How to Make White Cheese Sauce for Pasta

White sauce pasta is one of the easiest pasta recipes that you can make. It is also one of the most popular pasta recipes. You can make the classic white sauce pasta or make it more colorful and nutritious by adding some vegetables.

In this recipe post, I am sharing both these recipes.

1. White Sauce Pasta (Without Vegetables)
2. Béchamel Sauce Pasta (With Vegetables)

Both the recipes are easy but made differently. So depending upon what you and your family like you can make any recipe.

1. About this recipe
2. How to make white sauce pasta (Stepwise Photos)
3. Expert Tips
4. Recipe Card for White Sauce Pasta
5. Step by Step Béchamel Sauce Pasta (With Vegetables)
6. Recipe Card for Béchamel Sauce Veggie Pasta

About this recipe

White Sauce Pasta is an easy-to-make recipe of cooked pasta in a delicious white sauce – also known as Béchamel sauce. Simply prepare the white sauce – a mixture of butter, milk, flour and spices and pour it over your cooked pasta.

This popular dish is vegetarian and can be served as a snack or light dinner. Make it more hearty and nutritious by adding some mixed vegetables.

When preparing pasta recipes, whole wheat pasta is always a great healthy choice. I have used whole wheat penne in this recipe, however, you can use any pasta you prefer, including different varieties like macaroni, rigatoni or farfalle.

Adding mixed veggies to this classic pasta dish is a great way to have your family some veggies along with their pasta. These vegetables can be steamed, cooked, sautéed or roasted.

You will find below, in the step by step photos, the best time to add your mixed vegetables.

Some vegetables that go great with this recipe are carrots, green peas, beans, cauliflower, peppers (capsicum), sweet corn, broccoli, zucchini or baby corn.

Serve white sauce pasta as a snack or a light dinner.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make white sauce pasta

A) Preparing white sauce

1. Heat a saucepan. Keep the flame to a low and add 2 tablespoons butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter.

2. When the butter melts and starts to bubble, then add 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

3. 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 it until you get a nice cooked aroma and the flour is a pale golden color. Don't brown the flour.

4. Keep the flame on low and then pour 1 cup chilled milk in a gentle stream with one hand and stir the sauce mixture with the other. The milk has to be chilled, so that lumps do not form.

5. Stir frequently while the milk heats up.

6. On a low flame, simmer the sauce until it thickens. When the sauce has thickened well and coats the back of a spoon, switch off the flame.

8. Remove the saucepan from the heat and 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 cheddar cheese.

9. Mix very well and set aside. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken as it cools, so keep the consistency accordingly.

Cooking pasta

10. Boil 4 cups water with ½ teaspoon salt in a pan.

11. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 cup penne pasta.

12. Cook the pasta on a medium to high flame.

13. When the pasta gets done to an al dente texture, switch off the flame. For a more softer texture, cook the pasta a little longer, Strain the pasta with a strainer spoon.

Making white sauce pasta

14. Then add pasta to the white sauce.

15. 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 veggies if you'd like.

16. Mix very well.

17. Serve white sauce pasta garnished with some fresh herbs like parsley, chives or dill. You can also garnish with some grated cheddar cheese.

Tips

Expert Tips

• Stirring and mixing flour: After you add the flour, you need to keep on stirring 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. You have to sauté flour until you get a nice nutty aroma and the flour gets 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 cause lumps in the sauce.
• Checking doneness of white sauce: When you see that the sauce coats the back of the spoon, it has thickened well.
• For a cheese sauce: Add 2 tablespoons of freshly grated cheddar cheese for a cheesy white sauce. You can add 1 tablespoon of grated vegetarian parmesan cheese.
• Herbs & Veggies: 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 veggies.
• Gluten-free options: Make the same recipe with a gluten-free pasta and use rice flour or a gluten-free flour for the white sauce.
• Vegan options: Almond milk works very nicely in the recipe. Just cook almond milk on a low heat so that it does not split or becomes grainy.

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White Sauce Pasta

White Sauce Pasta is an easy-to-make recipe of cooked pasta in a delicious white sauce. It is one of the most liked pasta recipes.

