Cheese Sauce For Pasta Recipe
This Easy Cheese Sauce For Pasta is a creamy, flourless white sauce made with four cheeses, butter, and milk or cream. Unlike a traditional béchamel-based cheese sauce, it skips the flour and uses melted cheese and starchy pasta water for a smooth, silky texture that coats pasta beautifully. It comes together in about 20 minutes and works well as a sauce for pasta, vegetables, or potatoes.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta we love DeLallo Spaghetti, Shellbows, or Rigatoni for this sauce, but any shape will work
Creamy Pasta Sauce:
- 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- ½ cup butter
- 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ¼ cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded provolone cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
- ½ cup grated parmigiano cheese
- Reserved pasta cooking water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Topping:
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Optional Topping: In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce.
- Prepare the Cheese Sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic (or garlic powder) and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Make the Creamy Base: Pour in the whole milk or heavy cream, stirring constantly. Allow the mixture to heat through, but do not let it come to a boil.
- Add the Cheeses. Turn the heat to a low simmer. Gradually add the grated parmigiano, shredded mozzarella, shredded provolone, and grated Romano cheese. Stir continuously until all the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Cook another 2 minutes at a very low heat while continuously stirring the pasta into the sauce. Add a bit of the starchy pasta water (until desired consistency) and stir to combine. The sauce will thicken and coat the pasta.
- Serve the pasta immediately, garnished with the toasted panko mixture (if desired). Mangia!
Notes
- Grate the Cheese Finely: Finely grated cheese melts more evenly and blends into the sauce more easily than large pieces.
- Keep the Heat Low: Once you add the cheese, use low heat. High heat can cause the cheese to clump, separate, or become oily.
- Add Cheese Gradually: Add the cheeses a little at a time, stirring between additions so each one has time to melt into the sauce.
- Save Your Pasta Water: Reserve at least 1 cup before draining the pasta. Add it gradually to loosen the sauce and help it coat the noodles.
- Taste Before Adding Salt: Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano are naturally salty, so taste the finished sauce before adding extra seasoning.
Nutrition
Calories: 687kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1181mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1102IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 554mg | Iron: 9mg
