Pasta sauce alternatives

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I make the classic tomato vegetable based pasta sauce. Love its versatility as a single person. Super healthy. Match with all carbs. Take for a packed lunch.

If I love this, what alternative base sauces can you recommend please?

Do you make a spicy one? Or just basic tomato? I make an Arabiatta sauce and put peppers in it as well as tomatoes/onions/chilli, it makes a nice thick sauce when blended. When the kids were little I would roast a load of random veg and Chuck that in as well.

Caramalised onions?

Creamy mushroom

Cheese sauce with leeks in

White wine sauce with asparagus?

Yesterday I had a pre made pot of peppercorn sauce from m and s with bread dipped in. Too tired to make anything else snd it was gorgeous.

I'd prob have that but throw in some mushrooms and onion over pasta.

Tomato and mascarpone
Creamy mushroom
Creamy ham mushroom and tarragon
Pesto!!!

I add different flavourings to the basic tomato sauce
Olives
Bacon
Chorizo
Peppers
Chillies
Balsamic vinegar
Worcestershire sauce

Other options
Flavoured oils (chilli, garlic, various herbs)
Cheese sauces with various cheeses, blue cheese and pasta are great.
Red and green pesto
Sage fried in butter
Olive oil and herbs of choice
Butter and anchovies, capers, lemon juice
And there’s always good old marmite pasta!

Thanks all for suggestions.

The reason I make the basic sauce so consistently is because of the versatility of being add ‘flavours’ whilst maintaining the healthy element.

I just wondered if there was a similar ‘non-tomato’ based sauce.

Philadelphia Light, mushrooms, leeks - lovely with chicken, salmon or tuna
I also really like using hummus as a pasta sauce - loosen it with a little liquid then add whatever veggies an protein you want

I like spaghetti cooked with crab, butter, garlic, chilli flakes and lemon zest. Yum!

Or proper carbonara made using an egg as the sauce rather than a claggy white sauce.

Or to make pasta bake I use a tin of mushroom or chicken sauce, then add sautéed onions, tuna, peas and sweetcorn. Perfect for the end of the week, as all the ingredients are in the cupboard or freezer. (I buy frozen chopped onions!)

Mushroom or chicken SOUP

pesto with a scoop of philadelphia cream cheese? We.mix in peppers, sweetcorn, onion, mushrooms cooked chicken or sausage and a little grated cheese.

These all sound delicious! I have been given an alternative pasta to try so I'm going to make up these sauces

Natural yoghurt, tomato puree, garlic granules, cayenne pepper. Tastes amazing with pasta and chicken!

Great ideas for quick sauces. Thank you. Shame or blessing, not sure, that a tomato based sauce is the ultimate staple, however, good ideas for working around the tomato sauce; avoid the repetition.

Cook pasta. Add tuna in olive oils, capers, black olives, basil leaves and lemon zest. Great store cupboard meal!

This pasta with caramelised onions and feta recipe is amazing. The onions take a while to caramelise, but it doesn't require a lot of babysitting. You could always caramelise more onions than you need and use them later in the week for something else, or freeze them.

Sounds gorgeous that @toastofthetown

Here's a non tomato sauce for a chicken caesar salad (with spinach leaves and roasted chickpeas)...

Natural yoghurt, mustard, worcestershire sauce, white wine vinegar. Lemon zest and juice, add a bit of parmesan cheese. Tastes absolutely amazing. I've lost 21lbs since November and this is something I've eaten twice a week.

Instead of using tomatoes, use roasted red peppers.

Or, courgette, you have to cook it low and slow and it kind of breaks down to a big mushy mess, but it's yummy.

Ottolenghis tomato, miso & chilli sauce. I've just made some and it's delicious, especially with the crispy garlic & oregano on the top.

Ottolenghis pasta sauce with Rose Harissa & capers. Also puttanesa sauce & Pasta with yoghurt, peas & cheese.

Pasta e Ceci.
Short Pasta and a tin of drained chickpeas, half puréed.
Add garlic salt, black pepper and olive oil.

Or Pasta alla Genovese
Penne pasta with green beans and diced potatoes. All boiled in the same water for the relevant times (15, 10, 8?). Then shaken dry together and dressed with pesto and cheese.