10 Sauces That Pair Best With Stuffed Pastas

Stuffed pastas are an incredible Italian treat. They come in a variety of distinctive shapes, and the best part is that the fillings may be cheese, meat, or virtually anything else, making them versatile foods that everyone can enjoy. The only minor downside to any one stuffed pasta is that, unlike regular pasta, you can't just toss some into any sauce and expect a tasty final dish. The filling has a distinct flavor of its own, and that needs to gel well with the type of sauce you choose. Before tossing your stuffed pasta into some sauce, you really need to think about how the filling tastes and whether or not the sauce will complement the flavor. I know this may sound complicated, especially if you're a beginner with Italian food, but it really isn't. It all comes down to understanding flavor pairings, and if you aren't too confident about that, I've got you covered.

I've had the opportunity to learn all about stuffed pastas and classic Italian sauces twice, once while pursuing my Bachelor's degree in hospitality and hotel administration, and a second time during my diploma program in culinary management at Le Cordon Bleu, London. Aside from that, I also made stuffed pastas while working as a chef. All of this helped me understand which sauces work well with it, and why. Now I'm here to share all that knowledge with you as I've put together a list of some of my favorite sauces that pair incredibly with stuffed pasta. Let's get into it, then!

Nothing beats a classic marinara sauce, and unsurprisingly, just like it's a great option for a variety of Italian dishes, it's also perfect for stuffed pastas. This sauce, with its bright and tangy flavor, can complement pasta stuffed with veggies, chicken, cheese, meat, and sausages effortlessly. It can cut through the richness of meat and sausages, enhance the simple flavor of veggies and chicken, and when it comes to cheese, I don't think I even need to tell you that marinara sauce pairs well with it. On that note, I'd recommend not pairing this sauce with seafood-stuffed pasta because its tanginess could overpower the delicate flavor of seafood rather than enhancing it.

Besides the flavor of this sauce being spot on for these fillings, its light texture will also coat the pasta shells nicely, which is a bonus. Plus, it's a good option for those who aren't too fond of rich, creamy sauces. Just make sure you prepare it properly to get that balanced, tangy flavor. Don't overcook it, as that's the most common mistake people make with marinara sauce, which can make it taste a bit dull and affect the flavor of your stuffed pasta dish, too. If you aren't too sure about cooking it to the right extent on a stovetop and have a bit of time, you can also prepare a crock-pot marinara sauce, so you'll just have to mix all the ingredients together and then let them slow-cook for a few hours until the sauce is ready.

This sauce, though pretty easy to make, is somehow still a little overlooked among home cooks when it comes to using it as a base for pasta. But that shouldn't be the case anymore, as the nuttiness of brown butter paired with the earthiness of sage creates an amazing flavor medley that makes this sauce an excellent choice for many kinds of stuffed pastas. It's also a lot lighter than cream-based and tomato-based sauces, so your final pasta dish won't end up being too heavy.

Brown butter sage sauce has a bold but delicate flavor, so it's best to pair it with subtle-tasting options like veggie or cheese-stuffed pastas. While you can use it as a base for chicken or meat-stuffed pastas, you should keep in mind that its flavor could get overpowered by the richness of the filling. You can also pair it with seafood-stuffed pasta, but I'd recommend doing so only if the filling is seasoned with punchy spices so that there's something to contrast the delicate flavor of both the seafood and the sauce.

It's also crucial that you make this sauce properly, as that's the only way it will taste good with stuffed pasta. It isn't too hard to prepare, but most beginners tend to over-brown the butter. With that in mind, I'd recommend taking the butter off the heat as soon as it stops crackling, as that's one of the tell-tale signs that your brown butter is ready.

Alfredo sauce is rich, creamy, fatty (in a good way), and just plain delicious. That's exactly why it's a classic and pairs well with a wide range of pasta varieties, including stuffed pastas. Its creamy texture will make your final dish an indulgent treat. It's the perfect option for all of you who believe there's no such thing as too much dairy.

When it comes to which types of stuffed pastas Alfredo sauce pairs well with, my recommendation is to stick to those filled with veggies, chicken, or cheese. You can also toss meat or sausage-stuffed pasta in, as long as the filling isn't heavily spiced, because strong-tasting seasonings and spices could mask the sauce's mild and creamy flavor.

