serve white sauce pasta on a plate

    16)Sprinkle some herbs and extra parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

    sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and italian herbs and serve

    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.

    for white pasta with vegetables. Cook vegetables in olive oil

    2)Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till vegetables are steamed. Add salt to taste.

    add salt to taste and mix vegetables

    3)Add in dried oregano and red chilli flakes. stir fry for 2 minutes.

    add dried oregano and red chilli flakes to vegetables

    4)Remove vegetables to a bowl and set aside.

    remove cooked vegetables to a bowl and set aside

    Garlic Flavoured White Sauce

    5)Heat butter in a pot. Add in finely chopped garlic.

    to make white sauce on pasta. Heat butter, add chopped garlic

    6)Stir fry garlic in butter for 1 to 2 minutes till aromatic. Add in plain flour.

    cook garlic for few seconds. 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.

    stir fry flour for few seconds

    8)Add in dried oregano and red chilli flakes. You can flavour pasta with parsley, basil or paprika.

    add in oregano and red chilli flakes to flour

    8)Stir fry the herbs with butter for few more seconds.

    flour cooked with butter and herbs

    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.

    turn off the flame and add in cold milk
    mix flour with milk

    10)Mix the flour with milk using a whisk till lump free. Season with salt and nutmeg powder.

    add salt and nutmeg

    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.

    cook till sauce coats back of the spoon

    Making White Sauce Pasta with Vegetables

    12)Add in cooked vegetables, grated cheese.

    add cooked vegetables and grated parmesan cheese

    13)Combine, this is your white sauce with vegetables.

    mix white sauce with cheese and vegetables

    14)Add in cooked pasta and mix well. White sauce with vegetables is ready to serve.

    add in cooked pasta and mix well. White sauce pasta with vegetables 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

    • Desi Vegetable Pasta Recipe
    • Tomato Spaghetti Recipe
    • Arrabiata Pasta Recipe
    • Pasta Alla Vodka Recipe (Creamy Tomato pasta)
    • Broccoli Lasagna Recipe
    • Basil Pesto Recipe (Pesto Pasta)
    • Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe
    • Mac and Cheese Recipe

    📖 Recipe Card

    White Sauce Pasta | White Sauce Pasta Recipe | White Pasta

    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.
    4.50 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 255kcal

    Equipment

    • Sauce Pan
    • Whisk
    • Cooking pot

    Ingredients

    Basic & Simple White Sauce Pasta

    • 1 cup Pasta

    For White sauce (bechamel sauce)

    • 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
    • 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour | Plain Flour (you can use whole wheat flour)
    • 300 ml Milk (cold | chilled)
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • ½ tsp White Pepper
    • ¼ tsp Sugar
    • ½ tsp Dried Oregano
    • ½ tsp Dry Chilli Flakes optional
    • ½ cup Cheese I used parmesan

    White Sauce Pasta with Vegetables

    • 1 cup Pasta
    • 1 tbsp Olive oil
    • 1 Carrot chopped
    • 1 cup Broccoli
    • ¼ cup Green peas
    • ½ tsp Dried oregano
    • ½ tsp Red chilli flakes
    • Salt to taste
    • ½ cup Cheese

    For garlic flavoured white sauce

    • 2 tbsp Butter
    • 4 cloves Garlic chopped finely
    • 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour | Plain flour (you can use whole wheat flour)
    • 300 ml Milk (cold | chilled)
    • ½ tsp Dried Oregano
    • ½ tsp Red Chilli Flakes
    • Salt to taste
    • ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg

    Instructions

    How to make Basic White sauce pasta

      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 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, 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.

      How to make white sauce pasta with vegetables

        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.

        Cooking Vegetables

        • Heat olive oil in a pan. Add in carrot, peas, broccoli and stir fry for 2 minutes. Cover and cook till for another 3 minutes till cooked. Season with salt, oregano, red chilli flakes and mix well. Remove and set aside.

        Making Garlic Flavoured white sauce

        • Heat butter in the same pan as cooking vegetables. add in garlic and fry for a min. Add in oregano and chilli flakes and mix well. Add in flour and stir for a minute till raw smell leaves.
        • Turn off the heat and add in cold milk and whisk constantly. Now turn on the heat again, whisk and cook till it thickens. Season with salt and nutmeg, mix well. white sauce is ready.

        Finishing and serving white sauce pasta

        • Add the cooked veggies, grated cheese to the white sauce. Add cooked pasta and mix well. Season with herbs and salt. Serve.

        Video

        YouTube 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

        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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        Aarthi

        About Aarthi

        Over the past few years I’ve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours!

        Reader Interactions

        Comments

        1. Anonymous

          at

          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?

          Reply
        2. Aarthi

          at

          @AnonymousNot sure about the tamil name.

          Reply
          • akila nallusamy

            at

            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....

            Reply
        3. Anonymous

          at

          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?

          Reply
        4. Aarthi

          at

          @AnonymousIf it gets thick, add some hot milk over the paste and cook till it is saucy.

          Reply
        5. Chicken Pasta Recipes

          at

          Hello mam insisted of butter can i use vegetable oil?

          Reply
        6. Aarthi

          at

          @Chicken Pasta Recipesyes u can use vegetable oil as well.

          Reply
        7. Anonymous

          at

          Can v use mozzarella cheese?

          Reply
        8. Aarthi

          at

          @Anonymousyes u can use any cheese

          Reply
        9. Prativa Ray

          at

          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

          Reply
        10. Anonymous

          at

          hello

          For doing white pasta sauce, can ghee be used in place of butter.

          Thank you

          Reply
          • Anonymous

            at

            Yes but little ghee with little oil

            Reply
        11. Anonymous

          at

          hello

          For doing white pasta sauce, can ghee be used in place of butter.

          Thank you

          Reply
        12. Aarthi

          at

          @Anonymousu can use oil instead of butter

          Reply
        13. nisha santhosh

          at

          Sugar is new to me...I add garlic to the heated butter...lemme try this.:)

          Reply
        14. anonymous

          at

          Can I use any other flour

          Reply
        15. Aarthi

          at

          @anonymousif you want you can use wheat flour

          Reply
        16. Anonymous

          at

          You make cooking look easier kudos great work . . happy to learn recipes from your blog

          Reply
        17. Anonymous

          at

          Can I add chicken pieces in this recipe? ? Will it go with the sauce as it has got milk in it..

          Reply
        18. Aarthi

          at

          @Anonymousyou can cut up some cooked or grilled chicken and add to this

          Reply
        19. Aimy

          at

          Hi. Can we use fettucini pasta instead of linguini? And chedder cheese instead of parmesan?

          Reply
          • Aarthi

            at

            Yes you can. Yes you can use cheddar cheese

            Reply
        20. foodhoarder

          at

          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

          Reply
        21. Priya

          at

          5 stars
          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

          Reply
          • Aarthi

            at

            I would recommend to add extra milk and make the sauce very loose. so the consistency doesn't harden.

            Reply
        4.50 from 8 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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