5 traditional Italian sauces for your pastas – Take note!

Italian cuisine is famous for its rich culinary tradition, with iconic dishes such as pizza, pasta, risotto and tiramisu. Fresh ingredients such as tomatoes, basil and olive oil are used to create authentic flavours. Italian food is known for its simplicity and quality, in fact at first glance it seems that all recipes make use of the same ingredients, however there are always different flavours. In this mentta blog post we bring you 5 Italian sauces for your pasta.

5 types of Italian sauces

The 5 Italian sauces that we show you today in this post are delicious. Some of them are more common (such as carbonara and pesto) and others less common (amatriciana, diabla and marinara), but all of them are delicious and have a different flavour.

1. Amatriciana sauce

The first of our 5 Italian sauces is amatriciana sauce, a delicious Italian sauce that originates from the Lazio region, specifically from the town of Amatrice. It is often served with pasta, especially spaghetti, and is known for its savoury and slightly spicy flavour. Here is a basic recipe for making amatriciana sauce:

Ingredients:

• 200 grams of guanciale or pancetta (you can use bacon as a substitute)
• 400 grams of spaghetti or pasta of your choice
• 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes (400 grams)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust according to your preference for spiciness)
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust according to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Grated Pecorino Romano cheese for serving

Preparation

1. Start by cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the instructions on the packet until al dente. Then drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, cut the guanciale.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the guanciale and cook until crispy and golden brown, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the red chilli flakes to the pan with the pancetta and sauté for a few minutes to release their aroma.
5. Add the whole peeled tomatoes to the pan, breaking them up with your hands or a kitchen utensil. Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the tomatoes are cooked through.
6. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.
7. Mix the cooked pasta with the hot amatriciana sauce.
8. Serve the amatriciana pasta on individual plates and sprinkle generously with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

 

 

2. Diabla sauce

Salsa diabla” is a spicy and delicious sauce that can also be an interesting option to accompany pasta. Here is a basic recipe to prepare a diabla sauce for pasta:

Ingredients

• 3 dried chillies of your choice (guajillo, pasilla, ancho, etc.), deveined and soaked in hot water for about 15-20 minutes.
• 2 medium tomatoes, roasted and peeled.
• 1/2 onion, chopped.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil.
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or water.
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder.
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Start by soaking the dried chillies in hot water until soft. Then, skin them, remove the seeds and stems and set aside.
2. Roast the tomatoes until their skin browns and wrinkles. You can do this in a hot pan or on a griddle, or even roast them in the oven.
3. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until golden brown and fragrant.
4. Add the soaked dried chillies, roasted tomatoes and cumin powder to the pan. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Transfer the mixture from the pan to a blender or food processor. Add the chicken or vegetable stock and blend until smooth. If necessary, add more liquid to reach desired consistency.
6. Pour the sauce back into the pan and cook over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken and turn a darker colour.
7. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Then drain and serve on individual plates.
9. Pour the hot diabla sauce over the pasta and mix well so that the pasta is well coated with the sauce.
10. If you wish, you can garnish the pasta with some grated cheese, chopped fresh coriander or additional dried chillies for extra flavour and heat.

3. Marinara sauce

Marinara sauce is a traditional Italian sauce known for its flavour based on tomato, garlic, olive oil and herbs. It is commonly used to accompany pasta, especially spaghetti, and can also be used in other culinary preparations. Here is a basic marinara sauce recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
• 1 small onion, finely chopped.
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes (approximately 800 grams).
• 1 teaspoon sugar (to balance the acidity of the tomatoes).
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil.
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional, for a spicy kick).
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional).
• Grated Parmesan cheese to serve (optional).

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté until tender and fragrant, but not browned.
2. Add the whole peeled tomatoes to the pan. Smash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon as you stir them into the sauce.
3. Add the sugar, oregano, basil and crushed red pepper (if desired). Mix well.
4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for approximately 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken and reduce.
5. Season the marinara sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
6. When the sauce is ready, you can serve it hot over the cooked pasta of your choice.
7. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

 

 

4. Pesto sauce

The next of our 5 Italian sauces is pesto pasta, a classic Italian dish characterised by its fresh and delicious green sauce. Here is a basic recipe for making pesto pasta:

Ingredients:

• 350 grams of pasta (such as spaghetti, penne or linguini).
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves.
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese.
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts.
• 2 cloves garlic.
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Then drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the pesto sauce. In a blender or food processor, combine the basil leaves, grated Parmesan cheese, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, toasted pine nuts, garlic cloves and a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Blend these ingredients on low speed while gradually adding the extra virgin olive oil. Continue blending until the sauce has a smooth, homogeneous texture. If the sauce seems too thick, you can add a little of the pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency.
4. Taste the sauce and adjust to your personal preference, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Pour the pesto sauce over the cooked pasta and mix well so that the pasta is completely covered with the sauce.
6. Serve the pesto pasta hot and, if desired, sprinkle a little extra grated Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts on top for garnish.

 

 

5. Carbonara sauce

Carbonara sauce is a delicious, creamy Italian sauce that is traditionally combined with pasta, such as spaghetti or fettuccine. Here is a classic recipe for carbonara sauce:

Ingredients:

• 350 grams of pasta (such as spaghetti or fettuccine).
• 150 grams of pancetta or guanciale, cut into small cubes.
• 2 egg yolks.
• 1 whole egg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional).
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional).

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Then drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta or guanciale and cook until golden brown and crispy. If you prefer a hint of garlic, you can add chopped garlic cloves along with the pancetta and cook until fragrant, but not browned.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks, whole egg and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. When the pasta is ready, drain and return it to the hot pan.
5. Immediately pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta. Stir quickly so that the eggs cook with the residual heat from the pasta and pancetta, forming a creamy sauce. If necessary, you can add a little of the reserved pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
6. Add the crispy, browned pancetta to the pasta and mix well to combine all the ingredients.
7. Serve the pasta carbonara hot, sprinkled with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired.