Vegetarian Pasta Sauce Recipes

Pasta is a vegetarian staple, and for good reason: vary the sauce, and you have a completely different dish. Pesto and marinara are just the beginning. Browse our collection of over 80 vegetarian pasta sauces.

Staff Picks

Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

415
A light and creamy sauce with puree of roasted red peppers as the base. It is excellent on any type of pasta, but tortellini or ravioli seems to be the best match. The prep time is rather long, but the result is definitely worth it. Freezes well. In fact, the taste may improve slightly.
By BOB BAILEY

Alfredo Sauce

4660
This creamy Alfredo sauce turns a busy weeknight dinner into something special. Serve it with fettuccine or pour it over chicken breasts or steamed vegetables.
By Allrecipes Member

Simple Marinara Sauce

83
This is a simple marinara sauce, good over any pasta or on lasagna.
By EIORE

Pesto with Arugula

59
This pesto is unique due to the arugula, which gives it a peppery bite. I also like the lack of cheese, but add it if you must. Use as a spread or on pasta. My favorite is on baguette slices or on whole wheat crackers. It's addictive!
By Mark Caron
Sponsored By MyPlate

Grandma Maggio's Spaghetti Sauce

138
This Italian tomato sauce from Grandma is one that was recited to me, from memory alone, and used descriptions like "a hand of garlic," though the quantities listed now should be accurate. I encourage buying the cheapest versions of these ingredients you can find; it will feed an army for about $15 without ruining the taste. You should add more seasonings based on preference. A great vegetarian sauce, or with meatballs, makes great meatball sandwiches.
By Sarah Garland

Puttanesca II

3
A good friend gave me this recipe and I've since found it to be so tasty and best of all, easy! My family loves it and it doesn't take long to make at all! It's perfect over angel hair pasta with garlic bread on the side! Double the recipe for larger parties or just for leftovers!
By Heather M.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce

582
Easy, no-cook sauce made with tomato paste, olive oil, garlic, and herbs.
By Allrecipes Member

Best Marinara Sauce Yet

2163
Homemade marinara sauce slow-simmered with garlic, white wine, and onion.
By Allrecipes Member

Garlic Butter Sauce

269
Fragrant garlic, sauteed in butter with herbs, makes a tasty, simple sauce.
By Allrecipes Member

Arrabbiata Sauce

475
A sizeable jolt of crushed red pepper revs up the heat in this pasta sauce!
By Allrecipes Member

Quick Pasta Sauce

115
Quick and easy pasta sauce made with crushed tomatoes, garlic, and basil.
By LIAROSE

Sugo di Pomodoro (Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce)

21
This is a basic recipe for authentic Italian tomato sauce flavored with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and basil. Toss with your favorite pasta or use for pizza, gnocchi and more.
By Allrecipes Member
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Inspiration and Ideas

Spaghetti Sauce II
421
"I did not know that a homemade spaghetti sauce could be this easy. I don't think I'll be using the store-bought stuff again!" – JERIESHA
Chef John's Proper Pesto
67
See how to make this extraordinary basil pesto sauce.
Salsa di Noci
18
Spaghetti Sauce with Cauliflower
19
Homemade Tomato Sauce
330
Cream Cheese Alfredo Sauce
123

This is my spin on Alfredo sauce. We love cream cheese, mushrooms and garlic. So I decided to try different ways of creating this tasty dish! Serve with fettuccini, and sliced crusty bread for mopping!

More Vegetarian Pasta Sauce Recipes

Proper Pesto

66
There are lots of recipes people claim taste better if made by hand, but there's no easier case to prove that than pesto. The intensity of the flavors is beyond compare, and as if by some kind of magic, this gorgeous spread develops an addictive spiciness. You can taste each ingredient, and yet when smashed together, new and wonderful flavors are released.

Four Cheese Sauce

154
This four cheese sauce is great with gnocchi, fettuccini, or your choice of pasta. Garlicky French bread would be a tasty accompaniment.
By Allrecipes Member

Simple Garlic and Basil Pesto

346
This recipe is something that you can make quickly and easily using a blender. Everything you need is easy to find in your local supermarket. This paste is great for putting on or in meat and pastas, or with cottage cheese in stuffed pasta shells. Once I start making this, the orders from friends and family keep coming in. For best taste, pesto should be heated up in the meal it's being prepared with.
By FUZZYGREENMONKEY

