Farfalle Pasta - 5 Best Sauces to Cook it!

Pasta is one food that is available in many shapes. It is a pantry staple that you simply boil in water and spruce up with sauces to look and taste amazing. Some pasta types work well with rich sauces, while others are more suitable for salads and soups. Would you believe that there are as many as 30 varieties of pasta, including penne, spaghetti, rigatoni, fusilli, and linguine? But one of the all-time favorites is undoubtedly farfalle pasta.

Also known as bow tie, this pasta variety is named after a fluttering butterfly. The little ridges of this pasta can hold loads of sauce, which gives a rich and tasty bite every time. Delicate noodles go well with delicate sauces, while heartier noodles like farfalle go well with richer and heartier sauces. But choosing the right sauce for your pasta is not that simple. Here are the 5 best sauces to use with farfalle pasta:

Tomato Sauce & Farfalle

Tomato sauce is a full-bodied, stunning sauce that stars your farfalle pasta dish. You can easily make it on a busy weeknight after office, due to its quick cooking time. You should ideally use canned tomatoes.

Recipe

Cook onion, celery, parsley, and carrot in olive oil
Cook for 15-20 minutes until all the veggies are softened
Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds
Add tomatoes, basil, tomato paste, pepper, and salt
Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes

The best thing is that you can even customize it as per your taste. For instance, you can thicken the sauce to add richness to it or leave it out so it thins down a bit. You may also change the seasoning or add meat or veggies to make a more robust farfalle pasta dish. One favorite recipe is to take some heated meatballs, cook pasta, and mix them to make a delicious yet simple main dish.

Arrabbiata Sauce & Farfalle

This is a spicy pasta sauce made from dried chili peppers, tomatoes, and garlic cooked in olive oil. In Italian, the word ‘Arrabbiata’ means ‘angry’, referring to the spicy content of the red chili peppers used in making the sauce.

Recipe

Heat oil in a skillet and saute garlic and onion
Add sugar, tomato paste, tomatoes, lemon juice, red pepper, basil, sugar, wine, black pepper, Italian seasoning
Let simmer uncovered
Add parsley and pour over pasta

A great sauce variety for farfalle, it is made up of simple ingredients simmered in oil for several hours until it reaches perfection. Rich and hearty, it is absolutely delicious yet spicy. If you love spices and rich tomato flavor, then you will love tossing your farfalle in this angry arrabbiata sauce.

Robiola Bosina Cheese Sauce & Farfalle

Robiola Bosina is a soft-rind, creamy cheese that is made in the Piedmont region of Italy from both sheep and cow’s milk cheese. It is surprisingly light and completely indulgent.

Recipe

Combine robiola bosina cheese and heavy cream in a saucepan and cook over medium heat
Keep whisking until the cheese melts and smoothens

Its delicate and light flavour makes your pasta dish a favourite among all and you can easily find it at all cheese shops and grocery stores.

Fontina Sauce & Farfalle

This is an easy and quick white cheese sauce that would make your farfalle pasta melt in your mouth. You should definitely serve this decadent and rich sauce with farfelle to bring out its essence. It is made up of semi-soft cheese of cow known for its nutty, gentle, buttery flavour.

Recipe

Melt butter in a saute pot and whisk flour into it
Slowly pour milk while whisking continuously
Add cajun seasoning, garlic salt, and melt in Fontina cheese
Keep stirring

Since the sauce tends to quickly thicken up, you may add more milk to achieve the desired texture

Red Clam Sauce & Farfalle

Red clam sauce is a necessity in everyone’s repertoire. Particularly good for farfalle pasta, make it around a couple of hours before serving, as during this time, the sauce takes on a nice clam flavour along with other aromas.

Recipe

Heat olive oil in a skillet
Add anchovies, garlic, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes
Let the garlic turn golden brown
Pour dry white wine and cook to reduce it to half
Mix hand-mashed tomatoes and cook to let the sauce thicken
Put in whole clams and cook until they open up
Add chopped clams and continue cooking until the whole clams open completely

Finally, add your pasta and olive oil, and toss to enjoy.

Making the Final Choice

Choosing the right sauce can actually make a huge difference in the texture and taste of your farfalle pasta. Try out a few of the above mentioned options and see which one works best for you. Who knows – you might like all of the recipes as well!