By Suprita Mitter
July 8, 2024
Pastas make for comforting meals and their sauces give them flavour. Traditional Italian sauces Pasta sauces come in diverse flavours and textures, from creamy Alfredo and robust Bolognese to zesty marinara and spicy arrabbiata, each sauce complements different pasta shapes. Here are some sauces you can cook your pasta with.
Marinara is a classic Italian sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs. It's a versatile, quick-cooking sauce often seasoned with basil and oregano, and sometimes with a hint of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
This is a rich and creamy white sauce made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Originating from Rome, it's traditionally served with fettuccine.
Pesto is a vibrant green sauce from Genoa, Italy, made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
A hearty meat-based sauce from Bologna, Italy, this is made with ground beef or pork, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and sometimes pancetta. It's slow-cooked to develop deep flavours.
Carbonara is a creamy, yet egg-based sauce made with pancetta (salt cured pork), eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. The heat from the pasta cooks the eggs, creating a silky sauce that coats the pasta.
Arrabbiata, which means angry in Italian, is a spicy tomato sauce made with garlic, tomatoes, and red chilli peppers cooked in olive oil. It's known for its fiery kick and is usually paired with penne pasta.
Made with garlic (aglio) and olive oil (olio) this sauce comes from Naples. It features sliced garlic sautéed in olive oil, often with a pinch of red pepper flakes and fresh parsley.