Different Types of Italian Sauces (2024)

There are many types of pasta sauces, from the light and simple marinara sauce to the bold and rich Alfredo sauce. Traditional sauces are made from a base of tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, cream, meat or cheese. Flavorful pasta sauce is just one reason Sardella’s Pizza and Wings is a top Arizona Pizza place.

Tomato-Based Sauces

A traditional tomato-based pasta sauce is known as marinara sauce. According to top Arizona pizza places, crushed or diced tomatoes are combined with chopped garlic, onions, and peppers and simmered until they reach a saucy consistency.

  • Arrabbiata Sauce: Using traditional marinara sauce, add crushed red pepper flakes or chopped chili peppers to make Arrabbiata, a spicy version of the marinara sauce.
  • Bolognese (Ragu) Sauce: Add two or more types of cooked meats (chopped), a variety of vegetables, including onions, celery and chili peppers and you have Bolognese sauce.

Cream-Based Sauces

Cream-based sauces are the richest types of pasta sauces because they usually contain heavy cream, along with butter, cheese or both.

  • Alfredo Sauce: Alfredo is a rich, creamy white sauce mixed with butter and grated Parmesan cheese seasoned with pepper, and sometimes nutmeg. Alfredo sauce is typically served on fettuccine noodles and topped with vegetables, chicken or shrimp.
  • Carbonara Sauce: Similar to Alfredo sauce, Carbonara sauce incorporates beaten eggs. This sauce is typically paired with spaghetti and topped with bacon or pancetta.

Wine-Based

Wine as the base for a pasta sauce can add a sweet yet light flavor to the dish. A common wine-based pasta sauce uses marsala, a fortified sweet Spanish wine, combined with richer ingredients like heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.

No-Cook Pasta Sauce

Some pasta sauces, like Pesto, don’t require cooking because the heat from the freshly boiled pasta is enough to soften the ingredients and enhance their flavors while forming a light sauce. According to top Arizona pizza places, pesto traditionally consists of crushed garlic, basil, and European pine nuts blended with olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, and fiore sardo.

Today, you can find pasta just about anywhere: from diners and cafes to food trucks and top Arizona pizza places. At Sardella’s Pizza and Wings, menu options include delicious pasta dishes like rigatoni and chicken parmesan.

Different Types of Italian Sauces (2024)

FAQs

What are the different Italian sauces? ›

From the rich and hearty to the everyday staple, here are our best Italian sauces.
  • Ragù alla Bolognese. ...
  • Cacio e Pepe. ...
  • Salsa di Pomodoro. ...
  • Sugo alla Norma. ...
  • Sugo all'Arrabbiata.

What are the 5 sister sauces? ›

The five mother sauces are hollandaise, tomato (sauce tomat), bechamel, Espagnole, and veloute. French chef Auguste Escoffier identified the five mother sauces, forever associating them with French cuisine.

What are 7 mother sauces? ›

Sauces considered mother sauces. In order (left to right, top to bottom): béchamel, espagnole, tomato, velouté, hollandaise, and mayonnaise.

What are the 5 king sauces? ›

What are the 5 Mother Sauces?
  • Bechamel Sauce.
  • Veloute Sauce.
  • Espagnole Sauce.
  • Tomato Sauce (sauce tomate)
  • Hollandaise Sauce.
Jul 19, 2023

What are the 4 original sauces? ›

Famous chef Marie-Antoine Carême codified the four original Mother Sauces in the early 1800s. His recipes for Velouté, Béchamel, Allemande, and Espagnole were vital to every French chef. About 100 years later, chef Auguste Escoffier reclassified Allemande as a “daughter sauce,” or variation, of velouté.

What are the nine major sauces? ›

The list can safely be narrowed down to a selection of 9 sauces to avoid obvious redundancies :
  • Espagnole.
  • Demi Glace (reduced Espagnole sauce)
  • Jus de veau lié (reduced and thickened Veal stock)
  • Velouté
  • Allemande (Velouté thickened with eggs)
  • Sauce suprême (Velouté thickened with cream)
  • Béchamel.
  • Sauce Tomate.
Dec 8, 2020

What is the creamy Italian sauce called? ›

Alfredo Sauce: Alfredo is a rich, creamy white sauce mixed with butter and grated Parmesan cheese seasoned with pepper, and sometimes nutmeg. Alfredo sauce is typically served on fettuccine noodles and topped with vegetables, chicken or shrimp.

What is Italian red sauce called? ›

Widely used in Italian-American cuisine, it is known as alla marinara in Italy, where it is typically made with tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic and oregano, but also sometimes olives, capers, and salted anchovies.

What is the most popular spaghetti sauce in Italy? ›

Carbonara Sauce

The most beloved sauce in Rome (and all over the world) is a cornerstone dish of Italian cuisine that has been imitated, debated, and confused with lesser sauces.

What is Italian stuffed pasta called? ›

Possibly the most recognisable filled pasta type, ravioli are named after the Italian term 'riavvolgere' meaning “to wrap.” Ravioli have been a staple of Italian cuisine since the 14th century. One of the earliest recipes includes chopped green herbs, fresh cheese, and egg - with the ravioli then simmered in broth.

What is thick spaghetti called? ›

Thick Spaghetti, also known as Spaghettoni, is a wider version of an old favorite. Spaghetti is long and round, and the name means "lengths of cord" in Italian. Barilla® Thick Spaghetti is made with non-GMO ingredients. For more information, please read our position.

What are the 5 modern mother sauces? ›

The five French mother sauces are béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato. Developed in the 19th century by French chef Auguste Escoffier, mother sauces serve as a starting point for a variety of delicious sauces used to complement countless dishes, including veggies, fish, meat, casseroles, and pastas.

What are the 5 grand sauces called? ›

The five French mother sauces are: Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise, and Tomato.

What are the 3 modern mother sauces? ›

There are three sauces we make VERY frequently when catering and running events: Veloute, Bechamel, and Hollandaise. All culinary students must become very comfortable with these three mother sauces.

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