Spaghetti Sauces: 15 Step-by-Step Recipes for Every Taste

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A good sauce can completely transform the taste of even the simplest spaghetti. Tomato, creamy, cheesy, or pesto-based – each one enhances pasta in its own way and is made from readily available ingredients. We've gathered the best sauce recipes that are easy to make at home!

Delicious Tomato Sauces for Spaghetti

Tomato sauces are considered a classic of Italian cuisine and pair well with almost any spaghetti or pasta. They can be light and aromatic or richer – with meat, vegetables, and spicy seasonings.

Classic Tomato Sauce with Basil

Source: AdobeStock

A light, versatile sauce perfect for everyday meals.

Ingredients

Use canned tomatoes with their juice.

• 400 g canned tomatoes (whole or crushed);
• 2 cloves garlic;
• 1 small onion;
• 2 tablespoons olive oil;
• 5-6 fresh basil leaves;
• 1 teaspoon sugar;
• salt and ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Finely chop the onion and garlic, sauté them in olive oil until soft.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, and ground pepper.
3. Simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes over low heat until slightly thickened.
4. Sprinkle with chopped basil, stir, and immediately mix the finished sauce with spaghetti.

Arrabbiata Sauce

Source: AdobeStock

A spicy tomato sauce for those who love a bit of heat.

Ingredients

Adjust the amount of hot pepper to your taste.

• 350 g canned tomatoes (whole or crushed);
• 1 hot pepper (chili);
• 4 cloves garlic;
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley;
• 3 tablespoons olive oil;
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano;
• salt to taste.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Finely chop the garlic and hot pepper, lightly sauté them in olive oil in a pan.
2. Add the strained tomatoes with their juice and sprinkle in the oregano.
3. Salt the sauce and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. If needed, add a little sugar to taste.

Bolognese Tomato Sauce

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The beloved sauce based on minced meat and tomatoes.

Ingredients

A mixed pork and beef mince works best.

• 300 g minced meat;
• 400 g canned tomatoes (whole or crushed);
• 1 carrot;
• 1 onion;
• 2 celery stalks;
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste;
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
• salt, ground black pepper, and Italian herbs.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Chop and sauté the vegetables in vegetable oil until soft.
2. Add the minced meat and continue to fry until it changes color, breaking up any clumps with a spatula.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes with their juice, and spices to taste. If needed, add a little sugar.
4. Simmer the Bolognese sauce for about 30 minutes over low heat.

Tomato Sauce with Roasted Vegetables

Source: AdobeStock

Very vibrant flavor without lengthy frying!

Ingredients

You can roast the vegetables in advance to save time.

• 500 g tomatoes;
• 1 bell pepper;
• 1 red onion;
• 4 cloves garlic;
• 2 tablespoons olive oil;
• 3 sprigs basil;
• salt and ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Roughly chop the vegetables, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for about 25 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Transfer everything, along with any released juices, to a blender.
3. Add basil, salt, and ground pepper, then blend until smooth.
4. If necessary, heat the finished sauce for 3-5 minutes and mix it with spaghetti.

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Creamy Spaghetti Sauce Recipes

Creamy sauces are best made with heavy cream, as it makes them thick, tender, and smooth. If you use milk, be prepared for a different result!

Classic Creamy Garlic Sauce

Source: AdobeStock

A delicate sauce that comes together in just a few minutes.

Ingredients

Use cream with at least 20% fat content.

• 200 ml cream;
• 2 cloves garlic;
• 30 g butter;
• 30 g Parmesan cheese;
• 1 pinch nutmeg;
• salt and ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Melt the butter and lightly sauté the minced garlic in it.
2. Pour in the cream and heat it, without bringing to a boil.
3. Add grated Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and ground black pepper.
4. Stir the sauce until the cheese is completely melted and mix with spaghetti.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Source: AdobeStock

Mushrooms make the sauce especially aromatic and hearty.

Ingredients

Optionally, add a little fresh thyme.

• 300 g mushrooms;
• 200 ml cream (20% fat or higher);
• 1 onion;
• 1 tablespoon butter;
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil;
• salt and ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Chop and sauté the onion and mushrooms in a mixture of butter and vegetable oil until golden.
2. Pour in the cream and mix well.
3. Season with salt and pepper and cook the spaghetti sauce for another 5-7 minutes.

