Best Alfredo Sauce Recipe
This rich and creamy Alfredo Sauce Recipe uses five simple ingredients and is ready in less than 15 minutes. It’s easy to make and perfect with your favorite pasta or vegetables. It’s hands-down the best Alfredo sauce you’ll ever make!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 611kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter - salted or unsalted
- 1 clove garlic - minced, optional
- 1 tablespoon flour - optional, see notes
- ¼ teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - plus more to taste
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese - freshly grated
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium to medium-low heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for approximately 1 minute or until fragrant. Note: If you prefer your Alfredo sauce without garlic, omit it.
- Add the flour, salt, and black pepper.
- Whisk continuously until a thick, golden-colored paste forms (called a "roux"). Reduce the heat if necessary to prevent the roux from burning.
- Slowly add the heavy cream, whisking continuously to prevent any clumps from forming. Continue to cook for approximately 4-5 minutes, whisking the entire time. Reduce heat if necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Do not boil.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese then remove from heat.
- Continue to whisk off-heat for an additional minute or until thickened. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve with cooked fettuccine, penne, or other favorite pasta and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
About the Ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour (optional): Adding flour is optional. Combining a little four with the butter (called a "roux") will help thicken the Alfredo sauce. It is especially beneficial if using lower-fat dairy like half-and-half or whole milk. To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Or heavy cream. For a lighter sauce, replace heavy cream with half-and-half or make your own by mixing equal parts heavy whipping cream and whole milk. I don’t recommend using lower-fat options, as they increase the risk of the sauce separating.
- Parmigiano Reggiano is most traditional. Add a little Pecorino Romano for a strong, salty kick.
- Avoid boiling the sauce. Keep the heat medium to low to prevent the sauce from breaking (curdling). Boiling can cause the fat and water to separate, especially with lower-fat dairy.
- Use freshly shredded Parmesan cheese. For the best texture and smooth melting, use freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese often contains additives that can make the sauce grainy.
- Control the thickness. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of pasta cooking water or 1/4 cup or warm heavy cream to adjust the consistency. If it is too thin, let it simmer slightly longer to thicken. Remember, the sauce will continue to thicken after it is tossed with cooked pasta. This is because cooked pasta is super starchy and acts as a natural thickener.
- Tips for making Alfredo sauce with lower-fat dairy (not recommended, it won't taste as good): For best results, make a roux with two tablespoons of all-purpose flour, warm the milk before adding it to the roux, and stir in (at least) a few tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water, which will help prevent the sauce from separating.
- Storage: Store leftover Alfredo sauce in an airtight container or jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Not recommended.
- Reheating: To reheat leftover sauce, add it to a small saucepan with a splash of cream or leftover pasta cooking water (about 1-2 tablespoons per cup of sauce). Heat gently over low heat, stirring constantly. If the sauce looks grainy, whisk vigorously or add a small pat of butter to help emulsify it.
Nutrition
Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 668mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2295IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 380mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @theforkedspoon and hashtag it #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section on this post.
Copyright © 2025 The Forked Spoon
