30 Best Pasta Sauce Recipes

Try these pasta sauce recipes if you’re obsessed with pasta but want better than jarred sauce.

I have you covered, from the classic marinara and Alfredo to fan-fave bolognese.

I even have a few unconventional sauces, such as vodka, artichoke, and eggplant.

Pasta is a go-to weeknight meal for me. It’s hearty, easy to make, and, most importantly, delicious.

While store-bought sauces are more convenient, homemade ones are far cheaper and more flavorful.

And with this collection of pasta sauce recipes, the “pastabilities” are endless.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get cooking!

30 Delicious Homemade Pasta Sauces for Dinner

1. Marinara Sauce 

Let’s start with the basics, shall we? If you consider yourself a pasta aficionado, you’d better have a recipe for marinara in your repertoire.

But whether or not you have one, I still highly suggest you try this recipe.

This sauce has all the flavors you’re looking for in marinara, including tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, and dried oregano. 

Grab some breadsticks – it’s time to dip!

2. Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce 

Butternut squash with cinnamon, nutmeg, and rosemary: why hello, autumn! This pasta sauce is fall comfort food at its finest.

The combination of sweet and smoky roasted squash, earthy rosemary, and warming spices is truly spectacular.

The addition of creme fraiche makes it even more ridiculously thick and creamy.

It’s so good, it’s worthy of a special occasion but also easy enough to make any day of the week. 

Oh, and did I mention this pasta sauce is 100% vegetarian? This means everyone can get in on the fun.

3. Alfredo Sauce 

When it comes to umami flavors, nothing beats the classic Alfredo sauce. This white, cream-based sauce is just packed with richness and creaminess!

Made with heavy cream, butter, cheese, and herbs and seasonings, Alfredo sauce will definitely hit your tastebuds with a wonderful explosion of umami goodness.

It’s a sure hit with both kids and kids at heart. 

There are jars upon jars of Alfredo sauce at grocery stores, but once you realize how delicious this recipe is and how easy it is to make, you’ll never go back to store-bought.

4. Garlic Spaghetti Sauce 

This recipe is probably one of, if not the easiest one on this list.

Also called aglio olio, this garlic spaghetti sauce is a simple combination of olive oil, garlic, butter, basil, and parmesan. 

It seems basic, but oh boy, once you’ve tried it, you’ll crave it every day.

The olive oil and butter make the sauce ultra-rich, while the garlic gives it that awesome sharp, piquant taste.

Basil counterbalances the richness with its earthy flavor, while the parmesan adds a wonderful layer of nuttiness.

5. Bolognese Sauce 

Bolognese is a classic pasta sauce of ground meat in a tomato-based sauce.

It’s similar to a classic spaghetti sauce, but it has celery and carrots for added flavor.

There’s something absolutely amazing about the combination of ground meat and tomato sauce.

This recipe has a little bit of wine, too, which gives the sauce an even deeper flavor.

This bolognese sauce is perfect with any type of pasta, from penne to pappardelle to ziti.

And since it’s not cream-based, it freezes well. This means you can make a whole batch, freeze, and enjoy it whenever.

6. Green Pea Pasta Sauce  

Pureed vegetables, on their own, aren’t exactly the most appetizing thing.

However, with just a bit of garnishes and seasonings, you can transform the most boring thing into a mouthwatering sauce.

In this recipe, pureed green peas are made a thousand times more flavorful with roasted garlic, lemon, and mint.

Tossed with fusilli and some freshly grated Pecorino Romano for richness and nuttiness, and your pasta dish is ready to serve.

7. Four Cheese Garlic White Cream Pasta Sauce

What’s better than a pasta sauce full of cheese? One with four kinds of cheese in it, that’s what.

Four cheese garlic white cream pasta sauce – from the name alone, you can already tell this sauce is epic. 

The marriage of flavors among cream, olive oil, butter, and garlic will definitely make you fall in love. 

As if it couldn’t get any better, a combination of cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, and asiago gets thrown into the mix, making the sauce even bolder and flavorful than ever.

8. Vodka Sauce  

This sauce has the typical tomatoes, fresh herbs, and parmesan at its base, but it’s made even more delicious with vodka.

If you think alcohol won’t do much in pasta sauces, think again.

While you can’t taste the vodka in this sauce, you can look forward to a scrumptious sauce with a noticeably deeper flavor.

Yep, vodka does wonders to tomatoes! It elevates their flavors to a whole new level.

9. Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce  

Here’s another tomato-based sauce for you. It’s the perfect way to use up all of those sweet cherry tomatoes you have in summer.

This recipe couldn’t be simpler, but it’s also ridiculously tasty.

The tomatoes are flavored with just three ingredients – olive oil, basil, and garlic. Yet somehow, the result is out-of-this-world phenomenal.

Here’s the best part: it’ll only take you 30 minutes to make!

