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This super simple and delicious white sauce penne pasta recipe is packed with flavor. This dish is perfect by itself or you can add chicken too!
Whenever I crave a white sauce recipe, I also love to make Chicken Alfredo, Pasta Bake, or Chicken Lasagna.
Why We Love it So Much
We LOVE pasta! I mean, who doesn’t?! It’s one of our common go-to dinner recipes on a weeknight.
This pasta dish is especially one of our favorites, here’s why:
- Simple and quick. You can make it start to finish in about 20 minutes.
- Basic ingredients. This type of sauce uses a flour roux made with flour, butter, and milk.
- Versatile. You can use the white sauce (also known as Béchamel sauce) as a base for other sauces (like Alfredo Sauce), add it to pizza, lasagna, etc.
- Flavor. It’s super cheesy and has just the right touch of garlic and other spices.
- Customizable. You can add any veggies or protein you like! Our favorite is adding chicken to make a Chicken Penne Pasta.
Simple Ingredients
- penne – or another short pasta like macaroni or rotini
- unsalted butter
- minced garlic
- all-purpose flour – Make a gluten-free substitute using four parts potato starch to three parts cornflour. Once you have the mixture, measure out 3 tablespoons and use it in place of the flour.
- milk – Use whole milk for the creamiest pasta sauce, but you can also use 2% or fat free milk. If you want it extra thick, use half and half or heavy cream.
- chicken broth – or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version
- mozzarella & parmesan cheese – To make the cheese sauce extra cheesy, add up to ½ cup more of each.
- season with parsley, garlic salt & black pepper – You can also add a teaspoon of red chili flakes or nutmeg.
How to Make a White Sauce
- PASTA. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- ROUX. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more.
- BOIL. Add milk and broth to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens about 5 minutes.
- SEASON. Add Parmesan, parsley, garlic salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted.
- SERVE. Add pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Add mozzarella and stir until melted. Serve warm.
Pro Tip!
When adding flour to the butter, make sure to cook it long enough or it will taste like flour. While adding milk, take your time pouring it slowly and whisk constantly or it may have lumps.
For even more tips, check out How to Make a Roux!
Recipe Tips
- Protein. Try adding meats such as grilled chicken, diced ham, or shrimp (we love our Chicken Penne Pasta).
- Produce. Add produce such as halved cherry tomatoes, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, or mushrooms.
Storing + Serving Info
STORE. Leftover cream pasta sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- To reheat. We typically reheat this pasta in the microwave, but this can also be done in a pot on the stove. You may need to add a little more broth if it’s too thick when reheating.
FREEZE. If you plan to freeze this dish, leave the pasta undercooked as the freezing process will make thoroughly cooked pasta mushy. Store the cooked dish in a freezer-safe airtight container for months.
- To reheat. Thaw this simple pasta recipe in the fridge and reheat on the stove top stirring constantly to keep the cream base from curdling. Adding a bit more milk will help smooth out the texture.
For more easy pasta recipes:
White Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) package (about 4 cups) penne
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- garlic salt with parsley flakes or salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese or additional Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more.
- Add milk and broth and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens about 5 minutes.
- Add Parmesan, parsley, garlic salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted.
- Add pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Add mozzarella and stir until melted. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from HERE.
I love this recipe. I’ve made it twice this week! I cant believe how delicious and easY it is after a long day at work!! Tried it the second time with a little bit of Some creamy melt mozzarElla and it was somehow even better
Great addition! I am so glad you like it! Thank you!
We love pasta at our house & i’m always looking for some new recipes. I tried this one for my family & they loved it. It is so creamy.
What is the serving size of this recipe? Needed to gauge the nutrition.
Thanks
The food looks delicious and attractive, I like this dish, it’s great.
Thank you so much!
This was a very easy and very good pasta dish. All members of my family enjoyed dinner tonight.
That’s the best! Thank you for sharing that!
thanks again for sharing some easy quick recipes, everything has been so delicious
You are so welcome!! I am glad to share! Thank you for letting me know!
Hi! I just made this today & cut everything to 50% since it’s just for 2 people. Half a box of pasta, 1.5 tb butter, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1.5 tb flour, 1.5 cup broth, 1.5 milk, 1 tsp parsley, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
End result- it didn’t look like there was enough sauce for half a box of pasta. The sauce was only enough for maybe maybe.. 1/4 of the pasta.
Did I do something wrong? After I did step 4, the flour made the garlic/butter into little clumpy balls. So I added milk/broth which helped but there was not a lot of sauce to use. Any advice would help! I’m a total newbie in the kitchen.
BTW, the sauce is delicious! 🙂
The flour does do that, but when you add the milk, it should get smooth. You have to stir constantly. I have never halved it, so I wish I knew about the sauce being enough. You would think it should be? I appreciate you trying it. You could always freeze half & reheat later:) Thank you for letting me know & I am glad that you liked the sauce. You are doing great..just keep at it 🙂
This recipe was not my favorite. It was very dry. I followed it step by step so I’m guessing something happened that went wrong but I’m not sure what. Everyone else said it was delicious so I not sure.
I am not sure what, either, but I thank you for giving it a try 🙂
Simple and delicious
That’s why we love it!! Thank you so much!
Such a good recipe! So glad I tried it! Thank You for posting.
You are so welcome! Glad to share. I am glad you like it!