Creamy White Sauce Pasta

"You never need to make box mac and cheese again: just make this creamy white sauce pasta! This is a staple recipe in my house. The basic cream sauce is luscious and full of flavor, and get this: it doesn't even use heavy cream! All you need is a handful of ingredients you may already have on hand. It takes just 10 minutes to whip up the sauce while you cook the pasta."

"Pasta: Any shape works! I love it with long noodles like bucatini or short like rigatoni Butter: Salted butter adds depth; the salt enhances the overall flavor (use olive oil if you prefer) Garlic: Fresh garlic is essential: I use a microplane to grate it in Flour: All-purpose flour creates the roux that thickens the sauce (gluten-free also works, or use half the amount of cornstarch) Milk: 2% milk gives you creaminess without the heaviness of cream"

A creamy white sauce pasta cooks quickly in about 15 minutes using common pantry ingredients. A roux of butter and flour thickens 2% milk into a luscious, lighter cream sauce. Fresh garlic and freshly grated Parmesan provide depth, saltiness, and umami. Any pasta shape pairs well, from bucatini to rigatoni. Salted butter enhances overall flavor, and olive oil can be substituted. Gluten-free flour or reduced cornstarch can replace all-purpose flour if needed. The sauce can be served plain as a side or enriched with cooked vegetables, shrimp, or chicken for a full meal.

Read at A Couple Cooks