I also understand that some of you probably love the silky texture of Alfredo sauce, but at the same time, find its flavor to be a bit flat. In that case, there are a few ways to boost the flavor of your Alfredo sauce, like tossing in caramelized onions, herbs, pancetta, truffles, or chili peppers. But keep in mind that these ingredients will give your sauce a stronger flavor, so you'll have to be sure to pair it with very mild-tasting stuffed pastas, as otherwise two strong flavors may conflict with one another, resulting in a dish that doesn't taste balanced.

As the name suggests, this sauce is tangy and buttery at the same time, and though you might think that this combination won't pair well with stuffed pastas, it actually does. Unlike some other sauces listed here, this one pairs particularly well with seafood-stuffed pastas, because its acidity can enhance the sweet flavor of the filling. Plus, since the sauce isn't too rich or heavy, it won't overpower the soft texture of the seafood either.

That being said, lemon butter sauce also pairs well with vegetable, chicken, and cheese-stuffed pastas. All these fillings taste mild, and so they won't outshine the acidity of the sauce. In fact, with cheese-stuffed pastas in particular, the tangy flavor of this sauce will actually help cut through the richness of the filling and give you a well-rounded dish. When it comes to chicken and veggie-filled pastas, lemon butter sauce will enhance their flavor nicely, that is, as long as they aren't intensely seasoned with herbs and spices that don't pair well with lemon.

I'd suggest not pairing this sauce with meat or sausage-stuffed pastas, as its flavor will get masked by the richness of these fillings. Also try not to pair it with pastas that are stuffed with veggies like pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes, because the acidity will most likely overpower the filling's base flavor and create a dish that tastes off.

You've probably had your fair share of pasta tossed in pesto. But you know what's even better than regular pesto, especially for stuffed pastas? Pesto cream sauce! The cream gives this sauce a silky smooth texture and also tones down the herby and nutty flavor of pesto, making it a great option for anyone who's always wanted to try a milder version of pesto.

This sauce tastes fantastic with a range of stuffed pastas and also coats them a lot better than regular pesto because of its creamy consistency. Consider pairing it with chicken, turkey, veggie, or cheese-stuffed pastas, as all of these usually taste quite mild, so the sauce and the filling will amp up each other's flavors without overpowering one another. Also, you can try out one of the many types of pesto if you'd like to move away from the basil-based version and experiment a bit. 

Regardless of the type of pesto you end up choosing to pair with your stuffed pasta, it's still best to stick to certain fillings. I'd recommend staying away from meat-filled pasta when using pesto cream sauce as a base, because the richness of the meat won't gel too well with its flavor. Similarly, pairing this sauce with seafood-stuffed pasta isn't the best option either, as the pesto might overshadow the subtle flavor of the filling.

Tell me a better combination than garlic and butter. I'll wait. This combination is a classic and so beloved for a reason, as the sharp flavor of garlic combined with the richness of butter creates a flavor medley that's unbeatable. Since many Italian recipes start with butter and garlic as the base, it's pretty obvious that this sauce would pair extremely well with stuffed pastas. And another great thing about garlic butter sauce is that it's ready in a jiffy, making it the best option for one of those days when you want to make a quick meal.

It's also worth pairing this sauce with stuffed pasta, because garlic and butter can enhance the flavor of a variety of fillings without overwhelming them, and it won't make your final dish too heavy. The best part is that this light and extremely delicious sauce pairs well with almost all sorts of stuffings, be it veggies, chicken, sausage, cheese, or seafood.

When it comes to meat and sausage-stuffed pastas, my suggestion is to go for varieties that aren't too intensely seasoned or spiced, so that their flavor doesn't mask the light garlic butter sauce. On a similar note, avoid pairing it with sweet veggie-based fillings like sweet potato or pumpkin, as the flavors of the filling and the sauce might clash and lead to a dish that tastes odd.

Truthfully, though marinara sauce tastes fantastic, I do believe that it would taste a lot better if it packed a little heat. If you're just like me and like your sauces (or any type of food) hot and fiery, arrabbiata is the perfect choice for you when thinking of sauces to pair with stuffed pasta. It's pretty similar to marinara, but along with that tanginess, it also has a nice kick of heat. This sauce is light and also versatile, because you always have the option to increase or tone down the heat when you make it at home, giving you more reasons to pair it with stuffed pasta.

