Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Homemade Alfredo Sauce is a super easy recipe to make from scratch. It is rich, creamy, and packed with garlic and parmesan flavors. It is one of my best dishes and goes perfectly with your favorite pasta or pizza!
A delicious homemade sauce will go a long way on many dishes. It is one of my favorite sauces because it is so easy to make with a few simple ingredients and always turns out rich and flavorful. Once you try this recipe, you will never return to the store-bought jar bottled version.
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An Italian husband named Alfredo di Lelio invented this delicious sauce in 1908 in Rome. He was trying to get his wife to eat after giving birth when she lost her appetite. And it worked! Since then, we have been using his special sauce on everything!
Why make homemade alfredo sauce when you could buy really great sauce for a pretty good price? Well, first, because I can teach you how to make it even better. The store-bought version texture is never as thick and smooth as I want it.
The homemade version is so quick, easy and inexpensive. On top of that, I have a bonus for you, I am sharing my secret ingredient that takes this sauce over the top. Its a a bit of garlic and a pinch of nutmeg, simple, yet it adds such a sophisticated flavor.
Why you will love this recipe
- Fast and easy: You can do it in 10 minutes with just two steps.
- There are so many uses: Pasta, meats, sandwiches, pizza, or use it as a dipping sauce.
- Stores easily: Make extras. You can freeze it for months.
- One pan: There is only one pan to wash, so there are no big messes to clean.
For me to claim this is the best alfredo sauce, I had to make sure it was. So, I tested it by letting many of my family and friends try it, and they all agreed. But I was curious whether they were just being nice, so I asked a bunch of strangers, too.
I did a blind taste test. And it came out on top. This is the best alfredo sauce, hands down, not only for the taste but for the creamy thick texture and how easy it is to make. Check the comment section for all the great feedback!
What you’ll need to make homemade alfredo sauce
Special items:
- Saucepan – To cook the sauce.
- Whisk – For stirring the sauce.
Ingredients:
Using fresh ingredients is the key here. Freshly minced garlic, cream, and parmesan are the perfect combination. This recipe will yield about two cups, but can easily be doubled for larger portions.
- Butter—I use unsalted butter. The parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning add enough saltiness.
- Heavy cream – This is an essential ingredient in making this the thickest and creamiest alfredo sauce.
- Cream cheese – Adds even more creaminess and thickness.
- Garlic – I only use freshly minced for the best flavor without bitterness.
- Italian seasoning – I have an easy recipe for the perfect Italian seasoning.
- Parmesan cheese – Always use freshly grated parmesan. Never use the canned stuff.
- Nutmeg – is optional, but I like adding it for extra subtle nutty flavor.
- Salt
- Pepper
How to make Alfredo sauce from scratch?
- Melt the cream: First, melt cream cheese, whipping cream, and butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Continue to cook for two minutes, stirring frequently, until it starts to simmer.
- Add the seasoning: Then, whisk in the garlic seasoning, salt, and pepper for one minute.
- Whisk in the parmesan: Next, turn the heat down to low and add the parmesan cheese. Continue whisking it until it is melted.
- Garnish and serve: Last, remove from the heat and add the nutmeg if you are using it. Then, serve creamy Alfredo sauce on your favorite pasta or whatever else you like.
Expert tip
The best pasta to serve it with
Certain types of pasta are used for certain dishes because of their shape and texture. Fettuccine is wide and thick with alfredo, so it lets you grab as much sauce as you can in every bite, according to the experts. However, this only works if you mix the sauce with the fettuccine while it is warm so it emulsifies and coats the noodles. Otherwise, it is just like any noodle, and it slides off. So, make sure your pasta is warm when you add your sauce.
Now, I am a firm believer in using other pasta shapes, too. For example, shells, ziti, penne, rigatoni, and macaroni are all great for this sauce because they fill up with it and get coated in it, so you get all that great taste inside and out. Or try it with farfalle, orecchiette, rotini, or ditalini. These all have nooks, crannies, holes, and concave spaces for sauce to get stuck in.
There are always basic noodles like spaghetti, linguini, and vermicelli. Those are good in a pinch but thin. Bucatini is an interesting choice because it is long and thin, like spaghetti, but hollow down the middle. Tagliatelle is a wide egg noodle that would be pretty good, too, if you like thicker pasta.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Spicy sauce: If you love spicy food, sprinkle in some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- Cheesier: To make this even cheesier, sprinkle in some freshly shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or pepper jack.
- Add flavors: To give your sauce some extra flavor, try one of my seasonings, such as ranch seasoning, or taco seasoning.
