Make this creamy White Sauce Pasta (Bechamel Sauce Pasta) from scratch in just 30 minutes. It makes for a perfect lazy dinner and is really popular among kids.
Here are some more pasta recipes that you may like – Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Masala Macaroni, Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta, Cajun Spaghetti, Chicken Florentine Pasta, and Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti Aglio E Olio.
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About This Recipe
White Sauce Pasta (Bechamel Sauce Pasta) is a creamy pasta dish where cooked pasta is coated with a rich and cheesy white sauce. This recipe comes together in 30 minutes and tastes just like the one you get in the restaurants.
I made a veg version of this pasta dish but you can add chicken, shrimp, or any other meat that you like.
My recipes serve 4 people but you can easily scale the recipe as per your requirements.
Ingredients
Pasta – I have used penne pasta, but you can use any variation such as spaghetti, macaroni, fusilli, fettuccine, or any other pasta of your choice. You can also make stuffed ravioli using this sauce as the base.
Vegetables – I have added onions, mushrooms, mixed bell peppers, and carrots but you can go ahead and add more veggies such as broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, baby corn, spinach, kale, etc.
You can also add cooked chicken, shrimp, diced ham, or any other meat along with the veggies. You can also skip the veggies and just use the non-veg protein.
Milk, Heavy Cream, Cheddar Cheese, and All-Purpose Flour – For the creamy white sauce, you will need these 4 ingredients. They together will give the perfect velvety texture to the pasta.
I have used shredded white cheddar cheese, but you can definitely pump up the recipe and use cheese varieties such as mozzarella, gouda, emmental, parmesan, or even a mix of a few.
If you live in India, processed cheese of any brand like Amul, Brittania works fine.
Spices – I have used freshly cracked black pepper, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. You can also use mixed Italian seasoning.
Adjust the amount of these seasonings as per your taste and preference. If you like it to be spicier, increase the red pepper flakes.
How To Make White Sauce Pasta
Cook the Pasta
Heat 5-6 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.
Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt to it.
Reduce the heat to medium.
Add 10 oz (300 g) of uncooked pasta to the pot and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is just cooked, stirring a few times while cooking.
Note – To check if the pasta is cooked properly, lift a pasta shape from the boiling water using a slotted spoon. Cut the pasta in half using a knife and check the center. The pasta should not have a white ring or spot in it or be opaque in appearance if it is cooked properly.
Do not overcook the pasta otherwise, the final dish will become mushy.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the remaining.
Keep the cooked pasta aside.
Make The White Sauce
Start by heating 2 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted) in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once the butter is melted and slightly hot, add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and ¼ cup finely chopped onions and cook for a minute, stirring frequently.
Add ½ cup sliced carrots, ½ cup sliced mushrooms, and ½ cup cubed mixed bell peppers to the skillet and saute for a minute.
Now add 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour and cook for a minute, stirring continuously. This butter and flour mixture is called ROUX.
Set the heat to low.
Pour 1 and ½ cup of warm whole milk (full-fat milk) very slowly and whisk continuously using a wire whisk while pouring. This process is very important to get a creamy sauce so be careful while adding the milk.
Add ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and cook the sauce on low heat until it starts to thicken, stirring continuously.
Stir in ¼ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese and cook until the cheese melts.
Add Pasta To The Sauce
Add the cooked pasta along with 1 cup of the water in which it was cooked to the skillet and mix well.
Note – If you are planning to serve the pasta even an hour after making it, then add another cup of milk to the sauce as the pasta thickens considerably once it starts to cool down.
Cook on medium heat for a minute. Garnish with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano, and serve hot.
Pro Tips By Neha
Make sure you cook the pasta Al dente. If it’s overcooked, it will be mushy, sticky, and won’t taste great when mixed with the sauce.
Serve it hot. This pasta tends to thicken a bit when cooled down, so keep a little extra sauce in the paste while cooking.
Load it with veggies of your choice. It is also a great way to use up the leftover veggies in the fridge.
Always reheat the pasta by adding a little milk or broth to maintain the creamy and saucy texture. You can also reserve some water from cooking the pasta and use it to thin it down.
All-purpose flour makes the best creamy sauce but you can try adding half whole wheat flour for a healthier version.
Frequently Asked Questions
White sauce is made with equal parts of butter and all-purpose flour with milk added to it, while Alfredo sauce is made with grated parmesan, butter, and some pasta water.