Arrabbiata sauce is an especially good option for meat and sausage-stuffed pastas, as its tangy and fiery flavor can nicely complement the rich-tasting filling. That being said, it also works just as wonderfully as a base for pastas that are filled with milder ingredients like cheese, chicken, or veggies. It'll enhance the flavor of these fillings nicely, creating a more balanced dish.

The only two types of fillings that arrabbiata sauce won't pair well with are seafood and sweet vegetables. This is because both these fillings aren't just on the milder side — they actually taste slightly sweet. If you end up tossing pumpkin, butternut squash, or seafood-stuffed pasta in this sauce, the flavors will clash rather than blend smoothly and, ultimately, you won't get the pasta dish you were hoping for.

Most people would agree when I say that cheese makes everything taste a lot better, so cheese sauce is pretty much a natural choice to pair with various kinds of stuffed pastas. Not only will this sauce upgrade the flavor of your stuffed pasta, but its creamy texture will also coat the shells well and give you that perfectly savory and cheesy bite every single time.

Though some believe that Cheddar is the best type of cheese for making homemade cheese sauce, there's no hard and fast rule that it's the only option you can use. Honestly, regardless of the type of cheese you add to this sauce, it will still taste pretty great with a variety of stuffed pastas.

When it comes to what sort of fillings you should and shouldn't pair with this sauce, the rule of thumb is to not use it as a base for cheese-stuffed pastas, as that will make your dish taste too one-note. Other than that, you can pair it with veggie, seafood, chicken, or meat-stuffed pastas without a second thought. Just keep in mind that if you're thinking of pairing seafood or vegetable-filled pastas with this sauce, you need to make sure the fillings are seasoned with bold herbs and spices, so that there's some flavor contrast and the entire dish doesn't taste too mild.

If you love the flavor of truffles and are also fond of creamy sauces, you should really consider pairing stuffed pasta with truffle sauce. This sauce's umami notes can elevate mild-tasting fillings effortlessly, so it's worth using it as a base for cheese or veggie-stuffed pastas. I'd especially recommend using truffle sauce as a base for pasta stuffed with mushrooms, as both the filling and the sauce have strong umami notes that can complement each other seamlessly. This sauce also works nicely with meat and chicken-stuffed pastas, as long as they're lightly seasoned or spiced. Keep in mind that if you use truffle sauce as a base for stuffed pastas that are packed with bold spices, you'll end up with too many strong flavors together, and they could clash with one another.

On a separate note, if you really want to make this sauce at home but are giving it a second thought, considering how expensive truffles are, I have a trick for you. Add some truffle oil to the sauce instead of fresh truffles — its concentrated flavor will do the trick and give the sauce a similar finish. As a bonus, you can use the oil in other recipes, too.

This sauce may seem like an odd option to pair with stuffed pasta, given its meaty and extra chunky texture. But keeping that aside, since a simple Bolognese sauce is packed with meat, it has a pretty robust flavor, and that pairs exceptionally well with milder-tasting stuffed pastas. Also, the chunky texture will actually make the dish more hearty, so that isn't a bad thing either.

Truth be told, you can also pair Bolognese sauce with pastas that are stuffed with beef, pork, or sausage. Sure, the flavor will become very rich and meaty, but that won't break this dish or make it taste odd, especially if you're one of those people who loves meat more than anything else. As far as milder options go, the best choices are pastas stuffed with soft cheese, veggies, or a combination of both ingredients. The meaty base will take the subtle flavor of these fillings up a notch, giving you a dish that tastes well-rounded.

Now, coming to the next obvious question — which sorts of stuffed pastas won't pair well with this sauce? Well, seafood-stuffed pasta is a no-brainer here, as sweet seafood paired with a sharp, meaty sauce is bound to create a strange combination. Besides that, you might want to think twice before pairing this sauce with chicken-stuffed pasta, too, because although the dish might not taste off, it likely won't taste that great either, as the meaty sauce will mask the mild flavor of the filling.