Looking for a quick and easy pasta sauce? There are hundreds of delicious ways to accompany Italian pasta, both dry and stuffed, that go far beyond tomato juice. So in this article, we’re using Italian cuisine to give you 5 ideas for sauces for spaghetti, macaroni, or ravioli. These are classic sauce recipes but based on simplicity and speed.
In each of them, we recommend the choice of classic Italian pasta, just as we do in our La Mafia se sienta a la mesa restaurants, where you can choose the pasta you like best, with recommendations on the type of sauce that best goes with it. Let’s start with our compilation of pasta sauces!
1. Arrabbiata
This macaroni sauce certainly has a great “personality” that you can modulate depending on the chili/cayenne pepper you add. A classic of Roman restaurants and homes it is also one of the best pasta sauces for lovers of spicy food. For a serving of 2-3 people you will need:
- 50 milliliters of EVOO
- 25 grams of bacon
- 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes
- A few leaves of fresh basil
- 1 garlic
- Cayenne pepper to taste for spiciness
Arrabbiata sauce recipe
Brown the bacon in the olive oil and add the tomato, chili, and a pinch of salt, leaving to simmer. When the pasta is al dente, turn off the pan, add the mixture and stir well. Serve with grated cheese, such as pecorino romano.
2. Donkey and Tomato
This combination of butter and tomato is probably one of the easiest and simplest sauces in Italian cuisine. Despite its simplicity, the ingredients used to guarantee success both as a sauce for stuffed pasta, as well as for macaroni and spaghetti. For 250 grams of pasta (about three servings), you will need:
- Half a kilo of fresh tomatoes or a can of whole peeled tomatoes
- 50 grams of butter
- Salt
Butter and tomato sauce recipe
Prepare the tomatoes in large pieces: if they are fresh you will have to remove the skin and seeds. Add them to a pan over low heat together with the butter and a pinch of salt. Let it cook for about 20-30 minutes. When the pasta is al dente, pour it over the hot sauce and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Carbonara
If you want to learn how to cook this delicious sauce, we recommend reading our recipe for original Italian carbonara sauce. You’ll lick your fingers!
This spaghetti sauce is traditionally made with bacon and egg, although there are different versions with cream. Once you try this version, you will fall in love with classic carbonara! For 250 grams of pasta you will need the following ingredients:
- 2 egg yolks
- 50 grams of bacon
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 15 grams of butter
- 2 tablespoons of pecorino or parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
Spaghetti carbonara recipe
In a small frying pan with the oil and butter, lightly brown the bacon and remove from the heat. While the spaghetti is cooking, lightly beat the egg yolks and mix them with the cheese, salt, and a pinch of pepper. Add the al dente pasta to the bowl in which you mixed everything and, finally, add the bacon. Ready to eat… immediately!
Discover in our restaurants the exclusive recipe for spaghetti with traditional truffle carbonara, with Italian bacon, pecorino, egg yolk, grated black truffle, and pepper.
4. Pesto
A rich Genovese pesto is another delicious easy pasta sauce alternative, especially to serve with fettuccine or other long dry pasta, such as spaghetti or its smaller version spaghettini. For 2-3 servings of pasta, look for the following ingredients:
- 30 grams of fresh basil
- 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of pine nuts
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Basil pesto recipe
Pesto recipe
Blend all the ingredients except the cheese in a food processor. Once mixed, add the cheese. Ready to serve!
5. Aglio and Oil
Sometimes, the simplest things are the most delicious. This perfect spaghetti sauce (also ideal for spaghettini, its classic combination) is made with 5 basic ingredients. For a half-kilo package of spaghetti you will need:
- 100 ml. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Cayenne pepper chopped to taste
- Salt
Aglio e Olio recipe
In a skillet over medium-high heat, lightly brown the garlic until it changes color. Then, add the cayenne, parsley, and salt. Stir and remove from heat until the pasta is ready. Then, mix into the pan with the sauce and serve immediately.
