Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
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Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Get ready for the creamiest, most mouthwatering Homemade Alfredo Sauce you've ever tasted! This recipe is a total game-changer for your pasta dishes + more, taking them to a whole new level. Packed with smooth garlic parmesan flavor, it's simplicity at its best. Store-bought Alfredo simply can't compete. Dairy-free + Gluten-free option.
Alfredo is such a timeless classic that is seriously just perfect for any season. This ultra-creamy, rich tried and true recipe is inspired by my trusted Weeknight Creamy Chicken Alfredo. This Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe is a versatile gem for your kitchen. It's not just for pasta – you try it with a variety of dishes to add richness and flavor!
My family absolutely loves my homemade alfredo sauce over pasta, pizzas + more—it's just too creamy, cheesy, and irresistible to resist! Plus, with gluten-free + dairy-free options, everyone can dig in. It's so adaptable that sometimes I even throw in a little bacon for good measure. Among our other family favorite alfredo are Creamy Salmon Alfredo Pasta, Easy Vegan Broccoli Alfredo Pasta, and Creamy Vegan Cajun Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta.
This recipe is a breeze, taking only 10 minutes to whip up. It's perfect for making ahead and is truly a must-have staple in any kitchen. Rich, cheesy, and versatile, once you try it, you'll want to make it part of your weekly routine. Whether you keep it vegetarian, make it vegan, or add in some Easy Shredded Chicken, salmon or greens, it's a winner every time!
Jump to:
- What is Alfredo?
- What You'll Love Most About This Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- How to Make Creamy Chicken Alfredo
- Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce
- What Will Thicken Alfredo Sauce?
- Ways to Use Homemade Alfredo Sauce
- What Types Of Pasta Go With Alfredo Sauce?
- Common Q + A's For This Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- More Oh-So-Creamy Pasta Creations To Try
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Delicious Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
What is Alfredo?
Basically, Alfredo is a creamy pan sauce made form butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. As it has become popular, there have been several adaptations and substitutes to the ingredients, however, either way-----Alfredo sauce is usually best when made + eaten right away! Classically, Alfredo is often paired with Fettuccine or another pasta, but there are many ways you can use the sauce! See below for ideas!
What You'll Love Most About This Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- It’s super easy to make -- Ready in just 10 minutes!!!
- Bold flavors— cheesy and oh-so rich and creamy
- A total family favorite that is so versatile!
- Dairy-free + Gluten-free options!
- Crowd-pleasing-- Whether you're hosting a dinner party or cooking for your family, this Alfredo sauce is sure to impress even the pickiest eaters.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Start making your creamy sauce your start by sautéing a few garlic cloves in butter, and then adding in the seasoning, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, chicken stock, and Walah that's it!
Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce
Here’s what you need for this Homemade Creamy Alfredo Sauce:
- Butter. Use unsalted butter to control the flavor of the Alfredo sauce. For a dairy-free version, substitute with vegan butter.
- Heavy cream. I recommend organic–always! I use Organic Valley. Of course, for a dairy-free option, just use full-fat coconut cream/milk.
- Garlic. I prefer fresh, but you could substitute with garlic powder in a pinch.
- Freshly-grated parmesan cheese. I love to freshly grate my cheese, however, you can use your favorite shredded brand---quality does matter! For a dairy-free option, So Delicious Dairy-Free or Violife cheese shreds taste great.
- Vegetable or chicken stock/broth. Use store-bought organic, low-sodium broth or make your own! For a dairy-free or vegan option, use veggie stock.
- Herbs + Seasonings. A great addition of flavor. You'll need salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano + parsley. You can make your own Italian herb blend if you'd like!
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS SAUCE!
Here, I've curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Alfredo Sauce recipe. Everything from my fave baking sheet, dutch ovens, immersion hand-blender, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
What Will Thicken Alfredo Sauce?
It’s important to thicken your Alfredo sauce so it gets nice and sticky. Personally, I love using regular all purpose flour or arrowroot starch (which is a great gluten-free option). However, if you don’t have this on hand, using other subs like regular cornstarch, or tapioca flour work just fine.
Just be sure to always stir your thickener with warm water until it becomes a ‘milky’ liquid before adding it to the sauce OR you can add the dry thickener to your skillet with the seasonings, right before adding the liquids, whisking until smooth and thickened.
