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Home » Recipes » Pasta & Noodles

White Sauce Pasta (Bechamel Sauce Pasta)

Jan 18, 2023. by Bhavana Patil. No Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe

This homemade white sauce penne pasta recipe is rich, creamy, absolutely delicious, and loaded with vegetables. Made on the stovetop in under 30 minutes, and is perfect for a weeknight dinner or lunch box.

white sauce pasta (bechamel sauce pasta) served in a plate with cheese on the side
Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This White Sauce Penne Pasta Recipe
  • White Sauce Pasta Ingredients
  • How to Make White Sauce Pasta
  • What to Serve with Bachemel Sauce Pasta?
  • Storage Suggestions
  • Tips to Make the Best White Sauce Pasta
  • Variations
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Pasta Recipes
  • White Sauce Pasta (Bechamel Sauce Pasta)

Why You'll Love This White Sauce Penne Pasta Recipe

  • It takes less than 30 minutes.
  • Easy and quick to make.
  • Creamy, and flavorful.
  • Family and Kid Friendly
  • Great way to eat more veggies
  • Perfect for a busy weeknight meal.

White Sauce Pasta Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients to make a creamy white sauce penne pasta recipe.

  • Pasta - I used semolina penne pasta. But feel free to use your favorite pasta of your choice, like chickpea pasta, quinoa pasta, spaghetti, linguine, macaroni, pasta shells, or any grain-free, gluten-free pasta.  For a low-carb meal, you can use zoodles or spaghetti squash instead.
  • Vegetables - I have used bell peppers, carrots, boiled sweet corn, and broccoli. You can also add mushrooms, fresh green peas, baby corn, black olives, or any other veggies of your choice. Chop them into small cubes so that they cook faster.
  • Garlic - Freshly minced garlic adds a great flavor to the dish, so don't skip it.
  • Butter - Use either unsalted or salted butter to prepare the roux.
  • Flour – I used all-purpose flour (aka maida). You can substitute it with whole wheat flour.
  • Milk – Use full-fat whole milk or half and half.
  • Heavy cream - It is optional. It adds a richer and more creamy flavor to the dish. It also helps to thicken the sauce.
  • Cheese - I used mozzarella cheese. You can use Parmesan cheese or any processed cheese like Amul.
  • Herbs & Spices – Oregano, red chili flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and salt is used to flavor the white sauce.
White Sauce Pasta Ingredients

How to Make White Sauce Pasta

Cooking Pasta

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Then stir in the salt.

Add the dry pasta to the water, and stir a few times to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

step to add water, salt and dry pasta in the boiling water collage

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions (about 10-12 minutes), occasionally stirring, until al dente or softer according to your desired texture. 

step to cook al dente penne pasta collage

Once the pasta is cooked, reserve some starchy water for the sauce and drain the pasta in a colander over the sink. Set the cooked pasta aside.

step to drain the cooked pasta in a colander collage

Saute Veggies

Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant for about 30 seconds.

step to sauce minced garlic in butter collage

Then add mixed veggies like carrot, bell pepper, broccoli, sweet corn, and salt. Cook the veggies till they are tender but still crunchy, for around 2 minutes. Turn off the flame and keep it aside.

step to saute veggies collage

Make White Sauce (Béchamel Sauce)

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add all-purpose flour, and stir continuously until well combined and smooth. Cook for a minute until the raw smell of the flour goes away. Do not over-roast the flour, and ensure the color of the flour doesn’t change.

step to prepare roux for white sauce collage

Slowly add in milk and stir continuously with a whisk until no lumps are left. Then add the remaining milk and whisk to combine.

Cook it for about 4-5 minutes stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens.

step to add milk and whisk collage

Once the sauce is slightly thick, add the heavy cream, cheese, oregano, red chili flakes, black pepper, and salt. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted.

When the sauce coats the back of the spoon, then it is done. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

step to add cheese and spices and cook collage

Make White Sauce Pasta

Add the sauteed veggies and the cooked penne pasta to the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta with creamy white sauce. (If needed, add 2-3 tablespoons of reserved starchy pasta water, it will help to bind and thicken the sauce.)

step to add sauteed veggies and cooked pasta collage

Lastly, transfer it to a serving plate and sprinkle some cheese and red chili flakes, if desired, and serve it immediately Enjoy!

white sauce pasta (bechamel sauce pasta) served in a plate with cheese on the side

What to Serve with Bachemel Sauce Pasta?

  • Serve this white sauce pasta with garlic bread, bruschetta, bread sticks, or dinner rolls on the side, and call it a meal. 
  • You can also serve some sides, such as roasted potatoes, roasted green beans, roasted asparagus, or cucumber salad, with this pasta.

