Easy White Sauce Pasta Recipe
White Sauce Pasta is a creamy, comforting, indulgent dish made with cooked penne pasta tossed in a smooth béchamel sauce. The sauce is made from butter, flour, and milk, and is flavored with spices, herbs, and cheese. It’s rich without being heavy and comes together easily with pantry staples. A great choice for a quick lunch or light dinner.
Vegetarian White Sauce Pasta at Home
White Sauce Pasta, also known simply as White Pasta, is one of the most popular and easy pasta dishes you can make at home. It features cooked penne pasta tossed in a smooth, creamy white sauce; also called Béchamel sauce.
This white sauce is made with butter, flour (either all-purpose or whole wheat), milk, and basic spices like black pepper and nutmeg. You can also enrich the sauce with grated cheddar or vegetarian parmesan for extra flavor.
The dish comes together in about 30 minutes and works well for a comforting brunch, lunch, or light dinner. I’ve used whole wheat penne here, but you can make it with any pasta like macaroni, rigatoni, or farfalle.
Table of Contents
To make it more wholesome, add some vegetables. Steamed or sautéed carrots, green peas, beans, cauliflower, capsicum, corn, broccoli, baby corn, or zucchini go really well in this dish.
This White Sauce Pasta recipe is vegetarian and family-friendly. It’s also a great way to sneak in more veggies with a dish that’s creamy and satisfying.
If you enjoy white sauce and want to use it for other recipes too, refer to this detailed post on Homemade Béchamel Sauce.
Here’s a selection of vegetarian pasta recipes you may also like:
Step-by-Step White Sauce Pasta Recipe
This recipe comes together in two main parts – making the white sauce first, then cooking and combining it with pasta and veggies if you are using.
Start by preparing the sauce. Keep all the ingredients (butter, whole wheat flour or all- purpose flour and cold milk) handy for making the sauce.
Make White Sauce
1. Heat a saucepan. Keep the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
2. When the butter melts and starts to bubble, add 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour (atta) or choose to swap 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (maida) with the whole wheat flour.
3. Using a wired whisk, stir the flour quickly as soon as you add it. Keep stirring so that no lumps are formed. The frequent stirring helps the flour to cook evenly.
You will see the flour frothing and bubbling up while stirring. Sauté until you get a nice cooked aroma and the flour is a pale golden color. Don’t brown the flour.
4. Keep heat on low and pour 1 cup cold or chilled milk in a gentle stream with one hand and stir the sauce mixture with the other.
The milk has to be cold or chilled, so that lumps do not form.
5. Stir frequently, while the milk heats up.
6. On low heat, simmer the sauce till it thickens. When the sauce has thickened well and coats the back of a spoon, turn off the heat.
7. Remove the saucepan from the heat and place on the kitchen countertop.
Add the seasonings – ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, a generous pinch of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg and salt as required.
For a cheese sauce, you can add 2 tablespoons of grated/shredded cheddar cheese or 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated vegetarian parmesan cheese.
8. Mix very well and set aside. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken as it cools, so keep the consistency accordingly.
Cook Penne Pasta
9. Boil 4 cups water with ½ teaspoon salt in a pan.
10. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 cup penne pasta.
11. Cook the pasta on a medium to high heat.
12. When the pasta gets done to an al dente texture, turn off the heat. For a more softer texture, cook the pasta a little longer. Strain the pasta with a large strainer spoon.
Make White Sauce Pasta
13. Then, add the cooked penne pasta to the prepared white sauce.
14. Add ¼ teaspoon each of dried oregano, dried basil and dried thyme. Or add your choice of herbs.
At this step, you can add some steamed, cooked, sautéed or roasted vegetables too, if you like.
15. Mix very well.
16. Serve White Sauce Pasta garnished with some fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, chives or dill. You can also garnish with some grated cheddar cheese.
Serving Suggestions
White sauce pasta is best served hot or warm, right after it’s made. You can enjoy it on its own or pair it with Garlic Bread, toasted bread, or a light side Vegetable Salad.
For a cozy meal, serve it alongside a warm bowl of Tomato Soup, Sweet Corn Soup, or Mushroom Soup.