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 25 mins

for white sauce

• ▢ 2 tablespoons Butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup chilled milk or 250 ml chilled milk
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or add as required
• ▢ generous pinch of nutmeg or grated nutmeg
• ▢ salt as required

for cooking pasta

• ▢ 1 cup penne pasta or 100 grams penne pasta
• ▢ 4 cups water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt or add as required

other ingredients

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dry oregano
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried thyme or ¾ to 1 teaspoon mixed herbs

for garnish

• ▢ any herb of your choice or some spring onion greens
• ▢ vegetarian permesan cheese or grated cheddar cheese – add as required (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe

Making white sauce

• Heat a saucepan. Keep the flame to a low and add 2 tablespoons butter. You can use salted or unsalted 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 flame to the lowest and then pour 1 cup 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 flame, simmer the sauce till it thickens.

• When the sauce has thickened well and coats the back of a spoon, switch off the flame.

• Keep the saucepan down and 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 cheddar cheese

• Mix very well and keep aside. Do note that on cooling white sauce will thicken more. So you can keep the consistency accordingly.

Cooking pasta

• Boil 4 cups water with ½ teaspoon salt in a pan.

• When the water comes to a boil, add 1 cup penne pasta.

• Cook the pasta on a medium to high flame.

• When the pasta gets done to an al dente texture, switch off the flame. For a softer texture, you can cook the pasta more if required.

• With a strainer spoon, strain the pasta.

Making white sauce pasta

• Then add them to the 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 sauteed 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.

• Stirring and mixing flour: Once the flour is added, it has to be stirred often so that lumps are not formed. Frequently stirring also cooks the flour evenly. Sauté the flour until you get a nice nutty aroma and the flour becomes 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 cause lumps in the sauce.
• Checking doneness of white sauce: When you see that the sauce coats the back of the spoon, it has thickened well.
• For a cheese sauce: Add 2 tablespoons of freshly grated cheddar cheese for a cheesy white sauce. You can also add 1 tablespoon of grated vegetarian parmesan cheese with the cheddar cheese.
• Herbs & Veggies: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 veggies.
• Gluten-free options: Make the same recipe with a gluten-free pasta. For the white sauce use rice flour or a gluten-free flour.
• Vegan options:Almond milk works very nicely in the recipe. Remember to cook almond milk on a low heat so that it does not split or becomes grainy.
• Scaling: You can make a large batch of the pasta or halve the recipe easily.

Nutrition Facts

White Sauce Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 396 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g 26%

Saturated Fat 10g 63%

Cholesterol 47mg 16%

Sodium 1666mg 72%

Potassium 276mg 8%

Carbohydrates 46g 15%

Fiber 1g 4%

Sugar 7g 8%

Protein 12g 24%

Vitamin A 600IU 12%

Calcium 202mg 20%

Iron 1.1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

About Béchamel Sauce Pasta (With Vegetables)

This recipe of mix veggie pasta in white sauce is creamy, delicious and healthy.

I usually have pasta or Macaroni at home which I use to make various pasta recipes on occasions. This vegetable pasta recipe gets made at home often and is liked by everyone.

As an accompaniment to the pasta, I bake bread or loaf the previous day and make a side vegetable soup or tomato soup.

Tips

1. You can use your choice of veggies in the pasta. We are fond of peas, baby corn, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms and potatoes and hence these get often added in the pasta. Usually, I prefer to include vegetables in the pasta recipes wherever possible. Various mix vegetables not only add a lot of flavor and depth to the pasta but also makes it more nutritious.
2. For the flavors and seasoning, I have added dry basil and oregano. You can add your choice of preferred herbs. If living in India and you don't have access to dry basil and oregano, then you can add a bit of fresh coriander or mint leaves. Don't add too much, just a tiny amount, about 1 tsp of chopped coriander or mint.
3. To make this veggie pasta you will have to steam or cook the vegetables. Either steam them in a pot or electric cooker or use a pressure cooker to cook the veggies. Peel and dice or cube the veggies. Keep aside.
4. I have not steamed the mushrooms but sautéed them as you will see in the pics below.
5. You don't have to make the white sauce separately in this recipe. The white sauce is made in the same pan once the boiled veggies are added.

Step by Step Béchamel Sauce Pasta (With Vegetables)

1. first steam or boil the potatoes, carrots, baby corn and peas in a steamer or pressure cooker. Drain and then chop them. Keep aside. Then take enough water in a pan or pot. Add some salt and a few drops of oil. Bring the water to a boil and then add the pasta and cook them.

2. The pasta has to be well cooked as we are not going to cook them further, once we add them to the final dish. If you like then you can cook the pasta al dente.

3. Drain the pasta in a colander or sieve. Rinse with running water and keep aside. You can sprinkle a few drops of oil and gently toss them.

