Creamy Tuscan Garlic Sauce Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

What is Tuscan cream sauce made of? ›

It's full of garlic, butter, seasoning, and most importantly, heavy cream. — The mix-ins. We added cherry tomatoes and spinach to our skillet (like we do in most of our Tuscan-inspired recipes), but you can add even more additions if you have them on hand, or swap out the cherry tomatoes for sun-dried tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS: Garlic, butter, flour, cream, some parsley, are all the simple ingredients needed for this recipe. There are no artificial ingredients in this homemade sauce, unlike store-bought brands. It calls for light cream, but heavy cream can also be used.

Different areas of Italy include different ingredients to the tomato sauce they make. In northern Italy, where the area of Tuscany is located, they include a mixture of vegetables to add extra flavour to their tomato sauce. This mixture is called a soffritto.

Tuscany is named after its pre-Roman inhabitants, the Etruscans. It was ruled by Rome for many centuries. In the Middle Ages, it saw many invasions, but in the Renaissance period it helped lead Europe back to civilization.

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

Cheese and dairy give sauces creaminess while butter and oil give them richness. You also don't need to use a lot — these are just for finishing and rounding out the flavors in a sauce. Whole Milk or Heavy Cream: Add a splash and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes to thicken.

A very simple garlic sauce can be made by adding crushed or minced garlic to strained yogurt, mayonnaise or sour cream. Lemon juice, salt, pepper and herbs such as dill can be used to impart additional flavour.

In Italy, “salsa cremosa” refers to any creamy sauce, and it can apply to a great variety of sauces, including those which contain fresh cream, milk, and sometimes cheese. These sauces are often thick and can be used with pasta, meat, vegetable or fish preparations.

The Tuscan flavor profile includes herbs such as rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme and marjoram. Aromatics like onion, garlic, red bell pepper and spicy red pepper flakes along with cracked black pepper. Lemon and citrus play a large part in the Tuscan flavor so lemon zest and lemon crystals make an appearance as well.

What is the creamy Italian sauce called? ›

Basic Italian White Cream Sauce (Like an Alfredo or Bechamel)