Al dente pasta noodles bring a lot to a plate of pasta—but it's the sauce that carries this classic Italian meal. Dive into the world of sauces, starting with these 10 most popular types of pasta sauces we’ve gathered here for you. This beginner-friendly guide also provides helpful notes on the ideal pasta noodles to pair with your sauces, as well as side dish and beverage recommendations to complete your meal.
Vibrant tang: tomato-based pasta sauces
Marinara - Tangy and herbaceous, marinara is seasoned with classic Italian flavors like basil, oregano, and garlic. With only a few ingredients, this easy tomato pasta sauce can be a base for more complex sauces. It’s versatile overall, making it a great dip for mozzarella sticks and a pour-over for other meals like chicken parmesan. Try our Spaghetti and Meatballs for a taste of our in-house marinara sauce.
- Best pasta shape: Spaghetti, linguine, penne, lasagna
- Pair with: Beef or chicken, Mediterranean Cronada, medium to full-bodied red wine
Pomodoro - One of the first pasta sauces invented; pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato. This simple tomato pasta sauce is similar to marinara in terms of ingredients, but its defining differences are texture and consistency. Pomodoro is smoother and thicker, achieved by using crushed tomatoes—ideally fresh—while marinara has whole tomato chunks that make the sauce chunky yet thin due to water from the tomatoes.
- Best pasta shape: Spaghetti, rigatoni, angel hair, penne, gnocchi
- Pair with: Chicken or shrimp, Eruca Salad, fruity dry white wine
Arrabbiata - A brightly spicy red pasta sauce, arrabbiata can transform familiar dishes with its delightful heat. It starts on a marinara-like base of tomatoes, garlic, and herbs—then gains its characteristic intensity with the addition of dried red chili peppers or chili flakes.
- Best pasta shape: Penne, spaghetti, rigatoni
- Pair with: Pork or shrimp, Quinoa Salad, mashed potatoes, light-bodied red wine
Silky smooth indulgence: cream-based pasta sauces
Alfredo - Butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese make alfredo sauce decadently rich and smooth. It’s an almost sinfully indulgent sauce that’s not for the health-conscious, but a worthy treat to spend your cheat day on. Alfredo and fettuccine is a beloved traditional pasta dish, but this creamy pasta sauce is also delicious as a dip and in appetizers like canapés and stuffed shells.
- Best pasta shape: Fettuccine, linguine, pappardelle, shells
- Pair with: Chicken or shrimp, Caesar Salad, garlic bread, fruity dry white wine
Bechamel - While bechamel originated in Italy, it’s one of the five mother sauces in French cuisine. It may be a simple pasta sauce made with milk and roux, but its mild flavor lets other ingredients shine, plus a thick, velvety consistency that makes it ideal for layering and as a topping. It’s the foundation of many comfort foods like lasagna and mac and cheese. Your favorite comfort foods are at Joel’s Place, too; we have both Beef Lasagna and Vegetable Lasagna, so no one misses out!
- Best pasta shape: Macaroni, penne, spaghetti, cavatappi, lasagna
- Pair with: Shrimp, scallops, or bacon, Beef Bourguignon Cronada, dry white wine
Carbonara - A silky white pasta sauce made with egg, cheese, and guanciale. There’s debate on how to make carbonara: whole eggs or yolk only, Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, guanciale or bacon—and, most famously, cream or no cream? Strictly traditional carbonara uses no cream; it's the eggs that create the velvety sauce—if cooked right, which takes precise timing and temperature control.
- Best pasta shape: Spaghetti, rigatoni, linguine, angel hair
- Pair with: Bacon or scallops, Spinach Cronada, bruschetta, light-bodied red wine
Light feel, punchy flavor: oil-based pasta sauces
Pesto - This vibrant blend uses fresh herbs, typically basil, plus pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan, with no cooking needed. Pesto’s herbaceous flavor intensifies with time, so leftover sauce sitting in the fridge will still make a delicious plate of pesto pasta. Incredibly versatile, it can also be used in salads and sandwiches, and has a relatively flexible ingredients list (parsley or spinach in place of basil, for example). Our very own Red Pesto Cream Pasta is made with red pesto, which uses sun-dried tomatoes.
- Best pasta shape: Farfalle, rotini, fusilli, bow tie, spaghetti
- Pair with: Chicken or salmon, Seafood Empanada, dry white wine
Aglio e Olio - All it takes is garlic and olive oil to create the flavorful, minimalist aglio e olio, plus red chili flakes if you’d like a dash of heat. For something so quick and easy to whip up, aglio e olio is still a satisfying, well-made meal. Don’t believe it? Have a plate of our Aglio Olio Pasta to see for yourself how this simple olive oil pasta dish can feel like a special treat.
- Best pasta shape: Spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, penne, fusilli
- Pair with: Chicken or fish, Salad Nicoise, dry white wine
Hearty heavy-hitters: meat-based pasta sauces
Ragu - Slowly simmered meat with layers of seasoning, red wine, and tomato paste gives ragu deep, complex flavors. Ragu is the broad term for meat-based sauces in Italian cuisine, and can include various ground meats like beef, pork, lamb, and even game meats. Thickly textured with chunky meat pieces, it's a filling sauce that meat lovers will appreciate.
- Best pasta shape: Papparedelle, gnocchi, tagliatelle, lasagna, rigatoni
- Pair with: Chickpea Salad, Lamb Marsala Cronada, medium-bodied red wine
Bolognese - A type of ragu, what sets bolognese sauce apart is its use of finely chopped meat—usually beef, pork, or both—cooked in white wine. It also uses fewer tomatoes than ragu, its redness coming from rich, slow-cooked meat, and finishes with milk or cream for a velvety texture. Joel’s Place has its rendition of beef Pasta Bolognese for you to enjoy.
- Best pasta shape: Tagliatelle, fettuccine, spaghetti, rigatoni
- Pair with: Beef or sausages, Potato Salad, medium-bodied red wine
By no means is this an exhaustive list. Beyond the borders of Italy, there are hundreds of variations of pasta from place to place; countless nuances from chef to chef. Let this guide whet your appetite for more delicious explorations into the world of pasta!
Start strong in your adventures with gourmet pasta sauce dishes made by the expert chefs at Joel’s Place, available in our Click and Collect menu at joelsplace.com. You can also visit us in-store to enjoy our pasta hot and fresh; we recommend reserving a table ahead of time for a fuss-free experience that’s all about eating. We hope to see you soon!
