Quick and easy, Homemade Alfredo Sauce is rich and creamy. Simple to make it is both decadent and silky. This savory sauce made with cream cheese is 1,000 times better than any pre-made or jarred Alfredo you’ll buy at the store.
I grew up thinking Alfredo must be a complicated dish to make from scratch. So, I always opted for some kind of store-bought version. But now I know the truth, and I’ll NEVER go back.
With just six ingredients and 10 minutes (or less) you can have fresh homemade sauce for enjoying with all the things. Homemade Alfredo sauce is so simple and easy to make. Adding this recipe to your arsenal will change your life!
Homemade Alfredo Sauce is a tried-and-true comfort food. As my husband, Dallin, says “This has got to be the most comfort-y of comfort foods there ever was.”
Alfredo is an Italian pasta sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta, most meats, and veggies. This recipe is perfect for adding to fresh made pasta or stuffed meatballs. You can also try adding i to other favorite Italian dishes like our easy lasagna or zucchini and pesto lasagna.
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🥘 Ingredients
With most all recipes, choosing to use high quality ingredients will mean you will end up with a higher quality sauce. And since Homemade Alfredo sauce only has six ingredients it’s not hard to splurge on the good stuff.
- Butter
- Milk
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Cream Cheese
- Freshly Grated Parmesan
- Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
Using cream cheese in your homemade Alfredo sauce is going to helps us get a thicker, smoother sauce. And it is going to also add a more balanced and tangy flavor.
🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
Firstly, using a microplane grater go ahead and grate some fresh parmesan. Trust me on this. Grating your own parmesan is going to make this whole dish that much tastier. Set that aside to use later.
Then in a saucepan add your butter and cream cheese. Begin to melt those together over low heat. Your sauce will look curdled and as though it is not coming together. Don't worry!
Next go ahead and add the garlic, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Continue to stir till everything is mixed - it's still going to look curdled.
Slowly add the milk and cream to the saucepan. Here is where the magic happens! Using a flat whisk continue to stir the sauce until it begins to boil.
Then as soon as the sauce boils remove the pan from the heat and add your parmesan. Stir the sauce together until the cheese melts. You can let your sauce sit for 2 to 3 minutes if it needs to thicken up a little bit.
Lastly, serve your decadent homemade Alfredo sauce over what ever you like! Enjoy it with pasta, cooked veggies or alongside a favorite protein like chicken or shrimp.
👩🏻🍳 Make it Your Own
One really easy way to make this dish your own is by using different types of cheese. Parmesan is the most traditional type of cheese used in an Italian Alfredo sauce.
But that doesn't mean you can't try swapping it out for another hard cheese or choosing a second to add to your Homemade Alfredo Sauce. Asiago, Pecorino Romano, Gruyere or Parmigiano-Reggiano would also all work well in an Alfredo.
Another easy way to elevate the dish is to use fresh minced garlic in lieu of garlic powder for a more fragrant flavor. We used powder because it was what we had on hand. You can also try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon when you add the cream for a brighter flavor.
💭 Top Tips
Smooth Sauce
One of the best ways to ensure you get a smooth homemade Alfredo sauce is to let your cream cheese and grated cheese come to room temperature before adding them to your sauce. This simple step will help your sauce come together more quickly and be silky smooth.
You also want to be sure you don’t heat your saucepan too quickly – butter can burn easily, and cheese will clump up instead of melting. So, you want your heat to be slow and steady so that your sauce can come together perfectly.
Too Thick or Too Thin
If your sauce seems to be too thin you want to let it stand for 3 to 4 minutes. Letting your sauce sit off of the heat will allow it to thicken up before serving.
Now if you find your sauce is too thick the easiest way to thin it out is by adding more liquid. To thin out your homemade Alfredo sauce you can use some of the starchy water from your cooking pasta.
All you need to do is save some of the salted water you cooked your pasta in before draining it off. Slowly add it to your sauce and mix it in until your sauce reaches the desired consistency you are wanting.
🍽 How to Serve
One of the great things about Alfredo is that it can be used as a sauce with just about anything. Add to your favorite meats, veggies or pasta. This sauce can be used in lieu of pizza sauce or for as a dipping sauce for bread.
There are so many ways to use homemade Alfredo sauce. This sauce goes well with meats like chicken, shrimp or beef. Veggies like spinach, cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli, zoodles, and asparagus all pair beautifully with a creamy Alfredo.
This is a great recipe for doubling and saving for later. To store remaining Alfredo you want to be sure to let it cool completely. Once cooled you can transfer the sauce to a jar, seal it well and place it in the fridge. Alfredo sauce will keep in the fridge for 5 to 6 days.
📋 FAQ's
What makes Alfredo taste better?
The easiest way to get the most flavor out of your Alfredo is choosing to use high quality ingredients. And since Homemade Alfredo sauce only has a handful of ingredients it’s not hard to splurge on the good stuff. Cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, butter, garlic, and cheese make it so delicious.
How easy is it to make Alfredo from scratch?
I grew up thinking Alfredo must be a complicated dish to make from scratch. So, I always opted for some kind of store-bought version. But now I know the truth, and I’ll NEVER go back.
With just six ingredients and 10 minutes (or less) you can have fresh homemade sauce for enjoying with all the things. Homemade Alfredo sauce is so simple and easy to make. Adding this recipe to your arsenal will change your life!
How do you thin Alfredo sauce?
If your sauce is too thick the easiest way to thin it is by adding a little more liquid. Try using a little of the starchy water if you are cooking pasta.
Just save some of the salted water you cooked your pasta in before draining it off. Then slowly add it to your sauce until it reaches the desired consistency you are wanting. You will be impressed with how velvety it makes your sauce.
Can you make Alfredo in advance?
You can definitely prepare Alfredo sauce ahead of time, or double the recipe and save for later. To store remaining Alfredo you first want to be sure to let it cool completely.
Then once cooled you can transfer the sauce to a jar, seal it well and place it in the fridge. Alfredo sauce will keep in the fridge for 5 to 6 days.
📖 Recipe
Alfredo Sauce
Fresh parmesan, tangy cream cheese, savory butter, fragrant garlic and decadent cream make this sauce deliciously rich and creamy.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 1 ½cups freshly grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Grate the parmesan and set aside to use later.
- In a saucepan add your butter and cream cheese. Begin to melt those together over low heat. (It will look curdled.)
- Add garlic, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Stir till everything is mixed.
- Slowly add the milk and cream to the saucepan. Using a whisk continue to stir the sauce until it boils.
- As soon as the sauce boils remove the pan from the heat and add your parmesan. Stir the sauce together until the cheese melts.
- Allow sauce to sit for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Serve over pasta, cooked veggies or a favorite protein and enjoy.
Notes
- Make sure you are using freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor and melting results.
- Allow your cream cheese and grated cheese to come to room temperature before adding to your sauce. This will help it to melt and incorporate easier.
- The key to a smooth sauce is to keep your heat to low. Heating your sauce too quickly will cause it to burn and and not come together properly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 286Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 393mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g