Home >> Recipes >> Vegetarian Recipes
Updated: April 1, 2024, By Swasthi, Comments, Jump to Recipe
This White Sauce Pasta is an easy weeknight meal that’s ready under 30 minutes. You will love this rich, creamy & saucy White Pasta, perfectly seasoned with Italian herbs & topped with red chili flakes. It is lighter and not heavy and is a satisfying comfort food. White Sauce Pasta is simply cooked pasta mixed with a silky smooth & decadent white sauce made of milk, butter and flour.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (2) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (2)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-recipe.jpg.webp)
White Sauce also known as Bechamel Sauce has its origin from the Italian & French Cuisines. In classic culinary terms, this is what is known as a mother sauce. It is the base for many other sauces and it offers a great deal of flexibility to your repertoire of recipes.
Once you have learned how to make it well, the options are really endless. Whether you are using it for pasta or as a base for macaroni and cheese, the end is always a delightfully rich, smooth consistency that you coaxed out of a simple sauce of flour, butter and milk.
About White Sauce Pasta
One of the many amazing ways to incorporate white sauce into a really delicious meal is to make White Sauce Pasta. This dish offers a well-rounded meal that is satisfying and a great way to incorporate vegetables into a pasta that will please your family. It is customizable by changing the vegetables or even the pasta used.
The backbone of this recipe is the sauce, so getting it right is really the key. It is thickened with a mixture of butter and flour in equal amounts which is called roux, in French. The method is rather simple, but must be followed properly for a smooth, velvety sauce.
Contents hide
1 About White Sauce Pasta
2 Ingredients
3 How to Make White Sauce Pasta (Stepwise photos)
4 Pro Tips
5 Recipe Card
The flexibility that bechamel sauce offers makes it a perfect candidate for adjusting it to your liking. It really is a blank slate for a wide range of seasonings. Fresh or dried herbs like thyme, oregano and basil bring a not just fresh flavor, but also a fantastic aroma. Use a variety of veggies like carrots, peas, corn, bell peppers to enhance the nutrition & for a beautiful color.
In this post I share my family favorite White Sauce Pasta which I have been making it for many years. It is toddlers and kids’ friendly too.
More Pasta recipes
Masala pasta
Chicken pasta
Scrambled egg pasta
Pasta soup
Red sauce pasta
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100 grams)pasta(penne or macaroni)
- 1½cupmilk(full fat or plant milk)
- 2tablespoonsbutter + ½tablespoonoilor butter (to sauté veggies)
- ¼ cup heavy cream or 2 to 3tablespoonscheese(optional, parmesan, cream cheese, mozzarella or cheddar)
- 1½tablespoonall-purpose flour
- ¼teaspoonblack pepper(crushed or ground, adjust to taste)
- 2garlic clovesgrated (optional, can use 1 teaspoon to tablespoon as per preference)
- ½teaspoonoregano(or dried mix Italian herbs)
- saltas needed
- ½teaspoonred chili flakes(optional, adjust to taste)
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (3) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (3)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-01.jpg.webp)
You also need 1 cup mixed vegetables – ¼ cup each of carrots, peas, sweet corn and bell peppers. I use a mix of green and red bell peppers.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (4) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (4)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-02.jpg.webp)
How to Make White Sauce Pasta (Stepwise photos)
Boil Pasta
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add pasta and ¼ teaspoon salt.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (5) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (5)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-03.jpg.webp)
2. Cook on a medium high flame till al dente. Check the instructions on the pasta package for the correct cook time. Check them a minute earlier than mentioned on the package. They must be tender, firm and chewy but not mushy. Mine takes about 9 mins.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (6) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (6)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-04.jpg.webp)
3. Reserve about ¼ cup pasta cooked stock.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (7) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (7)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-05.jpg.webp)
4. Drain the pasta to a colander. Cover and keep aside.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (8) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (8)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-06.jpg.webp)
5. Pour ½ tbsp oil or butter to a pan. Add the vegetables and sauté them on a medium high heat until slightly tender yet crunchy. This takes me about 5 to 6 mins. Remove to a plate and set aside.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (9) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (9)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-07.jpg.webp)
Make White Sauce Pasta
6. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and add minced garlic (optional) and fry for 30 to 40 seconds on a medium heat.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (10) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (10)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-08.jpg.webp)
7. Stir in all-purpose flour.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (11) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (11)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-09.jpg.webp)
8. Saute well until the flour loses the raw smell, for about a minute. Don’t brown the flour. Since this is a small quantity, the roux can become dry and clumpy. It’s just fine. Turn off the stove/heat and slowly pour ½ cup milk while you stir to incorporate the milk into the roux.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (12) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (12)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-10.jpg.webp)
9. Keep whisking till it looks creamy & uniform to prevent forming lumps. Pour the rest of the milk and stir well.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (13) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (13)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-11.jpg.webp)
10. Turn on the heat and cook on a medium-low until the white sauce becomes thick. Keep stirring/whisking & scrape the sides for a uniform sauce through out.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (14) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (14)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-12.jpg.webp)
11. Pour the heavy cream or cheese and mix well.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (15) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (15)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-13.jpg.webp)
12. The white sauce is done perfectly when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Alternately you can draw a finger/line through the coated spoon. The sauce should wipe clean and leave a space, meaning it is thick enough.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (16) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (16)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-14.jpg.webp)
13. Add the vegetables and the cooked pasta & mix well.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (17) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (17)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-15.jpg.webp)
14. Add pepper, oregano (or mixed Italian herbs) and chili flakes. You can also add a pinch of ground nutmeg if you want. If the sauce looks too thick (as it cools down), add 2 tbsps of the reserved stock so the sauce loosens a bit.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (18) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (18)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta-16.jpg.webp)
Garnish white sauce pasta with red chilli flakes and crushed black pepper. Serve it hot or warm as the sauce thickens more when it cools down.