Creamy Bacon Sauce

Source: AdobeStock

The bright smoky aroma makes this sauce truly unique!

Ingredients

Smoked bacon is best for this recipe.

• 150 g bacon;
• 200 ml cream (20% fat or higher);
• 1 small onion;
• 50 g Parmesan cheese;
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic;
• ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Fry the chopped bacon in a pan until crispy, then add the minced onion.
2. After 1 minute, pour in the cream and heat for a few more minutes.
3. Add grated Parmesan, dried garlic, and ground pepper.
4. Stir the sauce until smooth and combine with spaghetti.

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Creamy Spinach Sauce

Source: AdobeStock

Not only delicious, but also very vibrant!

Ingredients

If using frozen spinach, thaw it first and drain any excess water.

• 200 ml cream (20% fat);
• 100 g fresh spinach;
• 2 cloves garlic;
• 30 g butter;
• 40 g Parmesan cheese;
• 1 pinch nutmeg;
• salt and ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Mince and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds in melted butter.
2. Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until it wilts.
3. Pour in the cream, season with nutmeg, salt, and ground pepper.
4. Heat the sauce over low heat, add grated Parmesan, and cook until it melts.

Best Cheesy Spaghetti Sauce Recipes

What could be better than spaghetti with cheese? Only spaghetti with a cheese sauce! Try different variations – from familiar cheddar and Parmesan to pungent Gorgonzola. This way, each recipe has its own character and flavor!

Classic Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Source: AdobeStock

A thick and velvety sauce. Sure to please lovers of rich cheese flavor.

Ingredients

To make the sauce as smooth as possible, grate the cheese finely in advance.

• 250 ml milk;
• 180 g cheddar cheese;
• 40 g butter;
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour;
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard;
• salt and ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Lightly toast the flour in melted butter, stirring constantly.
2. Gradually pour in the warm milk and cook until slightly thickened.
3. Add grated cheddar, Dijon mustard, and stir until the cheese is completely melted.
4. Season the sauce to taste and mix it with hot spaghetti.

Cheese Sauce with Gorgonzola and Walnuts

Source: AdobeStock

A pungent sauce with a distinct flavor for true gourmets.

Ingredients

For more aroma, lightly toast the walnuts in a dry pan.

• 150 ml cream;
• 120 g Gorgonzola cheese;
• 40 g walnuts;
• 1 tablespoon butter;
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg;
• ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Melt the butter and pour in the warm cream.
2. Add pieces of Gorgonzola and cook, stirring, until the cheese is completely melted.
3. Stir in the chopped walnuts, season with nutmeg and ground black pepper.
4. Mix the sauce and immediately combine it with spaghetti.

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Cheese Sauce with Smoked Suluguni and Paprika

Source: AdobeStock

An original sauce variation for those tired of the classics.

Ingredients

You can also use smoked paprika!

• 180 g smoked Suluguni cheese;
• 200 ml milk;
• 30 g butter;
• 1 tablespoon flour;
• 1 teaspoon paprika;
• 1 pinch dried garlic;
• ground red pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Toast the flour in a pan with melted butter, stirring constantly.
2. Gradually pour in the warm milk, continuing to whisk.
3. Add grated smoked cheese and all spices.
4. Cook the sauce until the cheese is completely dissolved, then mix with spaghetti.

Pesto-Based Spaghetti Sauce Recipes

Pesto sauce is great on its own, but you can create more interesting and varied options by adding cream, cheese, or vegetables. These sauces retain the characteristic basil aroma but reveal new flavors each time!

Pesto and Cream Sauce

Source: AdobeStock

The simplest way to make classic pesto more delicate.

Ingredients

Green pesto sauce without extra additives works best.

• 3 tablespoons pesto sauce;
• 200 ml cream (20% fat or higher);
• 40 g Parmesan cheese;
• 1 clove garlic;
• ground black pepper;
• olive oil for frying.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Mince and lightly sauté the garlic in olive oil in a pan.
2. Pour in the cream and heat it over low heat.
3. Add pesto and grated Parmesan, stir the sauce until smooth.

