Stop Settling for Mediocre Pasta and Try These 13 Authentic Italian Sauces Instead

ByLeah Ingram
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When it comes to authentic Italian pasta sauces, they fall under one of these categories: tomato, meat, cream, pesto or oil. Here are 13 of those pasta sauces and what kinds of dishes they pair best with when serving pasta.

Marinara

A large pot filled with thick, bubbling red tomato sauce on a stove. The sauce appears to be simmering, with small pockets of steam visible. The pot's rim has some sauce splatters.
Marinara Sauce. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

A staple of southern Italy, marinara is a simple yet flavorful sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs. We love making marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes from our garden.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Pomodoro

A skillet on a stove containing whole peeled tomatoes, chopped onions, and herbs, with a wooden spatula resting on the side.
Pomodoro Sauce. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

The literal meaning of “pomodoro,” a classic sauce that hails from Naples, is golden apple in Italian. It’s similar to marinara but smoother and often finished with fresh basil.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Arrabbiata

A plate of pasta with tomato sauce and green olives, accompanied by a fork and knife. There's a small bowl of grated cheese, basil leaves, dried chili peppers, and uncooked pasta on a marble surface.
Arrabbiata Sauce. Photo credit: Depositphotos.

Here is where you will use 2-3 sentences to describe the image/post you want to link them to. This is your excerpt or quick overview for the post. Make sure to include a link at the end (this is how you get traffic) similar to this.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Alfredo

Close-up of a fork lifting creamy fettuccine noodles from a white pan filled with Alfredo sauce.
Alfredo Sauce. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Alfredo is made with cream, butter and Parmesan cheese. It’s a rich and velvety sauce that clings perfectly to fettuccine. It’s not wonder fettuccine Alfredo is a dish most people know.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Carbonara

Close-up of a plate of spaghetti carbonara topped with grated cheese, pancetta, and cracked black pepper.
Carbonara. Photo credit: Depositphotos.

Carbonara is traditionally made with egg yolks, pecorino romano, guanciale and black pepper. It is a creamy sauce, best served on spaghetti, that doesn’t use cream.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Bechamel

The image shows a plate of cannelloni filled with spinach and cheese, topped with a creamy white sauce and garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Cannelloni with spinach and cheese and bechamel sauce. Photo credit: Depositphotos.

Béchamel aka a white sauce is made from butter, flour and milk. It is a French import that has found a home in Italian cooking, especially pasta dishes you bake.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Pesto Genovese

Fresh homemade basil pesto sauce in a glass jar viewed from above. Originally from Italy, pesto is commonly made with basil and used as a sauce for pasta.
Pesto Genovese. Photo credit: Adobe Photos.

Pesto Genovese is the green pesto that most people think of when they think of a pesto sauce. It is bright green and made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Pesto rosso

A glass bowl filled with sun-dried tomato pesto garnished with basil leaves, with garlic cloves and another bowl of pesto in the background on a wooden surface.
Pesto Rosso. Photo credit: Depositphotos.

Pesto rosso swaps out the basil for sun-dried tomatoes. Combined with almonds, garlic and olive oil, it delivers a slightly sweeter, richer flavor. Use it on pasta or to make a bruschetta.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Bolognese

A pot of tomato sauce and ground beef is being stirred with a wooden spoon on a stovetop.
Bolognese meat sauce. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

When you want your pasta to pack a hearty punch, meat-based sauces are the go-to choice. These sauces are rich, savory and satisfying, turning a simple pasta dish into a meal that sticks to your ribs.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Amatriciana

A plate of spaghetti with meat sauce sprinkled with cheese, garnished with cherry tomatoes and parsley on a cutting board, accompanied by a glass of red wine and a bread roll.
Amatriciana sauce. Photo credit: Depositphotos.

Amatriciana is made with cured pork cheek — also called “guanciale” — tomatoes and pecorino romano. This sauce is both salty and tangy, and has a hint of smokiness.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Puttanesca

Pasta Puttanesca Recipe in pan
Pasta Puttanesca. Photo credit: Leah Ingram.

Puttanesca is a southern Italian sauce made with tomatoes, olives, capers and garlic, plus anchovies that create a savory and slightly salty kick. Puttanesca is a quick, no-fuss sauce.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Aglio e olio

A plate of spaghetti aglio e olio garnished with chopped parsley and red chili flakes, with whole dried chili peppers on the side. A fork is placed in the pasta.
Aglio E Olio. Photo credit: Depositphotos.

Aglio e olio literally translates from Italian to English as garlic and olive oil. So it’s no surprise that those ingredients are key to this oil-based sauce, which also includes red pepper flakes.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Cacio e pepe

A close-up of a plate of creamy pasta topped with black pepper.
Cacio e pepe. Photo credit: Adobe Photos.

Cacio e pepe is made with just pecorino romano cheese, black pepper and starchy pasta water. This sauce creates a creamy, peppery coating that clings to every strand of pasta.
Read the Article: Best Authentic Italian Sauce for Your Pasta

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Fettucine

A close-up of fettuccine Alfredo topped with grilled chicken pieces, garnished with parsley. Breadstick visible in the background.
Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Fettucine. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Everyone loves alfredo and this Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is such a delicious, quick and easy dinner. It features seasoned chicken that you serve on top of fettuccine noodles. Everything is tossed with a luscious alfredo sauce.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Fettucine

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