10. Pistachio Pesto Pasta Sauce 

If you love regular pesto, you will fall hard for this one. Instead of the usual pine nuts, this pesto sauce uses pistachios.

It’s richer, nuttier, creamier, and just overall a hundred times better.

Together with mixed greens, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and parmesan, pistachios create a tasty pesto sauce with such a unique flavor.

It’s sinful yet healthy at the same time. I can’t get enough!

11. Asiago Cheese Sauce 

For this recipe, all you’ll need are four ingredients and 15 minutes. How awesome is that?

It’s a simple combination of milk and asiago thickened with flour and flavored with your choice of herbs.

I like seasoning it with basil and parsley, but feel free to experiment with yours.

The result is a rich and creamy sauce with a perfect balance of nuttiness from the asiago and earthiness from the spices. It’s a 10/10, indeed.

Not only is it great for pasta, but with other dishes, too. Pour this beauty over roasted vegetables or grilled meat for a more delectable meal.

12. Spinach Sauce 

This spaghetti spinach sauce is creamy, nutty, and wonderfully garlic-y.

It’s a terrific vegetarian sauce that even meat lovers will fall in love with.

Baby spinach leaves and garlic are pureed with olive oil and cheese. That’s it! It’s surprising how such basic ingredients can yield the richest flavors.

It’s magnificent as a pasta sauce, but also as a dressing to fish entrees such as baked salmon and tuna. 

13. Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

This alfredo sauce is just as rich, creamy, and delectable as the first one on this list. However, it’s low-carb, dairy-free, and secretly healthy!

It’s so decadent, it might shock you to learn that it doesn’t contain cream at all. All you’ll need are some cauliflower florets. 

Pureed with garlic, olive oil, cream, and mozzarella, this cauliflower alfredo sauce is outrageously delicious.

It’s the perfect, healthy alternative to chicken or  shrimp Alfredo when you’re trying to cut back on calories.

14. Blue Cheese Pasta Sauce

Blue cheese is an acquired taste, but once you acquire it, boy, you won’t be able to get enough of it.

This pasta sauce features the sharp flavor of this moldy cheese, along with butter and parsley.

It’s just three ingredients, but it will absolutely blow your tastebuds away.

It’s salty, creamy, buttery – it’s a blue cheese lover’s dream sauce come to life.

15. White Pesto Sauce 

Pesto is a classic sauce, but have you ever tried a white one?

This variation of the classic makes use of walnuts, fresh oregano, garlic, lemon, olive oil, and two cheeses.

It’s all white (with a few specks of oregano here and there), and it’s all good. It may not look as vibrant, but trust me, it’s insanely delicious.

With a blend of ricotta and Parmesan, this sauce is cheesy, to say the least.

It’s the amazing pesto and alfredo mash-up you didn’t know you needed.

16. Kale Pasta Sauce 

Kale is a superfood that you definitely want to add to your diet. But let’s be honest, it’s no good on its own.

With just a few ingredients, though, you can transform it into a stunning pasta sauce.

For this recipe, you’ll combine kale leaves, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast.

This blend creates a wonderfully smooth, creamy, earthy, and savory sauce that tastes amazing with any pasta.

It’s a fun and delicious way of incorporating greens into your diet.

17. Pomarola Tomato Sauce

Pomarola tomato sauce is a Tuscan pasta sauce of fresh tomatoes. Serve it over pasta mista for an authentic Italian meal.

Pasta mista translates to mixed pasta, so this means you’ll get a combination of different pasta shapes in one bowl.

Originally identified as food for the poor, pasta mista used to be made from leftover pasta scraps, which were then sold at a much cheaper rate.

There’s nothing cheap about this pasta dish, though!

Coated with aromatic pomarola and finished with pecorino cheese, your pasta mista will look and taste fancy.

18. Roasted Red Pepper Marinara

This recipe elevates the classic marinara into a whole new level of deliciousness.

Roasted red peppers are used instead of tomatoes, creating an even deeper and bolder marinara flavor.

This isn’t your typical spaghetti marinara, folks.

Roasted red peppers have a brighter and sweeter flavor than tomatoes, which results in a much more delicious sauce.

Not only is this version of marinara extra tasty, but versatile as well. Use it on pasta, mozzarella sticks, chicken parmigiana, pizza – you name it!

19. Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

This pasta sauce combines the goodness of pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, because why not? 

Sun-dried tomatoes are such a treat. They’re sweet with a mild tartness, soft and chewy, and just absolutely delightful.

Sun-dried tomatoes and basil combined make a ridiculously scrumptious sauce.

It’s sweet and savory, rich and creamy, and super satisfying.

20. Walnut Pasta Sauce 

The thought of a walnut-based sauce makes me giddy. I can already imagine the rich, nutty flavor coating my tongue! 

Basil pesto may be the most popular type of pesto, but for me, this lesser-known version is the winner. 

Made with pulsed walnuts, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, and milk, it’s definitely richer, creamier, and nuttier. 

