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

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 rocket and walnut

Have you already made the traditional Ligurian pesto above? Or are you looking for an interesting alternative pesto sauce to impress guests? Then this rocket n' walnut winner is just the ticket. It uses exactly the same preparation process but creates a much nuttier, stronger tasting covering. Well worth a bash!

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!
Amatriciana sauce recipe

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

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

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