Combining the best of creamy and tender textures,pasta and sauce are a match made in heaven. In Italy, there are dozens upon dozens of sauces to top your noodles with, ranging from light, summer-fresh pestos to rich and flavorful ragus. For some, a homemade pastameal is associated with a long day of hovering over the stove, but with delicious pre-prepared sauces and flavorful ingredients from Supermarket Italy, the work becomes much simpler. Cook up authentic, crowd-pleasing meals with pasta sauce, pasta paste, and much more!
Tomato-Based Italian Pasta Sauce
Tomato-based sauces are extremely popular choices to match with pasta and there are many different kinds to choose from. Marinara sauceis the classic red sauce that goes with Nonna’s meatballs, while Arrabbiata takes the traditional red sauce and adds red chili peppers for a spicy kick. Hailing from the Lazio region, Sugo all’Amatriciana is a tomato sauce that includes guanciale (a cured pork jowl similar to bacon), and sheep's milk cheese. Another Italian classic, ragu is a slow-cooked meat sauce with plenty of recipe variations around Italy as well as the rest of the world. It’s commonly made with pork, but practically any meat will do. For any of these red sauces, tomato paste, or pasta paste, adds richness and umami flavor without being too acidic.
Other Popular Types of Italian Pasta Sauce
Tomato sauces may be top of mind when pasta sauces come up, but there are so many other kinds to explore. Savory, herbaceous, and delightfully green, pesto sauce is an Italian staple. The sauce is so beloved that you are likely to see it topping far more items than just pasta; panini bread, splashed on top of pizza, or stuffed into a savory pastry. The key ingredients for a typical Italian pesto are simple: basil, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and pine nuts. But when you need a quick fix, jarred versions from top brands such as Frantoi Cutrera and Ascheri are tangy and tasty. Don’t forget about rich cream sauces, either: rich carbonara and alfredo are two sauces that will add velvety texture to al dente pasta noodles.