![White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (19) White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Béchamel Sauce Pasta) - Swasthi's Recipes (19)](https://i0.wp.com/www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/white-sauce-pasta.jpg.webp)
Pro Tips
- If you are using cold milk, it is essential to take off the heat before adding it to the hot pan. Pouring cold milk to the hot pan/roux can cause splatters. Alternately you may stir in warm milk to avoid that.
- Originally white sauce does not have garlic but this recipe uses it to infuse a garlicky flavor. If you are making it for kids, you may omit it or start with just 1 teaspoon. A lot of kids don’t like garlic and especially when used in larger quantities. But for grown-ups you can use up to 1 tablespoon, that’s what I have used this time.
- I have used penne but fusilli and macaroni are other best options. Other options are those with plenty of surface area and texture. I avoid using long pasta like spaghetti.
Related Recipes
Spaghetti Aglio e...
Masala Pasta Reci...
Red Sauce Pasta (...
Mushroom Spaghett...
Egg spaghetti (Sc...
Chicken Pasta (Ch...
Recipe Card
White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Bechamel Sauce Pasta)
4.98 from 234 votes
This white sauce pasta is an easy weeknight meal that’s ready under 30 minutes. You will love this rich, creamy & saucy pasta, perfectly seasoned with Italian herbs!!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Jump to Comments
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Prep Time10 minutes minutes
Cook Time25 minutes minutes
Total Time35 minutes minutes
Servings2
AuthorSwasthi
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup (100 grams) pasta (penne or macaroni)
- 4 cups water to boil pasta
- 1½ cup milk (full fat or plant milk, refer notes)
- 1½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter + ½ tablespoon to sauté veggies
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (crushed or ground, adjust to taste)
- 2 large garlic cloves (minced, optional, use 1 tsp to tbsp as per your preference)
- ½ teaspoon oregano (or dried mix Italian herbs)
- salt as needed
- ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes (optional, adjust to taste)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (optional, or 3 tablespoons parmesan, cream cheese, mozzarella or cheddar)
Optional (1 cup mix veggies)
- ¼ cup carrots (fine chopped)
- ¼ cup corn kernels
- ¼ cup green peas
- ¼ cup bell peppers (fine chopped)
Instructions
How to Make White Sauce Pasta
Bring water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add salt and pasta. Cook till al dente on a medium high flame. Read instructions on package for timings.
Reserve ¼ cup pasta stock and drain the pasta to a colander. Cover and keep aside.
Pour ½ tbsp butter to a pan and saute vegetables until slightly tender yet crunchy, for 5 to 6 mins. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter on a medium heat and fry garlic for 30 to 40 seconds. Stir in all-purpose flour and saute well until the flour loses the raw smell, for about a minute.
Turn off the heat/stove and slowly whisk in ½ cup milk into the roux. Keep whisking till it looks creamy & uniform to prevent forming lumps.
Pour the rest of the milk and whisk/stir well. Turn on the stove, cook on a medium-low stirring often, scraping the sides, until the white sauce becomes thick.
Stir in the heavy cream or cheese. The white sauce is done perfectly when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Alternately you can draw a finger/line through the coated spoon. The sauce should wipe clean and leave a space, meaning it is thick enough.
Stir in the vegetables, cooked pasta, pepper, oregano (or mixed Italian herbs) and chili flakes. If the sauce looks too thick (as it cools down), add 2 tbsps of the reserved stock so the sauce loosens a bit.
Garnish white sauce pasta with red chilli flakes and crushed black pepper. Serve it hot or warm as the sauce thickens more when it cools down.
Notes
- Cold milk and hot roux/pan can results in splatters. So It is essential to take the pan off the heat before adding milk to avoid splatters. Alternately you can use warm milk to avoid that.
