White Sauce Pasta

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I stole this recipe for White Sauce Pasta from lilluna.com. Don’t be intimidated about making this pasta sauce from scratch, it’s actually very easy to make. First, butter is melted in a saucepan. Then garlic is added and cooked before adding flour. The flour is cooked for a minute before adding milk and chicken broth. After the mixture boils; parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper are added in. Once the cheese is melted, cooked pasta is stirred in before serving.

Did you know? A white sauce is a simplified roux based sauce that can be made thin, medium or thick. This sauce started being made in America in early twentieth century guided by cookbooks from Fannie Farmer and others.⁵ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)

Melt 3 tbsp butter in medium saucepan, then add 2 tsp minced garlic.

Cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Then add 3 tbsp flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. (I highly recommend using a whisk for this step.)

The flour and butter will combine into a paste.

Next, add 1 cup milk and 1 cup chicken broth, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce boils and thickens. Then add 2 tsp dried parsley and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Continue stirring with a whisk until the cheese has melted.

Add 1 lb cooked penne pasta to the sauce. (I like to use vegetable pasta like a spinach and zucchini version for color and flavor.)

Stir to coat the pasta with the sauce.

Scoop out and serve, sprinkle with parsley or grated Parmesan cheese.

If you liked this recipe for White Sauce Pasta you can try other white sauce pasta dishes like Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, Cajun Chicken Pasta or Company Special Macaroni & Cheese.

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White Sauce Pasta

Don’t be intimidated about making this pasta sauce from scratch, it’s actually very easy to make. First, butter is melted in a saucepan. Then garlic is added and cooked before adding flour. The flour is cooked for a minute before adding milk and chicken broth. After the mixture boils; parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper are added in. Once the cheese is melted, cooked pasta is stirred in before serving.

Course Pasta, Side Dish
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 lb penne pasta
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt / Pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package.
  2. Melt butter in medium saucepan, add garlic.
  3. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat.
  4. Add flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.
  5. Add milk and broth, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce boils and thickens.
  6. Add parsley and Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper. Continue stirring until cheese has melted.
  7. Pour over pasta and serve.

Recipe Notes

I double the sauce amount and use vegetable pasta for more color.