Ways to Use Homemade Alfredo Sauce
While the classic Fettuccine Alfredo is undeniably delicious, especially when paired with chicken, salmon, or shrimp, there's a world of other tasty possibilities with this sauce. Here are a few of my favorite creative twists:
Dip --- Warm up the Alfredo sauce and use it as a dip for breadsticks, garlic bread, crackers, or even crispy chicken tenders.
On pizza --- Spread Alfredo sauce on pizza dough instead of the usual tomato sauce for a unique and delicious twist. Top with ingredients like chicken, bacon, spinach, mushrooms + herb roasted tomatoes.
Lasagna --- Layer lasagna noodles with Alfredo sauce, see my Creamy White Chicken Lasagna Soup for some inspiration!
Mac + cheese --- For a luxurious twist on the classic macaroni and cheese, swap out the traditional cheese sauce for Alfredo sauce, try it with this Baked White Mac + Cheese with Bacon
What Types Of Pasta Go With Alfredo Sauce?
If you want to keep it traditional and enjoy Alfredo sauce with pasta, then I'm right there with you! When it comes to pasta, you have a plethora of options. You can use long pastas like Fettuccine, Bucatini, Pappardelle, Tagliatelle, etc., if desired.
However, if you prefer a pasta shape that holds the sauce well and offers a delightful texture in every bite, options like Penne, Rigatoni, Paccheri, Orecchiette, etc. are perfect. Even Gnocchi, Ravioli or Torteillni would be incredibe alongside this sauce.
Regardless of the pasta shape you choose, tossing it with tongs is a great way to ensure that every strand or piece is fully coated in the rich and velvety Alfredo sauce.
Common Q + A's For This Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Absolutely! To make this sauce GF, simply use a gf flour to thicken the sauce and ensure that the other ingredients like heavy cream, etc are GF-friendly.
So easy! To make this sauce dairy-free, simply use vegan butter instead of the regular butter. Then swap the cream with full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. And use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese, dairy-free parmesan, or nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese.
Basically, it's all about the seasonings. The more herbs + seasonings that you use in your Alfredo sauce, the better the flavor.
If your sauce is not velvety smooth it could be because your ingredients don't have as high of fat content to them. Make sure that you're using high-quality ingredients and whisking everything frequently until smooth.
It's so important to use freshly-grated parmesan cheese for the creamiest results in your sauce. While you can use shredded cheese, it won't melt as seamlessly because it has a special "coating", which prevents it from melting smoothly. NOTE: If you only have shredded cheese, then I recommend adding it to the sauce slowly, bit-by-bit, as you whisk the liquid which will make the cheese melt evenly and avoid clumping.
If your sauce is broken because it sat out too long at room temperature or you refrigerated it, no worries at all! To fix this, just pour your sauce into a blender and add a tablespoon of very hot water, then blend until it's smooth and creamy again.
More Oh-So-Creamy Pasta Creations To Try
Who doesn't love pasta? if you enjoyed this Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe definitely check out my other creamy pasta creations next:
- Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta
- Creamy Roasted Garlic Kale Pasta with Parmesan
- Creamy Tuscan Lobster Pasta
- Creamy Lemon Garlic Herb Kale Pasta
- Weeknight Tomato Kale Ravioli Bake
- Southern-Style Cajun Pasta with Pecan Breadcrumbs
- Roasted Garlic Tortellini Soup
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Delicious Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you.
Delicious Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
HOMEMADE ALFREDO SAUCE:
- 3 Tbsps unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream, organic
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cups freshly-grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup Mild cheddar or Mozzarella cheese, optional (You'll want to ensure that either cheese are white or lighter in color to keep the sauce as traditional as possible; I love Organic Valley)
- 2-3 Tbsps organic vegetable or chicken stock/broth (If you'd like to have the sauce more runny in consistency)
- sea salt + black pepper, to taste (See Notes)
Instructions
TO MAKE THE ALFREDO SAUCE:
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter until melted. Add the garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute or so, until fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly add in the heavy cream, and stock, stirring until combined. Let it slightly bubble for 1-2 minutes and then add in the grated parmesan and cheddar cheese (slowly adding them in batches), whisking until fully melted and sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Add salt + black pepper to taste.
- Enjoy this sauce over your favorite pasta!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Best when enjoyed within the same day, however, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, add sauce to a saucepan and add a few Tablespoons of heavy cream if needed for consistency.
- SEASONINGS: If you'd like, you can always add a bit more flavor to your alfredo sauce by adding Italian seasoning or garlic powder or dried parsley or oregano or basil. Just 1 teaspoon of any of these are enough!
Nutrition
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