Pasta Sauces

[Andriel_Isilien]

We have a great thread here for how to make your own pasta at home 🍝

Now let's get some sauce recipes going to pair with that yumminess! I've got a couple of my favs to feed and comfort my inner kid while getting a balanced meal.

 

This one is a homemade version of macaroni and cheese with some extra ingredients for nutrient goodness.

Source: Creamy Ham and Broccoli Shells and Cheese – The Comfort of Cooking

Makes 5 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 c dry pasta (any shape or variety of your choice)

1 1/2 c broccoli florets

1/4 c unsalted butter

1/4 c flour (cornstarch or arrowroot should work just fine to substitute)

2 c milk (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy)

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 c chopped ham

Salt and black pepper to your preference of taste

2 c shredded cheese

 

Instructions

1) Set a large pot with water and a pinch of salt to boil. Add pasta and cook according to the packaged directions. Add broccoli to the water during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time. Drain and set aside in a colander. If you made your pasta fresh, then prep 5 servings worth. The broccoli doesn't have to be combined in this if you prefer steaming that separately as a side dish.

2) In that same pot (save on messing dishes yay!), melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour (or thickener) and stir constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in milk, then season with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. You want to barely bring it all to a boil and take it off the heat right away. Always be stirring up until that point so that the milk doesn't burn on the bottom.

3) Mix in the cheese and stir to get it melting. Toss in the pasta, broccoli, and ham. Stir to coat evenly. Enjoy!

Add Ins

Protein - If you don't want/have ham you can swap out for chopped up cooked chicken, smoked sausage, crumbled cooked ground turkey, beef, or chickpeas.

Veggies - You can add with the broccoli or again swap for chopped bell peppers, carrots, peas, tomatoes, fresh spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, or zucchini. These you can still put those cut up vegetables in with the boiling pasta to cook a couple of minutes. I have seen some recipes mixing in pureed butternut squash or pumpkin. Those I would add during the whisking the milk step.

Herbs - Feeling fancy and want to garnish? Try fresh parsley, chives, green onions, or basil.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Andriel_Isilien

[Andriel_Isilien]

Here is a homemade version of Spaghetti-Os. I cannot find the blog that I got this recipe from, just the handwritten card I copied onto.

PASTA-Os (serves 4)

1 cup carrot juice

1 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy)

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 TB ghee or butter of your choice

5 spring onions diced

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 TB tomato paste

1 (12 oz) package of noodles/pasta

Salt and pepper to taste

• Prep up the pasta and set aside.
• Mix milk and yeast together in a separate bowl.
• Saute onions in ghee/butter for 5 minutes in a pan.
• Add tomatoes in, carrot juice, and the tomato paste. Stir to mix thoroughly.
• Maintain a simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour in milk and let simmer again for 5-10 minutes.
• Season sauce with the salt and pepper to your liking.
• You can blend this sauce with an immersion blend to a smooth texture if you like (or in a blender after cooling sauce first).
• Stir in the noodles/pasta and serve up! This would go well with cooked sausages or meatballs.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Andriel_Isilien

[Andriel_Isilien]

Again, I don't have the reference to link this recipe. Just the card that I stored away.

PESTO (serves 6)

1/2 cup unsalted walnuts, cashews, or pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp salt and pepper

2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup fresh basil

1 cup fresh leafy greens (spinach, kale, or whatever you want)

• I recommend soaking the nuts in water to soften them up for a few hours. This will make blending them much smoother. Drain the nuts.
• Get all the ingredients into a blender, food processor, or whatever you have to mix. Take your time to check that everything is getting distributed together evenly.
• Then you are done! Warm up this pesto on the stovetop with the cooked pasta you picked out. This goes well with cooked chicken or if you are vegetarian then chickpeas.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Andriel_Isilien

[Andriel_Isilien]

Made this, so so GOOD. Definitely a keeper! Source Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce (17g Protein) - Sweet As Honey

HIGH PROTEIN ALREDO (makes 2 cups - 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c cottage cheese (I use low-fat)

3/4 c milk

1/2 c parmesan cheese

2 TB cornstarch

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp olive oil

8 oz cooked pasta of your choice

Instructions:

• Blend cottage cheese, milk, parmesan cheese, and cornstarch with a blender until smooth. Set aside.
• With a large pan, stir fry the garlic in the oil on medium high heat until fragrant (about a minute).
• Pour in cheese sauce and start whisking. Let it heat up to a gentle simmer, making sure it doesn't stick on the bottom. Turn heat to low and let it thicken.
• Dump in your cooked pasta. Mix and coat well. Once warmed all the way through, serve up!

Add Ins:

VEG - mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, roasted tomato, onion slices. Cook these up how you want: steamed, roasted, stir fried, or whatever.

PROTEIN - cooked chickpeas, bacon bits/crumbles, cooked chicken, peas, pieces of cooked ham.

HERBS - basil, parsley, green onion, chives.

[Andriel_Isilien]

Easy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce - Spoonful of Flavor

Makes 6 servings. This is like mac and cheese with a serving of veggie mixed in. 😋

 

Ingredients:

1 lb pasta (You can use less pasta if you want a more saucy consistency)

2 TB unsalted butter (or nondairy substitute of your choice)

1 TB minced fresh garlic

1 1/4 c heavy cream (I preferred coconut milk)

1 1/4 c grated parmesan 

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (trust the process here)

1 cup pumpkin puree

Fresh sage chopped (optional, I used some dry powder sage)

 

Cooking Instructions:

1. Cook pasta of your choice according to their instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, take this time to melt butter in a medium sized pan and cook garlic over medium heat. It should take about a minute to become fragrant then lower the heat. Pour in heavy cream and whisk as it simmers until thickens.
3. Now add in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and parmesan. Whisk gently to melt the cheese.
4. Stir in pumpkin puree and mix well. Last, toss the drained pasta in and coat it all together. Time to feast!

 

Suggested add ins - Italian sausage crumbles or chicken.

[Andriel_Isilien]