- To make plant-based white sauce, soak about 12 to 15 cashews for 30 mins in warm water. Blend them with just 1/4 cup water to a super smooth paste. Mix with 1.25 cup water and make it 1.5 cups as needed in the recipe.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
Nutrition Facts
White Sauce Pasta Recipe (Bechamel Sauce Pasta)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 486Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 64mg21%
Sodium 333mg14%
Potassium 527mg15%
Carbohydrates 46g15%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 4359IU87%
Vitamin C 33mg40%
Calcium 354mg35%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
Follow Swasthi’s Recipes
Popular Recipes
Butter Chicken Recipe (Indian Chicken Makhani)
Chicken Vindaloo Recipe
Aloo Gobi Recipe
Masala Chai Recipe (Indian Masala Tea)
Vegetable Pakora Recipe
Comments
80 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Naksh
May 1, 2024 3:25 pm
Turned out delicious. Thank you
Reply
BHAVYASHREE
March 12, 2024 10:19 am
Really nice recipe
Liked it.
Reply
Julia
October 24, 2023 4:49 am
I love this recipe. It is not heavy like the other recipes online and tastes great. I use cream cheese and fresh parsley. Turns out prefect every time.
Reply
Mariam Rafat
August 27, 2023 11:40 am
Awesome
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Mariam Rafat
August 27, 2023 11:45 am
Thank you
Reply
Kanchan
July 13, 2023 11:43 am
I have tried so many of your recipes, following your recipes is so simple. Found you after scouring the internet. Left YouTube tu only read your recipes and try them lots of love. ?
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Kanchan
July 13, 2023 1:41 pm
Thank you so much Kanchan. So glad to have you here to try the recipes.
Reply
Andrea
May 22, 2023 6:50 pm
I always love creative ways to eat vegetables. This recipe is great even without veggies. I add zucchini, asparagus, carrots and peas for a one pot meal. Delicious!
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Andrea
August 15, 2023 7:03 am
Thanks Andrea! So glad you like it
Reply
Tanuja Korlapati
March 25, 2023 2:37 pm
Awesome recipe.
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Tanuja Korlapati
March 25, 2023 2:49 pm
Thanks Tanuja
Reply
Karen
March 4, 2023 10:35 am
I have loved white pasta all my life but never could make something that suited my palate. All the recipes I have tried had too much of cream or flour which was heavy for me to enjoy enough. This recipe is my new favorite and love adding veggies & spinach to make it a complete meal. I have bookmarked your red pasta too & looking forward to try it this week. Thank you for the recipes.
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Karen
March 4, 2023 11:37 am
Glad you like this Karen. Hope you enjoy the red pasta too. Thank you
Reply
Ramy
February 2, 2023 12:38 pm
I loved the recipe and more than that your narration and language. Kudos!
Reply
Kelly
May 2, 2022 1:34 pm
Very delicious white pasta. Thank you
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Kelly
March 25, 2023 7:01 am
Glad you like it Kelly.
Reply
Vasudha
March 24, 2022 6:07 pm
Hi Swasthi
I love white sauce pasta. I followed your recipe and it turned out amazing. Thank you so much. Even vegetable biriyani I tried with your recipe, I have never had such great biriyani before. All thanks to you. You rock!
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Vasudha
March 26, 2022 3:17 pm
Thank you so much Vasudha
Glad the dishes turned out good.
🙂
Reply
Prajwala
February 20, 2022 6:11 am
Hi Swasthi , I prepared today and it was very delicious .Thank you
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Prajwala
February 25, 2022 9:15 am
Hi Prajwala
Glad to know it turned out delicious.
🙂
Reply
Samiksha Bilung
January 12, 2022 8:39 am
Hi Swasthi, I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I’m so sure it’s gonna turn out to be delicious. I have almost tried all your recipes it never disappointed me especially the eggless carrot cake( my favourite till date).
Thankyou for your amazing recipes, we love it. Keep sharing 🙂
Reply
Afreen
July 24, 2021 4:25 am
I think you might increase the quantity of butter so there will be no lumps
Reply
Manali
July 15, 2021 6:33 pm
Did little change instead of all purpose i used wheat flour but turned out yummy
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Manali
July 16, 2021 1:41 am
Glad to know Manali
Thank you
Reply
Divya
July 7, 2021 12:08 pm
Can we add black olives for white pasta
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Divya
July 9, 2021 2:37 am
Divya
I haven’t tried it.
Reply
Divya
July 7, 2021 12:06 pm
Very nice
Reply
Tracy
June 25, 2021 10:44 am
Thanks This came out very delicious
Reply
Angela
May 30, 2021 9:37 am
This is by far the best white pasta I ever made. Love the addition of veggies. Tastes delicious!
Reply
Anshini
May 14, 2021 3:16 am
Hello swasthi ma’am!! We tried your white sauce pasta recipe. It turned out to be very delicious. In lockdown we tried almost all your recipes all were great . Thank you ??
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Anshini
May 14, 2021 4:26 am
Hi Anshini
Glad to hear! Thank you so much!
🙂
Reply
Kalai
March 11, 2021 1:22 am
The recipe turned out great. I’m really a big fan of your recipes. Keep rocking.
Reply
swasthi
Reply to Kalai
March 11, 2021 9:29 am
Thank you so much Kalai! So happy to know!
🙂
Reply