Sprinkle some extra grated cheese or herbs on top just before serving for more flavor. It makes for a comforting lunch, light dinner, or even an evening snack.
Storage Tips
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day. When reheating, add a splash of milk and warm gently on the stovetop to bring back the creamy texture. This pasta doesn’t freeze well, as the sauce may turn grainy or split after thawing.
Expert Tips
- Stirring and mixing flour: After you add the flour, you need to stir often, so that lumps are not formed. Frequently stirring the flour also cooks the flour evenly. You will notice the flour frothing and bubbling, when you sauté it. Make sure to sauté the flour until you get a nice nutty aroma and the flour turns a pale golden color.
- White sauce free of lumps: To make a lump-free sauce, use cold milk. Hot, warm or milk at room temperature may form lumps in the sauce.
- Checking doneness of white sauce: When you see the sauce coating the back of the spoon, it has thickened well and is done.
- For a cheese sauce: Add 2 tablespoons of freshly grated cheddar cheese for a cheesy white sauce. You can also opt to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated vegetarian parmesan cheese.
- Herbs and vegetables: You can add both fresh herbs and dried herbs of your choice. When you add the herbs, you can also add steamed, roasted or sautéed vegetables. Mostly the conversion for the herbs is 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
- Gluten-free option: Make the same recipe with a gluten-free pasta and use rice flour or a gluten-free flour for the béchamel sauce.
- Vegan option: Almond milk works very nicely in this recipe. Just cook almond milk on a low heat so that it does not split or become grainy.
- Scaling: You can make a large batch of the pasta or halve the recipe easily.
FAQs
Can I make this White Sauce Pasta with any other type of pasta?
Yes, you can definitely make this White Sauce Paste with any other tubular or shaped pasta variety like macaroni, fusilli, farfalle, rotini, rigatoni, mostaccioli, etc. However, avoid making it with any ribbon shaped or strand pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, pappardelle, tagliatelle, etc.
How can I make white sauce pasta more nutritious?
You can add steamed or sautéed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, sweet corn, beans, capsicum, or peas to make it more wholesome. You can also use whole wheat or multigrain pasta for added fiber and nutrition.
Can I make white pasta without cheese?
Yes, you can skip the cheese if you prefer a lighter version. The béchamel sauce on its own is creamy and flavorful, especially with herbs and a touch of nutmeg.
Can I store white sauce pasta for later?
Yes. Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat with a splash of milk to bring back the creamy texture.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
White Sauce Pasta Recipe (White Pasta)
Ingredients
For White Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Butter – salted or unsalted
- 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk – cold or chilled
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder (ground black pepper), can add according to taste
- 1 generous pinch of nutmeg powder (ground nutmeg) or grated nutmeg
- salt as required
For Cooking Pasta
- 1 cup (100 grams) penne pasta
- 4 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt or add as required
More Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon dry oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
For garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs – preferred choice of herbs or some spring onion greens or chives
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese or vegetarian parmesan cheese, grated – add as required, optional
Instructions
Making White Sauce
- Heat a saucepan. Keep the heat to a low and add the butter.
- When the butter melts and starts to bubble, then add 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.
- Using a wired whisk stir the flour quickly as soon as you add it. Keep on stirring so that no lumps are formed.
- The frequent stirring helps the flour to cook evenly. You will see the flour frothing and bubbling up while stirring.
- Sauté the flour till you get a nice cooked aroma from the flour and a pale golden color. Don't brown the flour.
- Keep the heat to the lowest and then pour the cold or chilled milk in a gentle stream. Pour the milk with one hand and stir the sauce mixture with the other.
- The milk has to be chilled, so that lumps are not formed. If you use hot or warm milk or milk at room temperature, lumps can be formed.
- Do stir frequently while the milk warms and heats up.
- On a low heat, simmer the sauce till it thickens.
- When the sauce has thickened well and coats the back of a spoon, turn off the heat.
- Keep the saucepan on the kitchen countertop and add the seasonings – ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, a generous pinch of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg and salt as required.
- To make a cheese sauce, you can add 2 tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese or 1 tablespoon of grated vegetarian parmesan cheese.
