White sauce pasta recipe: Super simple, light, and delicious white sauce penne pasta packed with veggies that can be prepared quickly without putting in much effort.
White sauce pasta is also called Bechamel sauce pasta. The Bechamel sauce is made from a white roux (butter and flour) and milk and is used as a base for many sauces. It is often considered one of the mother sauces of French cuisine. [Source: Wikipedia]
Pasta the famous Italian dish is loved and cherished by everyone. Even by the most finicky eaters. I love pasta and this white sauce pasta is one of my favorites. This is an easy pasta recipe to try at home. In fact, to make this light I have not added any cheese or cream to this. Here vegetables and pasta are coated with a light, flavorful sauce that tastes surprisingly creamy and delicious.
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Recipe Notes and Tips
- Use any variety of pasta you like. I have used penne here.
- Feel free to add your choice of vegetables. I have added bell peppers and some blanched spinach here. Veggies like green peas, carrot, sweetcorn, baby corn, broccoli, mushrooms also go well with this.
- It can be made without adding vegetables as well.
- Veggies can be steamed, boiled or sauteed.
- Do not overcook the vegetables. They should have the crunch left.
- Always cook the pasta until al dente (An Italian word which means cooked but not too soft).
- Reserve some cooked pasta water to add to the sauce later if needed.
- Avoid rinsing the cooked pasta. It takes away all of its flavors. The starchiness actually helps in binding the sauce.
- All-purpose flour(maida) can be replaced with whole wheat flour or cornflour.
- For a cheesy sauce, you may use cheese and cream towards the end of the cooking process.
- You can use your choice of Italian herbs as well.
- Skip chili flakes if feeding this to kids.
If you try this recipe, please leave a feedback and rating. You can also tag me @spoonofflavor on Instagram.
White Sauce Pasta Recipe
INGREDIENTS ( 1 CUP = 250 ML )
For boiling Pasta
- ¾ cup penne pasta
- 4-5 cups water
- ½ tsp salt or as required
For making the White Sauce Pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil or any unflavored oil
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 1 cup mixed veggies chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
- 2 cups full-fat milk
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (maida)
- Salt as required
- ½ tsp black pepper crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Italian mixed herbs
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
Boiling the Pasta
- Boil the penne pasta as per the instruction, that is given on the package or bring 4-5 cups of water to boil in a large pot along with salt.
- Wait for the water to boil. Then add pasta and cook until al-dente (cooked but not too soft).
- Stir the pasta occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.
- Once done transfer the boiled pasta into a colander and drain excess water. Reserve some cooked pasta water to add later.
Making White Sauce Pasta Recipe
- Heat oil in a pan. Add onion, all the veggies, and salt. Saute over a high flame until they are slightly cooked but still crunchy.
- Once done turn off the flame and transfer to a plate.
- Melt butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook for a few seconds.
- Add the flour and whisk continuously with a wire whisk. So that no lumps are formed. Keep on whisking until you get a nice aroma. Don’t brown the flour.
- Then add milk little by little at a time while whisking continuously to combine. There shouldn’t be any lumps left. Stir frequently and mix until the milk slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Turn off the flame and remove from stove.
- Add salt, pepper, oregano, Italian herbs, and mix.
- Add the boiled pasta and sauteed veggies. Toss until pasta and veggies are coated with the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, use the leftover cooked pasta water a little and mix well. Usually, the hot pasta absorbs the liquid very quickly. The sauce So adjusts the thickness accordingly.
- Sprinkle chili flakes and serve immediately.
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