7 fast pasta sauce recipes

Choose one of these delicious ideas for healthy sauces to make at home, and they can all ready by the time the pasta’s done! Each sauce tossed through 600g of cooked pasta will serve 4.

Cream-free Alfredo

Puree 250g silken tofu with ½ cup skim milk in a blender. Heat in a non-stick frying pan until bubbling. Add 2 tbs grated parmesan cheese, grated nutmeg and ground black pepper.

Rocket and Italian sausage

Remove the casings from 250g Italian-pork sausage; crumble the meat into a nonstick frying pan and sauté with one finely sliced onion until browned. Add 2 cups packed rocket leaves, ¼ cup chicken stock, salt and ground black pepper. Cover until rocket is wilted.

Tomatoes and mussels

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tsp olive oil. Add 1 small chopped onion and 2 sliced cloves garlic until softened. Add 2 chopped tomatoes and ½ tsp fennel seeds; cook until the tomato begins to break down. Add 1 kg of mussels (in their shells), chopped fresh basil, salt and ground black pepper. Cover and simmer until the mussels open.

Prawns with chorizo sausage

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil. Add ½ chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic. Cook stirring until lightly browned. Add 2 chopped tomatoes and 1 thinly sliced chorizo sausage. Cook until golden. Add 350g peeled and de-veined prawns and 2 tbs red wine. Cook until prawns are pink and firm. Season with salt and pepper.

Ham, peas and white wine

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil. Add 2 chopped shallots, and cook until lightly browned. Add 185g chopped lean ham and 1½ cups fresh peas. Cook for 1 minute, then add 1/3 cup white wine. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Add 2 tbs grated parmesan cheese before serving.

Smoked salmon and cream

Heat 1 cup low-fat sour cream and ¼ cup fat-free milk in a large non-stick frying pan until bubbling. Add 175g chopped smoked salmon and black pepper. Cook just long enough to heat salmon through. Add a dash of white wine and 2 tbs of chopped chives and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Zucchini, lemon and tuna

Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large non stick frying pan. Add 1 finely sliced onion, 2 cloves garlic and 2 sliced zucchini. Cook until golden. Remove from heat. Add 1 medium can drained tuna with 1 cup chopped parsley and 2 tsp rinsed baby capers. Squeeze with a little lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. This sauce is excellent served with wholemeal pasta)

More saucy ideas

Basically, as long as you keep fat, in the form of oil, butter, cream and cheese, to a minimum in your pasta sauces, you’ll be fine. The ideal base is the classic tomato sauce, which you can jazz up with a wide range of tasty seasonings, such as chilli, capers, garlic, onion, basil, parsley and chives. For a more substantial sauce, low-fat ingredients such as smoked chicken, prawns or grilled lean bacon give plenty of satisfaction. You can also add vegetables such as asparagus, mushrooms, grilled red capsicum and spinach.