Storage Suggestions

Make-Ahead: If you want to make this dish ahead, boil the pasta, prepare the white sauce, and saute the vegetables separately. Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve, toss the pasta, roasted vegetables, and white sauce together on the stovetop over low heat until combined. Serve immediately.

Storing: White sauce pasta is best served immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. 

Reheat: Pasta thickens as it stands. Add some milk or veggie broth and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop on low heat until warm.

Tips to Make the Best White Sauce Pasta

  • Al Dente Pasta: Cook the pasta al dente, so the texture of the pasta is firm, not mushy when tossed with the creamy white sauce.
  • Dont overroast the flour: Saute the flour with butter on low flame only. Make sure the color of the flour doesn’t change.
  • Extra Creamy: Heavy cream, half and half, or a combination may be used in place of the milk to make extra creamy white sauce pasta.
  • Extra Cheesy: If you want your white sauce pasta to be extra cheesy, add an extra ½ cup of your favorite shredded cheese.
  • Consistency: The consistency of the white sauce should not be too thick while mixing up the boiled pasta, else, the pasta will turn dry when eaten later. You can add some reserved pasta water or milk to make it creamy.

Variations

  • Pasta Variety: Use any kind of your favorite pasta like spaghetti, macaroni, shell, pasta shells, or rotini. ​Try using whole wheat, lentils, or veggie pasta for kids to make it healthier.
  • Heavy Cream: You can add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream while making white sauce to make it extra rich and creamy.
  • Cheese: You can use any variety of cheese like mozzarella, parmesan cheese, white cheddar, Amul processed cheese to make the creamy white sauce.
  • Vegetables: You can also use veggies like mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, green beans, black olives, and sun-dried tomatoes.
  • Protein: Add a handful of chickpeas or edamame to add extra protein.
  • Vegan: To make a vegan white sauce pasta, replace regular milk with almond milk, cashew milk, or soy milk. Also, substitute the butter with olive oil or vegan butter. Use vegan cheese or skip adding the cheese.
  • Gluten-Free: To make the white sauce pasta gluten-free, Use gluten-free pasta instead of pasta made with whole wheat pasta. Also, for the white sauce, substitute all-purpose flour, with rice flour, cornstarch, or any other gluten-free flour.
  • Garlic: You can use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
  • Herbs: Fresh or dried herbs like oregano, basil, parsley, or thyme adds great flavor and aroma to the dish. You can also use Italian seasoning mix.
  • Spice: Sprinkle some extra red chili flakes to add a little heat.
white sauce penne pasta served in a plate

Frequently Asked Questions

Is white sauce pasta healthy?

No, it is not good when consumed daily, as it contains white flour, butter, and cheese which can increase the fat content. Eating it occasionally is fine. However, this white sauce has some amount of calcium and protein content as compared to other sauces. Also, adding a lot of vegetables makes it nutritious and healthy.

Is white sauce and alfredo sauce the same?

The white sauce, a French sauce also known as Bechamel sauce, is made of roux (equal parts of butter and flour) and milk (or cream), while Alfredo sauce is an Italian sauce made with heavy cream, butter, and grated parmesan cheese. There is no roux in the alfredo sauce.

What is the white sauce called?

White sauce is known as Bechamel sauce.

Cold milk or warm milk to make the roux?

The milk should be cold or at room temperature to make the roux. If hot milk is added to the roux when making a white sauce, the mixture may come to a boil and causes the sauces to lump.

More Pasta Recipes

  • Creamy Tomato Pasta
  • Fettuccini Alfredo
  • Creamy Spinach Pasta
  • Mac and Cheese
  • Avocado Pasta
  • Butternut Squash Pasta
  • Taco Pasta
  • Mayonnaise Veggie Pasta

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white sauce penne pasta (bechamel sauce pasta) served in a plate with cheese on the side

White Sauce Pasta (Bechamel Sauce Pasta)

Bhavana Patil
This homemade white sauce penne pasta recipe is rich, creamy, absolutely delicious, and loaded with vegetables.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 2
Calories : 510
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian
Method: Stovetop
Prep Time : 10 minutes
Cook Time : 20 minutes
Total Time : 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

To Cook Pasta

  • 1 cup penne pasta
  • 3 cups water
  • salt to taste

To Saute Veggies

  • ½ tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • ¼ cup sweet corn
  • ¼ cup broccoli
  • ¼ cup bell pepper
  • ¼ cup sweet corn

