Pasta Sauce - Gourmet Guide

June 12, 2019 | By Dave Mattingly

Pasta Sauce History
In the 1500s, the Spanish introduced tomatoes to pasta, inventing the modern day Pasta Sauce and subsequently changing the course of history. Prior to this time, pasta was eaten dry with the fingers, but many believe that once Pasta Sauce was created, forks became necessary, hence changing the history of manners as well as that of pasta.

Pasta Sauce Types
While tomato sauce may be the most well known style of Pasta Sauce, there are many other savory mixtures for topping pasta. Pasta Sauce, sometimes called Spaghetti Sauce, usually falls into one of three main categories: Tomato or vegetable based; oil or butter based; and cheese or cream based. Certain Pasta Sauces pair best with certain types of pasta. For instance, a thicker Pasta Sauce tends to pair well with shaped or tubular pastas, while a thinner Pasta Sauce will better complement thinner strands of pasta such as spaghetti, capellini or angel hair.

Pasta Sauce Varieties

Alfredo Pasta Sauce: Alfredo Sauce is a creamy white sauce that is typically made with butter and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. In the US, Alfredo Sauce may also include cream. Alfredo Sauce is tossed with fettucine pasta to make the dish Fettucine Alfredo.

Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce: Arrabbiata Sauce is a spicy red sauce that often contains chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic, parsley and onions. Arrabbiata Sauces add a kick to not only pasta, but also pizza, meat, seafood and poultry.

Bolognese Pasta Sauce: Bolognese Sauce is a meat-based red sauce and usually includes small pieces of beef, pork, veal or chicken. Additionally, vegetables, herbs and seasonings are added to create this rich thick Pasta Sauce.

Carbonara Pasta Sauce: Carbonara Sauce is made with pancetta (an Italian bacon), cream, eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, vegetables and other seasonings. Due to the presence of eggs, the heat of the pasta is used to finish cooking the Carbonara Sauce, creating an even coating for the pasta.

Madeira Pasta Sauce: Madeira Sauce is a wine sauce made from Madeira wine, broth, vegetables and other seasonings. Madeira Sauce is best used to flavor veal, chicken, beef, chops or stews.

Marinara Pasta Sauce: Marinara Sauce is a red tomato-based sauce seasoned with onions and herbs such as garlic, oregano or basil. Marinara is typically an easy to prepare sauce which makes it a popular base for many Italian dishes.

Pesto Pasta Sauce: Pesto Sauce is a sauce that traditionally consists of a combination of crushed garlic, basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Pesto Sauce is delicious not only when added to pasta, but also brushed on toasted bread, pizza, shrimp or steak.

Pomodoro Pasta Sauce: Pomodoro Sauce is another tomato-based sauce that is made from tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and fresh basil. Pomodoro sauce is similar to Marinara Sauce but tends to be less chunky and thicker than Marinara Sauce.

Puttanesca Pasta Sauce: Puttanesca Sauce is a spicy red sauce that is traditionally made with tomatoes, garlic, chili peppers, herbs, capers and/or anchovies. Puttanesca Sauce is ideally served with pasta and fish dishes.

Vodka Pasta Sauce: Vodka Sauce is a creamy tomato-based sauce that is typically made with tomatoes, vodka, cream, olive oil, onions, garlic and other seasonings. Vodka Sauce is a key ingredient in the Italian American dish Penne alla Vodka.

Our Pasta Sauce varieties, some of which are organic, are all unique, handcrafted, and delicious, incorporating ingredients like hot pepper (arrabbiata), garlic, artichoke, truffle, porcini mushroom and more. When searching for gourmet food online, look no further than igourmet.com.