No cream required
Creamy Pantry Pasta
Use starchy pasta water and a flavorful base to make a silky sauce from pantry staples.
The flexible formula
- 8 ounces pasta
- 1 cup sauce base
- 1–2 cups vegetables or beans
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 bold finishing ingredient
This is a blueprint, not a laboratory-tested recipe. Quantities are designed to be adjustable. Taste as you go and use your judgment for your ingredients and equipment.
Make it happen
- 01
Build the base
Warm garlic, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, or mashed beans in a wide pan with a little oil.
- 02
Reserve the useful water
Before draining the pasta, scoop out at least half a cup of its cloudy cooking water.
- 03
Finish in the pan
Add pasta to the sauce and toss over low heat, adding pasta water gradually until the sauce clings. Finish with cheese, herbs, lemon, or toasted crumbs.
Useful swaps
- Mashed white beans add body without dairy.
- Nutritional yeast or toasted breadcrumbs can replace grated cheese.
- Frozen spinach, peas, or broccoli can go straight into the pasta pot near the end.