For the White Sauce

  • 1.5 tablespoons butter
  • 1.5 tablespoons flour
  • 1.5 cups milk
  • 2-3 tablespoons cheese grated
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream optional
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • black pepper to taste
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

Cooking Pasta

  • In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Then stir in the salt.
  • Add the dry pasta to the water, and stir a few times to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
    step to add water, salt and dry pasta in the boiling water collage
  • Cook the pasta according to the package instructions (about 10-12 minutes), occasionally stirring, until al dente or softer according to your desired texture. 
    step to cook al dente penne pasta collage
  • Once the pasta is cooked, reserve some starchy water for the sauce and drain the pasta in a colander over the sink. Set the cooked pasta aside.
    step to drain the cooked pasta in a colander collage

Saute Veggies

  • Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant for about 30 seconds.
    step to sauce minced garlic in butter collage
  • Then add mixed veggies like carrot, bell pepper, broccoli, sweet corn, and salt. Cook the veggies till they are tender but still crunchy, for around 2 minutes. Turn off the flame and keep it aside.
    step to saute veggies collage

Make White Sauce (Béchamel Sauce)

  • Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add all-purpose flour, and stir continuously until well combined and smooth. Cook for a minute until the raw smell of the flour goes away. Do not over-roast the flour, and ensure the color of the flour doesn’t change.
    step to prepare roux for white sauce collage
  • Slowly add in milk and stir continuously with a whisk until no lumps are left. Then add the remaining milk and whisk to combine.
    Cook it for about 4-5 minutes stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens.
    step to add milk and whisk collage
  • Once the sauce is slightly thick, add the heavy cream, cheese, oregano, red chili flakes, black pepper, and salt. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted.
    When the sauce coats the back of the spoon, then it is done. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
    step to add cheese and spices and cook collage

Make White Sauce Pasta

  • Add the sauteed veggies and the cooked penne pasta to the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta with creamy white sauce. (If needed, add 2-3 tablespoons of reserved starchy pasta water, it will help to bind and thicken the sauce.)
    step to add sauteed veggies and cooked pasta collage
  • Lastly, transfer it to a serving plate and sprinkle some cheese and red chili flakes, if desired, and serve it immediately Enjoy!
    white sauce penne pasta (bechamel sauce pasta) served in a plate with cheese on the side

Notes

Tips to Make the Best White Sauce Pasta

  • Al Dente Pasta: Cook the pasta al dente, so the texture of the pasta is firm, not mushy when tossed with the creamy white sauce.
  • Dont overroast the flour: Saute the flour with butter on low flame only. Make sure the color of the flour doesn’t change.
  • Extra Creamy: Heavy cream, half and half, or a combination may be used in place of the milk to make extra creamy white sauce pasta.
  • Extra Cheesy: If you want your white sauce pasta to be extra cheesy, add an extra ½ cup of your favorite shredded cheese.
  • Consistency: The consistency of the white sauce should not be too thick while mixing up the boiled pasta, else, the pasta will turn dry when eaten later. You can add some reserved pasta water or milk to make it creamy.
 

Variations

  • Pasta Variety: Use any kind of your favorite pasta like spaghetti, macaroni, shell, pasta shells, or rotini. ​Try using whole wheat, lentils, or veggie pasta for kids to make it healthier.
  • Heavy Cream: You can add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream while making white sauce to make it extra rich and creamy.
  • Cheese: You can use any variety of cheese like mozzarella, parmesan cheese, white cheddar, Amul processed cheese to make the creamy white sauce.
  • Vegetables: You can also use veggies like mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, green beans, black olives, and sun-dried tomatoes.
  • Protein: Add a handful of chickpeas or edamame to add extra protein.
  • Vegan: To make a vegan white sauce pasta, replace regular milk with almond milk, cashew milk, or soy milk. Also, substitute the butter with olive oil or vegan butter. Use vegan cheese or skip adding the cheese.
  • Gluten-Free: To make the white sauce pasta gluten-free, Use gluten-free pasta instead of pasta made with whole wheat pasta. Also, for the white sauce, substitute all-purpose flour, with rice flour, cornstarch, or any other gluten-free flour.
  • Garlic: You can use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
  • Herbs: Fresh or dried herbs like oregano, basil, parsley, or thyme adds great flavor and aroma to the dish. You can also use Italian seasoning mix.
  • Spice: Sprinkle some extra red chili flakes to add a little heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 510kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 20gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 218mgPotassium: 628mgFiber: 4gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1530IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 401mgIron: 2mg
Keyword bechamel sauce pasta, white sauce pasta
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