You might think that Italian cuisine is all about pasta, but the different types of pasta sauce you prepare for your dish are just as important!
Whether you are making one from your great-grandmother’s recipe or buying a jar of sauce at your local grocery store, there are different types of pasta sauces for every taste, palate, and eating preference.
Take a look.
1. Bolognese
Bolognese is one of the most popular and delicious pasta sauces and is known to be favoured by people who like to incorporate meat into their pasta dishes. Bolognese traces its name to the Italian city of Bologna.
The sauce typically includes ground meat, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, white wine, cream, butter, and some seasoning. This sauce is typically served over your pasta of choice and topped with hard cheese such as Parmesan to add a little extra flavour.
2. Ragu
Ragu is another traditional Italian sauce that, like Bolognese, is also meat-based. Ragus are traditionally thick on the meat and have just a small amount of tomato sauce added to them for flavour.
Bolognese is technically a type of ragu, and you will find countless ragu recipes that not only include beef but also contain veal, chicken, pork, and even horse meat. As a thick sauce, ragu is best served with long noodles and is the meatiest spaghetti sauce you could try cooking at home.
3. Marinara
This is the ultimate classic Italian pasta sauce. It marries together the richness of fresh tomatoes simmered with aromatics like garlic and onions.
A dash of fresh oregano and a few chilli flakes gives the sauce a memorable rush. Because it’s a thinner sauce, it pairs best with spaghetti as it coats every noodle.
4. Arrabiata
Arrabiata is the best sauce for a spicy, fiery meal. It is a tomato sauce that is cooked in garlic and peppers which gives it a hot, smokey flavour. It is simple to cook and the best for a hearty meal that will be like an explosion of flavours in your mouth.
The hotness of chillies, the soothing nature of tomatoes, and the addictive smell of garlic stay on your tongue forever.
5. Clam
Clam sauce starts with a nice thick red pasta sauce (white sauce can also be used) and adds clams for a rich flavour. Serve over linguine or spaghetti noodles and fresh garlic bread on the side.