- Diced veggies: For extra texture and flavor, add some chopped veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, celery, and green onions.
- Make it your own: Change up this easy Alfredo recipe by adding your own favorite herbs and spices such as thyme, rosemary, or smoked paprika.
- Bacon or pancetta: Just like cheese, everything tastes better with bacon or pancetta, baked it until crispy, dice it and stir it into the sauce.
Make it thicker
If for some reason it is too thin or runny, you can fix it using these two ways:
- Adding cream cheese. Over low heat, add slowly pieces of cream cheese to it and stir till thickened. This will make the sauce creamier and also thicken it up.
- Making a Roux. Add an equal amount of butter and flour (about 1 teaspoon) to a pan, and mix/whisk well over low heat. Cook it for about one minute. Next, add the mixture to the sauce and stir continuously until simmering, and the desired consistency is reached.
How to serve:
Alfredo sauce makes a beautiful topping, spread, and dip as well as a sauce. Once you try this rich and thick homemade sauce, you will look for stuff to pour it on. Here are some ideas.
- Obviously the classic way to serve it is over some fettuccine pasta. Sprinkle some romano cheese on top right before serving for a richer flavor.
- Use it to make baked shells like my cheesy chicken Alfredo shells.
- This homemade sauce is perfect on pizza with chicken, ham, or turkey. I also like to use it of four cheese pizza.
- Use it on chicken. Try my instant pot chicken alfredo recipe to make a quick and easy dinner tonight.
- This is the perfect dip for fresh veggies like carrot sticks, celery, and broccoli florets.
- Add it to any casserole to make it creamy and rich. Try it with my cheesy white pizza casserole.
- You can also use Alfredo as a sandwich spread.
Frequently asked questions:
Why is my alfredo sauce runny?
It could be that you needed to add more cheese. Make sure you use enough parmesan and shred your own. Store-bought pre-shredded cheese can leave you with runny sauce because they use wax and preservatives to coat it. These make it harder to melt and can cause it to separate. You may also need to cook the cream longer. It has to thicken before adding the cheese. Let it simmer for at least two minutes.
Can I use mozzarella instead of parmesan?
You could, but the texture and flavor are very different. Parmesan cheese is a lot saltier and grittier than mozzarella cheese. It is also a lot harder. The flavor of parmesan is tangy and nutty, slightly bold, and even sharp. Mozzarella is a lot milder with a sweeter, milkier taste. Using mozzarella would just be different, cheesier and heavier.
What is the secret to smooth, creamy, thick alfredo sauce?
The main thing you need to remember is to stir. Keep stirring. Do not stop stirring. I use a silicone whisk over medium-low heat and stir it the whole time. Don’t stop looking at your phone or checking the time. Just keep stirring. Also, I use heavy cream and cream cheese. Many others do not use cream cheese. Some use milk instead of cream. Real butter is also essential. Not margarine. It has to be real butter—and real parmesan cheese. If you use the stuff in the can, you will get clumps of cheese in your sauce.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: After your leftover Alfredo sauce cools to room temperature, pour it into a jar or another airtight container. It will last for up to five days in the fridge.
- Freeze: It is also safe to freeze for up to three months. Just be sure to put it in a freezer-safe container first.
- Thaw: The night before you plan on serving it, put it in the fridge to thaw.
- Reheat: You can use a microwave to reheat your sauce or add it to whatever dish you are using it in before baking.
Recipes using Alfredo sauce:
Recipe tips:
- Keep stirring your sauce to make sure it is smooth and creamy.
- Be sure to use real butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, and parmesan.
- Make sure to cook your sauce evenly, do not overheat it. It will cause the cheese to break down and clump together.
- This sauce thickens as it cools. If it is too thick, add more cream or milk, just a quarter cup, until it is thick enough.
- If it is too thin, add a bit of cream cheese and stir until it melts and reaches the right consistency.
- Making it with cream cheese is much richer and creamier than if you did not use it. Although some say it is not an authentic Alfredo from scratch, cream cheese Alfredo sauce is my personal favorite.
Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese optional – it makes the sauce creamier
- 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning optional
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese (if using). Stir over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes until melted, and it starts to lightly simmer.
- Next, whisk in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper for one minute. Note: For extra garlicky flavor, first melt the butter, add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, and then add the ingredients from step 1.
- Reduce heat to low, add the shredded Parmesan cheese, and continue to whisk until melted.
- You can serve immediately with your favorite pasta.
- For a very subtle nutty flavor, sprinkle some nutmeg on top before serving.