Finding the right pasta sauce for your favorite pasta dishes is sometimes a challenge. If you want a homemade sauce, there are so many recipes to choose from. Some of the recipes you find are quite difficult to master with lots of chopping and crushing. Here are two simple pasta sauce recipes that are homemade, yet they are fairly simple to assemble and prepare. Try them out and see how easy it is to get away from the processed sauce in a jar that contains way too much salt and preservatives. These fresh and easy pasta sauces will be your favorites after the first time you prepare them.
Easy White Cheese Sauce
This easy white cheese sauce is great for dishes that call for Alfredo sauce, or it is delicious over some buttered noodles.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups 1% milk
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (you can use reduced fat cheese)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
- Mix the milk and broth together and set aside.
- Melt the butter or margarine in a medium to large saucepan.
- Add the flour and garlic. Stir with a fork or whisk constantly over low to medium heat until the mixture is smooth and bubbles slightly. Be careful not to scorch the mixture.
- Slowly stir in the mild and broth mixture. Whisk the mixture until well mixed.
- Return to heat and heat until the mixture is boiling. Stir constantly and boil for one minute.
- Add the mozzarella cheese, onion powder, basil, and pepper. Reduce heat to low and stir constantly until the cheese is melted and well incorporated.
- Pour this easy white cheese sauce over your favorite cooked pasta or use in your favorite recipe.
Easy Red Tomato Sauce
This easy red tomato sauce is perfect for spaghetti or lasagna. You can also use it in all your favorite recipes that call for commercial spaghetti sauce.
Ingredients:
- 4 large, fresh tomatoes (chopped)
- 2/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped sweet bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a large saucepan, add tomatoes, water, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
- Put on low to medium heat to simmer.
- In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil.
- Add the onions, peppers, garlic and Italian seasoning.
- Cook on medium heat until the onions begin to turn a clear color.
- Add the onion mixture to the saucepan with the tomatoes.
- Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Do a taste test and add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.
- Add this easy red tomato sauce to your favorite pasta for a hearty, savory flavor.
These two simple pasta sauce recipes will be a favorite in your home as soon as you serve them. You will find yourself making them time and time again! Enjoy!
Note: Adapted from: Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook: Everything you Need to Know to Cook. Copyright, 1996.
Image credit: istockphoto.com