4. Heat butter in a pan. Take care it should not burn or brown. Add onions and garlic. Saute till the onions are translucent.

5. Add the sliced mushrooms.

6. Saute the mushrooms till they start to get lightly browned from the edges.

7. Add the chopped capsicum(green bell pepper) and sauté till they are softened and almost cooked.

8. Add the all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour and stir well. Saute for 4 to 5 mins on a low flame till the raw aroma of the flour goes away.

9. Add the chopped cooked veggies and stir well. Saute for a minute.

10. Pour milk in a gentle stream to the pan and keep on stirring. the flour will combine with the milk and you will see the sauce getting thickened slowly. Season with salt, pepper and oregano or basil or your choice of herbs.

11. When the white sauce starts to thicken and reaches your desired consistency, then add the pasta.

12. Stir well so that the white sauce coats the vegetables and pasta. Switch off the flame.

Serve vegetable white sauce pasta hot or warm topped with some grated cheese. If you want you can also top this creamy pasta with grated cheddar cheese and bake in a preheated oven till the cheese melts.

Béchamel Sauce Veggie Pasta

By Dassana Amit

This veg pasta is a smooth and creamy dish made with pasta and vegetables in béchamel sauce or white sauce.

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

• ▢ 1 cup shell pasta or macaroni
• ▢ 1.5 cups chopped white button mushrooms
• ▢ ½ cup green peas – fresh or frozen
• ▢ 1 medium potato
• ▢ 1 small to medium carrot
• ▢ 1 small to medium capsicum, any color – red, green or yellow (bell pepper)
• ▢ 4 to 5 baby corn
• ▢ 1 medium onion – chopped
• ▢ 2 to 3 small garlic – finely chopped
• ▢ 2 cups whole full fat milk
• ▢ 2.5 tablespoon all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dry oregano or basil or a mix of both or your choice of dry herbs
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoon Butter
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoon grated cheddar or regular cheese (optional)
• ▢ salt as required
• ▢ black pepper as required

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe

preparation

• First steam or boil the potatoes, carrots, baby corn and peas in a steamer or pressure cooker.

• Drain and then chop them. Keep aside.

• Heat enough water in a pan with salt and a few drops of oil.

• When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and boil them till they are completely cooked.

• Strain the pasta and rinse with water. Drain and keep aside.

making vegetable pasta in white sauce

• In a pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and garlic and saute till the onions are softened.

• Then add the mushrooms. Stir and saute the mushrooms till the mushrooms are lightly browned from the sides.

• The mushrooms will release their juices initially and after continuous sauteing, the juices will evaporate. There should be no moisture in the pan.

• Keep on stirring in breaks while sauteing the mushrooms.

• Then add the chopped capsicum (bell pepper) and saute for 10 to 12 minutes.

• Add the flour and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.

• Add the boiled vegetables and saute for a minute.

• Pour milk in a gentle stream to the pan and keep on stirring. The flour will combine with the milk and you will see the sauce getting thickened slowly.

• Season with salt, pepper and oregano or basil or your choice of herbs.

• When the sauce starts to thicken and reaches your desired consistency. Add the pasta.

• Stir well so that the white sauce coats the vegetables and the pasta. Switch off the flame.

• If the white sauce becomes too thick or lumpy, then add some hot water or milk and thin the sauce.

• Lastly add some grated cheese if required.

• Serve creamy veg white sauce pasta hot with some toasted bread or baguette.

Nutrition Facts

Béchamel Sauce Veggie Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 484 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g 28%

Saturated Fat 10g 63%

Cholesterol 47mg 16%

Sodium 544mg 24%

Potassium 756mg 22%

Carbohydrates 64g 21%

Fiber 6g 25%

Sugar 16g 18%

Protein 19g 38%

Vitamin A 4371IU 87%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg 67%

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg 59%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 4mg 20%

Vitamin B6 1mg 50%

Vitamin B12 1µg 17%

Vitamin C 48mg 58%

Vitamin D 2µg 13%

Vitamin E 1mg 7%

Vitamin K 15µg 14%

Calcium 300mg 30%

Vitamin B9 (Folate) 72µg 18%

Iron 2mg 11%

Magnesium 72mg 18%

Phosphorus 389mg 39%

Zinc 2mg 13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe post is from the archives (February 2017) and has been republished and updated on 1st June, 2020.

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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How to Make White Cheese Sauce for Pasta

Source: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/white-sauce-pasta-recipe/

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