Easy Tomato Sauce

62
Easy and yummy tomato sauce with few ingredients. Tasty.
By Allrecipes Member

Basic Spicy Tomato Sauce

53
This sauce can be used for spaghetti, ravioli, chicken Parmesan, or anything Italian! It's very quick and very easy! Anything from seasoning to spices can be adjusted without compromising the basic flavor of the sauce. Sometimes we add bell peppers or tomatoes with green chiles. Add anything you like.
By SUNNILOVE

Mom's Best Spaghetti Sauce

130
A simple, slow cooked, authentic spaghetti sauce, as good as the restaurants serve...or better! The secret ingredient is baking soda, but do not taste the sauce right after adding it. Wait a while, and this sauce will not disappoint you. It is good right from the stove, but the flavors blend overnight. Best served with your favorite meatball recipe, where the meatballs cook in the sauce the last half hour. Be prepared to take a nap after eating.
By KRAZYBARB

Alfredo for a Crowd

An easy Alfredo sauce you can scale to a large crowd. This will not separate like some Alfredo sauces and is stable enough to make for a group event. The sauce will be stable if you keep it covered. It may be easiest to dip the fettuccine into the sauce with tongs.
By P Addeid

Instant Pot® Quick and Easy Spaghetti Sauce

12
This rich and tasty homemade spaghetti sauce is made with fresh tomatoes! Just what you need for any pasta dish, and so quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot®.
By Fioa

Easy Pesto

381
This is the easiest pesto recipe, using easy to find ingredients. It can be prepared in 2 minutes after you toast the almonds.
By Allrecipes Member

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

90
The best sun-dried tomato pesto.
By MRS. CINDY SCHMIDT

Spaghetti Sauce II

420
A very thick and dark sauce with a little red pepper kick. Adjust the crushed red pepper to suit your tastes. This sauce freezes well too.
By Allrecipes Member

Basic Marinara for the Instant Pot®

12
This marinara sauce tastes like it's been simmering all day, but you'll have a savory, rich dish on the table in under an hour.
By Bren

Gorgonzola Cheese Sauce

75
You can make any ordinary meal into some extraordinary with the deep, rich flavor of this Gorgonzola cheese sauce.
By sal

Seven-Ingredient Tomato Sauce

55
This is a very simple recipe to make and tastes great too. This sauce tastes extra good if you add fried meatballs or pork spareribs to the sauce. Another good addition is a can of drained peas, if you like them. Happy eating!
By BIGRED7197

Spaghetti Sauce with Cauliflower

19
Serve this sauce over your favorite pasta. This recipe goes back to the Great Depression. My large Italian family gathered in the kitchen and tried many ways to prepare Sunday dinner on a tight budget. My friends and family couldn't believe that there is no ground beef in this sauce. I bring it into work the next day and share. Co-workers love it.
Sponsored By MyPlate

Nanny's Spaghetti Sauce

259
This is my Sicilian great-grandmother's recipe. I've never tasted better. Serve with meatballs and Italian sausage; it's also terrific as a marinara sauce.
By MELHARVEY

Skinny Alfredo Sauce

38
This is a skinny version of everyone's favorite Alfredo sauce. You won't miss the cream or butter one bit!
By Sarah Stewart

Tomato Juice Spaghetti Sauce

10
This is a sauce my cousin's mother-in-law made. I had it for the first time 5 1/2 years ago and haven't made anything else since.
By Allrecipes Member

Salsa di Noci

18
A local chef in Cinque Terre prepared this salsa di noci (walnut sauce) dish for us using the herbs we'd picked only moments before. Fifteen years after trying the dish for the first time, we still make it at home often.

Lentil Bolognese

29
Delicious vegetarian sauce for pasta, so tasty, and as nice as a meat bolognese. It can also be served with potatoes.
By sorchaspud

Sicilian Lentil Pasta Sauce

100
This is a very nice, thick sauce. It has a meat taste, without the meat. Nice and hearty, great with a crusty bread on a cold, Fall day.
By Allrecipes Member

Best Marinara

76
This is the absolute best recipe to use on tomatoes! I haven't tried it on spaghetti, but I recommend rotini or fusili. This is a marinara sauce, but better! Even my picky little sister loved it!
By Allrecipes Member

Pasta Primavera Sauce

118
This pasta sauce is low-fat but doesn't taste it!
By Allrecipes Member

Gorgonzola Pasta Sauce

81
Extremely easy and quick pasta sauce recipe. Use for cooked chicken or shrimp, too. For a lower fat version, substitute half and half for the cream and add a teaspoon of cornstarch for thickening.
By Amy
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