Pesto and Roasted Vegetable Sauce for Spaghetti

Source: AdobeStock

Exquisite taste and requires no special culinary skills.

Ingredients

You can add eggplant, carrots, celery, and other vegetables to taste.

• 1 small zucchini;
• 1 bell pepper;
• 10 cherry tomatoes;
• 2 tablespoons pesto;
• 2 tablespoons olive oil;
• salt and ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Chop the vegetables, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for about 20 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. After that, transfer the vegetables to a pan and add the pesto sauce.
3. Gently mix and heat everything together for 2-3 minutes.
4. Mix the sauce with spaghetti, then sprinkle with grated cheese if desired.

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Pesto, Spinach, and Green Pea Sauce

Source: AdobeStock

A fresh and light sauce, especially good in spring and summer.

Ingredients

Frozen green peas only need to be covered with boiling water for a few minutes.

• 150 g spinach;
• 100 g green peas;
• 2 tablespoons pesto;
• 150 ml cream (20% fat);
• 1 tablespoon olive oil;
• ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Quickly sauté the spinach in olive oil until soft.
2. Add the green peas, pour in the cream, and heat for a few minutes.
3. Stir the pesto into the sauce, heat for another 1 minute, and combine everything with spaghetti.

Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce for Spaghetti

Source: AdobeStock

Sun-dried tomatoes add a pleasant sweet and sour note.

Ingredients

If the tomatoes were stored in seasoned oil, use some of that oil instead of olive oil.

• 3 tablespoons pesto sauce;
• 8-10 sun-dried tomatoes;
• 2 cloves garlic;
• 2 tablespoons olive oil;
• 30 g Parmesan cheese;
• 2-3 tablespoons pasta cooking water;
• ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Finely chop and lightly sauté the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic in olive oil.
2. Add the pesto sauce and a few tablespoons of the water left over from cooking the spaghetti.
3. Stir in the grated Parmesan and mix the sauce until smooth.

Helpful Cooking Tips

To make a truly delicious spaghetti sauce, it's important to consider a few simple nuances. These small details help achieve the right consistency and make the dish even tastier!

Which spaghetti is best for sauce?

It's best to use spaghetti made from durum wheat. They retain their shape after cooking and hold the sauce well on their surface.

Should you rinse spaghetti after cooking?

No. Rinsing washes away the starch, which helps the sauce adhere better to the pasta.

Why save the pasta cooking water?

A few tablespoons of this water will come in handy if your sauce turns out too thick. It also helps make it smoother and allows it to coat the spaghetti better.

When should you add cheese to spaghetti sauce?

Parmesan or other hard cheese is best added at the very end of cooking, once the sauce has been removed from high heat. This way, it melts evenly and doesn't form clumps.

Can you prepare sauce in advance?

Most tomato sauces can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, simply reheat them over low heat. However, creamy and cheesy sauces are best prepared just before serving!

How to make tomato sauce for spaghetti less acidic?

If the tomatoes are too acidic, add a pinch of sugar or a small piece of butter. The sauce's flavor will become more balanced.

What to do if cheese sauce is too thick?

Do not overheat the cheese after it has melted. If the sauce still turns out thick, thin it with a small amount of warm milk, cream, or pasta cooking water.

Which spices are best for spaghetti sauces?

If salt and ground black pepper aren't enough, feel free to add basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, dried garlic, paprika, and chili flakes. The main thing is not to use too many spices at once, so they don't overpower the taste of the main ingredients.

How to Properly Serve Spaghetti with Sauce

It's best to mix spaghetti with the sauce directly in the pan or saucepan 1-2 minutes before serving. This ensures everything is evenly combined and tastes much better than simply pouring sauce over the pasta. Before serving, the dish can be sprinkled with grated Parmesan, garnished with basil leaves, parsley, or a little freshly ground black pepper.

Tomato sauces pair especially well with mozzarella, Parmesan, and fresh herbs. Creamy and cheesy sauces can be complemented with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, chicken, bacon, or seafood. Pesto-based sauces are excellent with cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, arugula, and mozzarella.