The mixture is pureed with bread soaked in milk, giving it that thick, pesto-like consistency.

21. Truffle Cream Sauce

If you’ve never had truffles before, take this as a sign to try them.

Yes, they’re super expensive, but if you want to elevate your pasta game, it’s definitely worth it.

For this one, you’ll combine cream, shallots, garlic, white wine, cream, and fresh black truffles.

If you think a regular cream sauce is already delectable, just wait until you try this.

22. Pumpkin Pasta Sauce 

If you’re a sucker for all things sweet and salty, you absolutely must give this sauce a try.

Think of it as a sweetened version of fettuccine Alfredo, but with pumpkin puree.

The combination of pumpkin and reduced-fat cream cheese gives this sauce its sweetness and richness, without the overwhelming calories.

Seasoned with sage, cinnamon, cayenne, and nutmeg, it’s like autumn in a bowl.

23. Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce 

When it comes to pasta sauces, you can never go wrong with cream cheese.

Throw in garlic olive oil and parmesan to the mix, and you’ll get a mind-blowing flavor overload.

This sauce is rich and creamy, to say the least. Together with your favorite pasta, it makes a super hearty and substantial dish. 

Since it comes together in just 10 minutes, it makes for an excellent meal choice on a busy weekday.

24. Beet Pasta Sauce

Beets in pasta? This is definitely an unusual sauce, but so good nonetheless. This reddish-pink sauce is definitely one for the books.

Beets, ricotta, parmesan, walnuts, and lemon juice: can’t imagine what they’d taste like when combined?

Well, let’s just say I’m willing to bet it’ll be your newest favorite.

This one-of-a-kind sauce is rich and creamy, sweet and nutty. It’s not too overpowering, just perfectly flavored.

Bring this to your next potluck, and your friends will surely beg you for the recipe.

25. Tomato Fennel Pasta Sauce 

Fennel, tomatoes, garlic, and onions are tossed in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, herbs, and spices.

They’re then roasted in the oven to intensify their flavors, creating a creamy and delicious blend.

The recipe yields a chunky sauce, which you can easily smoothen by pureeing if you wish.

Either way, it’s a bright and refreshing sauce that’ll make any pasta or meaty entree a smash hit.

26. Fra Diavolo Sauce

If you want a bit of heat in your sauce, look no further than this recipe.

Italian food isn’t usually spicy, but this one is definitely an exception.

Fra Diavolo (brother devil) sauce is a tomato-based sauce made extra spicy with chili flakes. It’s not just great with pasta, but with seafood as well.

Drizzle this fiery sauce over a bed of penne or linguine for a delicious meal. 

You can take it one step further by topping it with sauteed shrimp.

The sweetness of the shrimp tastes wonderful with the spiciness of the sauce.

27. Garlic Butter Caper Sauce 

In this recipe, garlic and butter are combined to make an outrageously aromatic sauce. The scent of it alone will make you drool.

Seriously, if you have the discipline to resist this sauce, I salute you. I can never do it. 

Even when I’m already full, it’s like there’s a special place in my stomach for this sublime sauce, especially when served on pasta.

What makes this dish even more divine are the capers. These brine-y, lemon-y, olive-like buds complement the garlic butter sauce so well.

28. Eggplant and Tomato Sauce 

Diced eggplant is stewed in tomatoes and garlic and served on a bed of pasta. It may be vegetarian, but it can rival any meat-based sauce on this list.

The combination of soft and meaty eggplant, umami-rich olive oil, and sweet and juicy tomatoes is just plain refreshing. 

I love it with spaghetti, but it also tastes great with zucchini noodles. It’s clear evidence that vegetables are delicious even on their own.

This pasta dish is a simple 5-ingredient, 30-minute recipe, but the result will surely satisfy and impress.

29. Mascarpone and Lemon Sauce 

Between the mascarpone and lemon, this is one helluva light, bright spring pasta sauce. Trust me, you’ll want to bookmark this recipe.

You’ll love how this sauce is ultra-creamy, yet not overwhelmingly rich. How is that possible, you ask?

Well, it’s all about balance. And in this sauce, the lemon juice provides a tart and zesty contrast to the creamy mascarpone.

Fresh herbs add a nice earthy balance of flavor, to boot. 

It also gets bonus points for being so easy to prepare. It takes the same time to make it and cook the pasta!

30. Artichoke Sauce 

Let’s end this list with a bang, shall we? This pasta with artichoke sauce is rich, creamy, and impossible to resist.

The combination of artichokes, parmesan, and garlic creates a unique flavor that’s truly remarkable.

With the addition of olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper, this sauce is just phenomenal.

Another great thing about it is you can play with the ingredients to suit your taste. 

Want it extra garlic-y? Add more garlic. Want a nuttier flavor? Add more cheese! Feel free to make it your own.

It’s a perfect side dish, but it’s also delicious and substantial enough to be served as a main entree.