There is no flour or ROUX in the alfredo sauce.
Yes, you can definitely mix red sauce and white sauce for the pasta, it is popularly called pink sauce. After the white sauce is ready, add ½ cup of red sauce to the pan and keep the remaining process the same to make pink sauce pasta.
No, I do not consider white sauce pasta healthy. It has a lot of butter, cream, cheese, and flour which are not good for the body if consumed on a daily basis. Having said that, anything that’s taken in moderation and occasionally is totally fine.
To make it less creamy, just use milk and cheese and avoid adding heavy cream.
Variations
Vegan – To make a vegan version, you can use almond milk or soy milk instead of regular milk and cream. Also, substitute the butter with olive oil. Skip adding the cheese or use vegan cheese.
Gluten-Free – If you are looking for a gluten-free option, then you need to substitute a few ingredients in this recipe. Firstly use gluten-free pasta instead of pasta made with whole wheat or all-purpose flour. Then for the sauce, instead of all-purpose flour, you can use rice flour or any other gluten-free flour.
Serving Suggestions
For a comforting dinner, pair this delectable, creamy, and smooth white sauce pasta with Garlic Knots, and you’re done for the day.
Serve this Bechamel sauce pasta with garlic bread, dinner rolls, bruschetta, or open toasts on the side. You can serve it as a side dish with your Italian meal.
Some sides such as parmesan asparagus, roasted green beans, and roasted broccoli, are also a great idea to serve with this creamy pasta.
Storage Suggestions
This white sauce pasta dish is best served immediately. If you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
The pasta thickens quite a lot while storing, so when you are ready to serve it again, add some warm milk or broth and reheat on the stove over low heat until warmed through.
If you want to meal prep this dish, cook the pasta, white sauce, and vegetables separately. Store the cooked pasta, sauce, and vegetables in separate air-tight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, reheat the pasta and vegetables separately on the stove over low heat until warmed through. Then, add everything together in a pan with the white sauce and stir until combined. Serve immediately.
If you are planning to freeze it, then keep the pasta undercooked a bit. If you cook it fully, it will become mushy after thawing and reheating. To reheat, thaw the pasta in the refrigerator and reheat when you want to serve.
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Recipe Card
White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Bechamel Sauce Pasta)
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 10 ounces uncooked penne pasta (300 g)
- 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup finely chopped onions
- ½ cup sliced carrots
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms
- ½ cup cubed mixed bell peppers (cut into 1 inch cubes)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1-½ cup warm whole milk (full-fat milk)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- a handful fresh basil
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
- Heat 5-6 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.
- Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt to it.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add uncooked pasta to the pot and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is just cooked, stirring a few times while cooking.
- Note – To check if the pasta is cooked properly, lift a pasta shape from the boiling water using a slotted spoon. Cut the pasta in half using a knife and check the center. The pasta should not have a white ring or spot in it or be opaque in appearance if it is cooked properly.
- Do not overcook the pasta otherwise, the final dish will become mushy.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the remaining.
- Keep the cooked pasta aside.
Make The White Sauce
- Start by heating butter in a large skillet over medium heat
- Once the butter is melted and slightly hot, add garlic and onions and cook for a minute, stirring frequently.
- Add carrots, mushrooms, and bell peppers to the skillet and saute for a minute.
- Now add all-purpose flour and cook for a minute, stirring continuously. This butter and flour mixture is called ROUX.
- Set the heat to low.
- Pour milk very slowly and whisk continuously using a wire whisk while pouring. This process is very important to get a creamy sauce so be careful while adding the milk.
- Add salt, black pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes, and cook the sauce on low heat until it starts to thicken, stirring continuously.
- Stir in heavy cream and cheddar cheese and cook until the cheese melts.
Add Pasta To The Sauce
- Add the cooked pasta along with 1 cup of the water in which it was cooked to the skillet and mix well.
- Note – If you are planning to serve the pasta even an hour after making it, then add another cup of milk to the sauce as the pasta thickens considerably once it starts to cool down.
- Cook on medium heat for a minute. Garnish with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano and serve hot.
Andrea
Hi Neha,
Love your recipes.
When you say heavy cream, what brand are you using?
Thanks!
Neha Mathur
Hi Andrea, I live in India. We get Amul cream here. You can use any that is easily available to you.