Our Alfredo sauce recipe tastes amazing, only takes around 10 minutes to prepare, and only requires four ingredients! Once you try it, you’ll never go back to store bought Alfredo sauce again.
Table of Contents
What is Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo sauce is a thick, cream based sauce with strong flavors of garlic and parmesan cheese. The four main ingredients used in this sauce are butter, garlic, heavy whipping cream, and finely grated parmesan cheese. Other recipes will often contain thickeners and additional spices which, in my opinion, are entirely unnecessary.
While a popular staple in Italian restaurants around the world, the Alfredo of Italy consists of fettuccini, butter, and noodles. The creamy sauce that we think of today is more popular outside of Italy but is inspired by Italian flavors.
How do You Make Alfredo Sauce
After making several different variations of Alfredo sauce, I quickly learned that less is more. Many recipes call for a variety of different spices and thickeners. However, I found that using only the four main ingredients produces a thick sauce whose flavors are pure and undiluted. Plus, it’s very quick to make!
1. Finely grate 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese. I recommend starting with a block of parmesan cheese rather than the pre-packaged shredded parmesan. If you only have pre-shredded cheese, I would run it through a food processor to make sure it’s finely shredded so it will melt better into the sauce. I strongly discourage you from using the powdered cheese in a “shaker style” can for this recipe.
2. Melt the butter on medium heat in a skillet. I often cut the butter into pieces to speed up the process.
3. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant (around two minutes).
4. After the garlic is cooked, add the heavy whipping cream and bring it to a simmer, stirring frequently to make sure your cream doesn’t burn.
5. Once the cream comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. After the cream is done simmering, slowly add the grated parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the sauce.
7. Serve and enjoy!
Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Creamy Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Fine Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 1/2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Finely grate parmesan cheese. I recommend starting with a block of parmesan cheese rather than the pre-packaged shredded parmesan. If you only have pre-shredded cheese, I would run it through a food processor to make sure it is finely shredded so it will melt better into the sauce. I strongly discourage you from using the powdered cheese in a shaker for this recipe.
- Melt butter on medium heat in a skillet. You can cut the butter into pieces to speed up the process.
- Once the butter is melted, add minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant (around two minutes).
- After the garlic is cooked, add the heavy whipping cream and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to make sure your cream doesn't burn.
- Once the cream comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- After the cream is done simmering, slowly add the grated parmesan cheese stirring constantly until melted and incorporated into the sauce.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alfredo sauce gluten-free?
While the four main ingredients in Alfredo sauce are naturally gluten-free, many restaurants and store bought versions add thickeners that are not gluten-free. As such, it’s always important to check on the gluten status of your dish before ordering.
Is Alfredo sauce healthy?
While delicious, Alfredo sauce is not very healthy as it’s very high in calories and fat.
Final Thoughts on Alfredo Sauce
Fettuccini Alfredo was my go to dish as a kid. I love that now I can prepare this dish with my own kids and still have time to enjoy the evening. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. Happy cooking!
Also check out the below articles:
How to Thicken Alfredo Sauce: 12 Great Ways
How to Thicken Spaghetti Sauce: 8 Great Ways!
The 15 Best Substitutes for Beef Broth
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