By: Becky Hardin
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Kiss the jarred sauce goodbye and make this incredibly easy and delicious Homemade Alfredo Sauce instead. This rich and creamy sauce has become a family tradition, and it’s an easy addition to some of my favorite pasta recipes, including fettuccine, spaghetti, and penne!
What’s in This Alfredo Sauce Recipe?
I never knew it was so simple to make a delicious Homemade Alfredo Sauce for my favorite fettuccine Alfredo? Once I developed this recipe, I’ve never looked back. It’s so much better than store-bought, and also incredibly easy. I use fresh ingredients to make something that tastes like it came straight out of a restaurant in just 15 minutes!
- Butter: Makes this sauce super rich. Make sure you’re using unsalted butter. If it has salt in it, the sauce may taste a bit too salty to you..
- Garlic: Minced garlic adds a savory and earthy flavor to the sauce. Feel free to use pre-minced garlic if you don’t have fresh garlic cloves available to use for this recipe. It will still work well.
- Heavy Cream: Gives the sauce body and a creamy texture. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can make it using whole milk and full-fat butter.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds that classic umami flavor to the sauce. It’s best to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese because of the extra flavor it brings to the sauce compared to bottled Parmesan.
- Spices: Salt, pepper, and thyme season the sauce to perfection.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
- Fresh thyme is an optional ingredient that adds even more flavor to this sauce. My family loves it.
- I add a dash of red chili pepper flakes to the blend of seasonings when I want to add a slight bit of spice to the sauce.
- When the sauce appears to be too thick, I thin it out by using some of the reserved pasta water and adding it to the skillet.
Variations on Alfredo Sauce
You can easily change up this homemade Alfredo sauce to meet your needs. For a vegan Alfredo sauce, swap the butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan for vegan alternatives. Follow the same advice to make a dairy-free Alfredo sauce.
Fortunately for those on the keto diet, this Alfredo sauce is already keto-friendly, so serve it up with your favorite keto noodles for keto Alfredo! When I want to make this recipe a bit lighter, I swap the heavy cream for milk or half-and-half.
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Serving Suggestions
Of course you’ll want to use this homemade alfredo sauce on fettuccine noodles and chicken alfredo, but you can use it in lots of other tasty Italian dishes too. Make chicken alfredo stuffed shells, chicken alfredo gnocchi bake, Alfredo pizza, or chicken alfredo sandwiches.
Try making pasta from scratch for the freshest taste, then add diced chicken, steak, or sausage crumbles for a hearty meal.
5-Star Reviews
“This was quick and easy to prepare. My 11y/o who loves cooking did an amazing job following the directions. 10/10 would recommend. Next time she makes it we’ll have to take pics of the sauce at least because it did not last long 🤣” – Divine
“This was a very easy recipe and taste so much better than store bought sauce.” – Wendy
“Big thumbs up from my picky toddler. So easy and simple thank you!!” – Lauren
Recipe
Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
4.69 from 146 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 10 minutes minutes
Total: 15 minutes minutes
Serves8
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This easy alfredo sauce is perfect for any of your favorite Italian dishes, like fettuccine alfredo and chicken alfredo.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (¾ stick)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1½ cups heavy cream room temperature
- 6.4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Minced fresh thyme optional
Instructions
For the Alfredo Sauce
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
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Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant.
1 clove garlic
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.
Pour in the room temperature heavy cream. Whisk until combined.
1½ cups heavy cream
Once the cream is fully combined, place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Do not let the sauce come to a boil – keep it over low heat.
Add the grated cheese and continually whisk the sauce together until the cheese is completely melted and evenly combined.
6.4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Taste and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
Kosher salt, Ground black pepper, Minced fresh thyme
To Make Fettuccini Alfredo
Bring water in a large pot to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
Once the water is boiling, cook 16 ounces of fettuccine noodles to al dente according to package instructions.
Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
Mix the pasta with the sauce, adding cooking water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Serve immediately.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Yield:This recipe yields approx. 2 cups of Alfredo sauce.
- Fresh thyme is an optional ingredient that adds even more flavor to this sauce. However, you don’t need it. If you can’t find it, don’t worry about adding it because the sauce will still taste amazing.
- Add red chili pepper flakes to the blend of seasonings if you’d like to add a slight bit of spice to your sauce.
- If your sauce appears to be too thick, you can thin it out by using some of the reserved pasta water and adding it to the skillet.
- Nutritional information is for the sauce only, not prepared fettuccini Alfredo.
Storage: Store Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this sauce as cream-based recipes don’t typically thaw and reheat well.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 0.25cup Calories: 323kcal (16%) Carbohydrates: 4g (1%) Protein: 8g (16%) Fat: 31g (48%) Saturated Fat: 19g (119%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0.3g Cholesterol: 93mg (31%) Sodium: 556mg (24%) Potassium: 90mg (3%) Fiber: 0.04g Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 1115IU (22%) Vitamin C: 0.4mg Calcium: 234mg (23%) Iron: 0.2mg (1%)
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How to Make Alfredo Sauce Step by Step
Sauté the Garlic: Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add 1 clove of minced garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.
Add the Cream and Cheese: Pour in 1½ cups of room temperature heavy cream. Whisk until combined. Once the cream is fully combined, place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Do not let the sauce come to a boil – keep it over low heat. Add 6.4 ounces of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and continually whisk the sauce together until the cheese is completely melted and evenly combined. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
Make the Pasta: Make Fettuccini Alfredo by cooking 16 ounces of fettuccine noodles to al dente in salted water. Drain and reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Mix the pasta with the sauce, adding cooking water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Serve immediately.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop set over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until warmed through. I do not recommend freezing this sauce.
Is Alfredo sauce gluten free?
Yes, this Alfredo sauce is naturally gluten-free. Simply prepare some of your favorite gluten-free pasta, and you’re good to go!
Why does the heavy cream need to be at room temperature?
If cold heavy cream is added, it may separate. Room temperature cream incorporates much more easily with the other warm ingredients.
Can you use a blend of cheeses?
Yes! Instead of 6.4 ounces of Parmesan cheese, use a combination of freshly grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses. For the best-tasting sauce, use high-quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well and isn’t a great option for Alfredo sauce.
How do you make the Alfredo sauce thinner?
To thin out the sauce, gradually add a couple tablespoons of warm water (or pasta water) after the cheese is mixed in.
Can you make Alfredo sauce with milk?
Yes! For a lighter Alfredo sauce, use whole milk or half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes We Love
- Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce
- Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Mustard Cream Sauce
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- Bang Bang Sauce
- Burger Sauce
- Homemade Fry Sauce
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