White Sauce Pasta (Bechamel Sauce Pasta)

5 from 4 votes

This homemade white sauce penne pasta recipe is rich, creamy, absolutely delicious, and loaded with vegetables.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bechamel sauce pasta, white sauce pasta

Diet Vegetarian

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 510kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

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

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

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.
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.
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.

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

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.

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.