- Mix very well and set aside. Do note that on cooling white sauce will thicken more. So you can keep the consistency accordingly.
Cooking Penne Pasta
- Boil water and salt in a pan or pot.
- When the water comes to a boil, add the penne pasta.
- Cook the pasta on a medium to high heat or according to package instructions.
- When the pasta gets done to an al dente texture, turn off the heat. For a softer texture, you can cook the pasta more if needed.
- With a large strainer spoon, strain the pasta, draining all the water.
Making White Sauce Pasta
- Add the cooked pasta to the prepared white sauce.
- Add ¼ teaspoon each of dried oregano, dried basil and dried thyme. You can add your choice of herbs. At this step you can even add some steamed or cooked or sautéed or roasted veggies.
- Mix very well.
- Serve white sauce pasta garnished with some fresh herbs like parsley, chives or dill. You can also garnish with some grated cheddar cheese of you like.
Video
Notes
- Stirring Flour: Stir continuously after adding flour to avoid lumps and cook it evenly. Sauté until it turns pale golden and smells nutty.
- Lump-Free Sauce: Use cold milk to prevent lumps. Avoid warm or room-temperature milk.
- Check Sauce Doneness: The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
- Cheesy Version: Add 2 tablespoons grated cheddar or 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetarian parmesan for a cheese sauce.
- Pasta Options: Use any small pasta like penne, macaroni, rigatoni, or farfalle.
- Herbs & Veggies: Add dried or fresh herbs and your choice of steamed, sautéed, or roasted vegetables. Mixed herbs (¾ to 1 tsp) work well.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta and swap flour with rice flour or gluten-free flour.
- Vegan Option: Almond milk works well. Cook on low heat to avoid splitting.
- Scaling: Easily double or halve the recipe as needed.
Nutrition
White Sauce Pasta recipe from the archives was first published on February 2017.
Can I add a mix of different mushrooms in this recipe?
Yes, absolutely! A mix of mushrooms like button, cremini, shiitake, or oyster will add more depth and flavor to the white sauce pasta. Just sauté them well before adding to the sauce.
I love this pasta recipe.
Thank you.
It is a very nice recipe with clear instructions and it is easy to follow.
Thank you.
Excellent.
Superb and awesome recipes. I find that all food comes out yummy and delicious with your instructions. I have tried other websites and the food does not come out nice at all.
So easy to cook, the recipes are 100 percent and plus it comes with a step by step with pictures which is easy to follow. Keep up the good work. Keenly awaiting for more recipes. Thank you very much, Dassana and I really appreciate it a lot.
Thanks so much Nishaan for the trust and this lovely feedback. Yes as time permits will add more recipes. Thanks again and welcome.
thanks for the recipe dassana – i also like pasta now and then and your clear easy to follow instructions have got me going – i think this is one of the best pasta i have ever had.
Thank you Dhyanraj and glad you liked the white pasta.
Dear you are doing a great job. Whenever I need a recipe, I go to your website. Trust me, I’ve stopped going on quite a few well renowned chefs’ sites now.
All your recipes work 100% and are very easy to cook. Keep the good work up.
thank you very much manisha. felt good to read your feedback. thanks again and happy cooking.
Hello
ill be making this for my daughters birthday. can i make the sauce the previous day ,because i will be making large quantities and don’t want to be spending too much time on the birthday
hi reshma, you can make the sauce a day before and refrigerate it. i have already shared the recipe of white sauce with detailed step by step photos. kindly use the search button to get the recipe.
Thank you for the quick reply. I also wanted to add garlic to this sauce at what stage can I add it and how much should I add
welcome reshma. add garlic with the butter. for this recipe, you can add 1 to 2 small to medium garlic cloves, finely chopped minced – about half a teaspoon of finely chopped or minced or crushed garlic.
Very good recipes. I find that the dishes turn out very well with your instructions!! Thank you very much
welcome pallavi and thanks a lot.
Hey all recipes really gud… i hv tried many and they all come up superb ???? pls post recipe for Veg au gratin and tart shell also
thanks in advabce
thanks a lot neha. will try to add veg au gratin and tart shell recipe.