Make pasta sauce the real Italian way with these stress-free pasta sauce recipes...

The delicious pasta sauce recipes here should give you the skills required to produce numerous fresh, aromatic and nutritious dishes.

I've written these recipes with two clear aims in mind:

• They should be simple to make.

• And it should be easy to tailor them to your liking...

... so I’ll advise you to take out the meat if you’re veggie, throw in olives, stir in ricotta, fry up garlic... as you like!

So come on... we've some seriously scrumptious sauces to learn!

(Got your own pasta sauce you love to make? Share it here!)

Tomato sauce recipes

The meat and seafood versions of the ‘pomodoro’ (tomato) winner - on the right - can form the base of many tasty meals, plus these sauces take less than 30 minutes to make. (Once you’ve tasted these, those jars in your food cupboard will become a thing of the past!)

Traditional pesto sauce recipe

Or are you a fan of the green stuff? Then try this 5-minute pesto recipe, where I teach you how to make pasta sauce the traditional Genovese way. Just make sure you have enough basil leaves as pesto really munches through these (if green-fingered, why not try planting basil?). Prefer video? Try my pesto video guide.

Recipe for pesto with arugula/rocket and walnut

Already made the traditional Ligurian pesto above? Or looking for an interesting alternative pesto sauce to impress guests? Then this arugula/rocket n' walnut winner is just the ticket. It follows the same easy preparation process but creates a much nuttier, stronger tasting covering. Well worth a bash! (See all pesto recipes.)

Sicilian pesto pistachio recipe

Our wonderful third pesto variation does away with leaves altogether and replaces them with moreish crushed pistachio nuts (complete with skins). A staple of Sicilian cuisine, pistachio pesto is quick to make and a great crunchy covering that goes beautifully with freshly made pasta. (See all pesto recipes.)

Bechamel sauce recipe

Then comes one of my Italian mamma-in-law Marisa’s specials, in the form of her ‘easier than normal’ bechamel sauce recipe. Built around the dairy-tastic ingredients of milk and butter, this is perfect for inside lasagnas, cannelloni, and this totally scrummy baked rigatoni.

Bolognese sauce recipe

This is one of those pasta sauce recipes you'll use time and time again. Mix this super-succulent bolognese beauty with spaghetti ('spag bol') or your favourite short pasta.

Or why not take it off the hob and use it inside the layers of a delicious meat lasagna?

Best butternut squash sauce

If you like your sauces seriously sweet, click this 'butternut best pasta sauce'. Simple to create (of course), and offering a sweet kickin' aftertaste, this radioactive orange offering is 'made to make your mouth water'.

Carbonara sauce

This bacon-packing runny egg delight is an Italian classic and one of the easiest pasta sauce recipes around. Carbonara takes very little cooking, so it's ready to mix with long pasta in under 20 minutes. If you like my fried egg breakfast pasta, you'll love this!

Lazy day ragu recipe

If you have the whole day free and want to learn a true Italian pasta classic, give this slow-burning ragu sauce recipe a try. It takes hours, but that's a good thing - it means the taste just gets better and better!
'Sweet Strip' easy spaghetti sauce recipe

This real-easy creation twins thin strips of sweet soft-grilled red pepper with oily long pasta and the aromatic flavoring of your choice; choose your favorite herb, a hint of garlic, or the cheery kick of chili.

Do you love Italian food and traveling?
Then check out our selection of recommended Italian cooking schools.

Amatriciana sauce recipe

If you eat meat and you also like the fiery kick of chili pepper, then this angry classic pasta sauce recipe is one you must try. It's easy to prepare and cook, but be warned - it'll warm your lips and then some!

Red pepper pesto recipe

This lovely warm red pesto variation has a nice peppery bite and a little crunch thanks to the crushed almonds inside. My advice? Grill more peppers than you need and fill your freezer with additional portions of this cool covering. (See all pesto recipes.)

Primavera sauce

This multicolored soft veggie sauce is an oily treat and very flexible - just fling in whatever veggies you prefer, then serve it over your pasta of choice. Unlike many primavera recipes, there's no butter or milk here - just nutrition and taste.

Homemade spaghetti sauce recipe (AKA milk n' wine ragu)

This ragu-like sauce variation is a slow-cooked milky treat, featuring white wine and a whole fillet of pork (which falls into the sauce, leaving a chunk you can then munch for your second course). If you've the time, you won't regret making it.

Sundried tomato pesto recipe

This rich red tomato paste is a cheap and easy dinner winner. You'll need a food processor to mix the sturdy ingredients, but then in just a few minutes you'll have a gloriously munchable bowl of scrummy red pesto pasta. (See all pesto recipes.)

Creamy mushroom pasta sauce

This luxurious porcini mushroom sauce is a creamy, velvety treat. It was taught to me by a lovely Ligurian chef named Catia and it's very simple to whip up. (Try it with fresh 'mandilli de sea' for a sumptuous pasta dish to remember.)

Mean Grean - easy pesto with broccoli

This nutrient-packed veggie covering proves how flexible the pesto concept really is: just take a veg, nut, leaf or combination of these, add parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil, and you get instant scrummy sauce to mix through pasta. It doesn't look great, but it tastes mmm... (see all pesto recipes.)

I’ll add even more sauces here in future, but for now I hope you enjoy making (and eating) these sumptuous sauces. Do let me know how you get on…

Search for more pasta recipes...

For even more pasta sauce recipes, pasta facts, cooking tips and articles, subscribe to my monthly Pastastic! newsletter. The first newsletter for true pasta obsessives, Pastastic! is packed with info and and you'll get my FREE '5 Simple Starters' e-book when you sign up!

Return from Pasta Sauce Recipes to homepage

Buy Pastastic - The Recipe Book!

Register for your
FREE cookbook!

Join me on...

Most Popular

All about pasta shapes

Moreish carbonara sauce

Find your best pasta maker