17 cream pasta sauce recipes

Creamy spinach and tomato pasta sauce built from fat-free cream cheese, frozen spinach, and chopped tomatoes. A 5-ingredient weeknight dinner that comes together while the pasta cooks.

Whole wheat penne in a creamy tomato-vodka sauce with crispy pancetta, garlic, a kick of cayenne, and fresh basil. Your new favorite weeknight penne alla vodka.

Pureed tomatoes and creamy avocado blend with tangy buttermilk in this refreshing cold soup topped with cucumber and sour cream.

Rich shrimp bisque built from sautéed shells, fish stock, brandy, paprika, heavy cream, and dry sherry. A classic French technique that extracts every ounce of shrimp flavor.

Turkey pasta salad with corn, zucchini, and picante-creamy garlic dressing. A Tex-Mex spin on leftover turkey, ready in 20 minutes and better after a chill in the fridge.

Thai red curry scallops (Chuu-Chii) with homemade curry paste, coconut cream, kaffir lime leaves, and fish sauce. Includes a from-scratch paste recipe using galangal, lemongrass, and shrimp paste.

Light pasta primavera with sea scallops, broccoli, mushrooms, and carrots in a broth-based sauce. No cream, no butter, just clean flavors and tender scallops.

Three-ingredient primavera cream sauce with heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan melted into a silky coating for pasta or spring vegetables. Quick Italian-style white sauce ready in 10 minutes.

Straw and Hay pasta combines regular and green fettuccine with mushrooms, peas, ham, and a light Parmesan cream sauce. A classic Italian dish named for its two-toned pasta, made lighter with skim milk.

Tender bay scallops in a light thyme-nutmeg cream sauce tossed with pasta shells and finished with fresh parsley and lemon zest. Elegant enough for date night, easy enough for a weeknight.

Yogurt primavera tosses tender-crisp peas, carrots, zucchini, squash, and mushrooms in a low-fat yogurt-Parmesan sauce. A bright lighter-than-cream pasta for any weeknight.

Mushroom and dried tomato pasta sauce with porcini, sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, and garlic sauteed in white wine. Deep umami flavor without cream or meat.

Vegan pasta with pureed cherry tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and miso for deep umami flavor. Oil-free, dairy-free, and rich-tasting without any cream.

Homemade pepper vodka infused with hot chili peppers for at least a week, plus a creamy vodka pasta sauce recipe with tomatoes, butter, cream, and Parmesan.

Roasted red pepper sauce blends sweet roasted peppers with fresh basil, parsley, and garlic into a smooth, no-cook pasta sauce. Bright, light, and ready in about five minutes, with no cream or stovetop required.

Fresh spinach puree with garlic, blended silky smooth with just water and seasoning. A vegan, no-cream sauce for pasta or baked potatoes ready in under 10 minutes.