White Wine Pasta Sauce
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The best White Wine Pasta Sauce recipe is so easy to make with just 5 simple ingredients. Light, full of flavor and absolutely irresistible; this white wine sauce is ready to enjoy in just 15 minutes!
If you need a quick and easy dinner idea that your whole family will enjoy, this white wine sauce served over pasta is the recipe for you! It’s easy enough for a weeknight meal, yet elegant and flavorful enough for entertaining. It’s one of those recipes you totally need in your back pocket! Trust me, it will come in handy when you can’t think of what to make for dinner and want something tasty and on the table in a flash.
The best thing about this recipe (other than how tasty it is) is that it takes about 15 minutes to make! Top it with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and you’ll have a restaurant-quality dish that everyone will be begging for. Let’s get to the details!
What’s in this white wine pasta sauce?
Nothing too fancy in this delicious white wine pasta sauce recipe. All you need are good-quality, basic ingredients. Here’s the lineup:
- Olive oil. Adds great earthy flavor and helps prevent the garlic from burning.
- Garlic. A delicious flavor component in a white wine sauce. I highly recommend using fresh garlic and mincing it yourself – it really makes a difference.
- Dry white wine. I used a Sauvignon Blanc, but Pinot Grigio or Sancerre would also work. Just make sure to avoid anything too sweet like a Riesling or Moscato.
- Butter. Adds richness and creaminess to this white wine sauce. Make sure to add it slowly and whisk constantly, so it can fully emulsify, otherwise your sauce may break!
- Parmesan cheese. For delicious nuttiness and saltiness in the dish. Feel free to use a non-dairy parmesan or substitute it for nutritional yeast, if you prefer.
How to Make White Wine Pasta Sauce:
This white wine sauce recipe couldn’t be more simple! It’s ready in three easy steps! Here’s a quick rundown of the process, but for full instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cook garlic. Add the olive oil and garlic to a cold skillet. Then, over medium-low heat, cook garlic for 2 minutes, or just until fragrant.
- Add white wine and butter. Slowly add the white wine to the pan and whisk to combine. Add one tablespoon of butter and whisk until the butter has been fully incorporated. Repeat adding one tablespoon of butter and whisking until all of the butter has melted smoothly.
- Add parmesan cheese. Stir in parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Serve. If desired, serve with your favorite type of pasta. You can also garnish with fresh parsley or basil, if you’d like. Enjoy… I know you will!
Flavor Variations & Recipe Ideas
This pasta sauce is delicious as-is, but feel free to change things up to customize it to your family’s taste preferences.
- When serving this recipe with seafood or tofu, I like to add lemon and capers. Add 1 tablespoon of capers to the cold skillet in step 1 and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with the parmesan in step 4.
- For a bit of spice, add red pepper flakes or calabrian chili paste to taste in step 4.
- For an easier twist on cacio e pepe, add 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper with the garlic and olive oil in step 1.
- If you’d like to add fresh herbs, thyme, rosemary, or sage can be added in step 1. You could also add parsley or basil on top for garnish.
How to Store White Wine Sauce:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container or jar, in the refrigerator for up to about a week. If serving with pasta, no need to reheat, simply stir it into warm pasta. As needed, rewarm, covered, in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More quick + easy recipes to try:
If you love this white wine sauce and you’re looking for more easy dinner recipes, here are some of our favs:
As usual, PLEASE let me know if you make this recipe and how you like it! You can come back here and leave a comment or tag me on instagram (@foodwithfeeling).
White Wine Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ pound pasta of choice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.1/2 pound pasta of choice
- Add the olive oil and garlic to a cold skillet. Then, place the skillet over medium-low heat and cook for 2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
- Slowly add the white wine to the pan and whisk to combine— it may pop a bit at first!½ cup dry white wine
- With the pan still over medium-low heat, add one tablespoon of butter and whisk until the butter has been fully incorporated. Repeat adding one tablespoon of butter and whisking until all of the butter has melted smoothly.4 tablespoons butter
- Add the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.¼ cup parmesan cheese
- Toss with pasta, serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
