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This is the most creamy and delicious homemade alfredo sauce that you will ever make! It’s a tried and true recipe that will take all of your favorite pasta dishes to the next level.
This is my most popular recipe for a good reason! If you love alfredo as much as I do try this Creamy Garlic Shrimp Alfredo Pasta, Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta or Asiago Garlic Alfredo Pasta.
Best-Ever Alfredo Sauce
This is probably one of my favorite recipes here on the blog. (It’s a reader-favorite, too!) If there is one thing I can always count on my family to eat it is my homemade alfredo sauce over pasta. With alfredo sauce this creamy, cheesy, and flavorful, it’s so hard to resist!
We recently had some company over for dinner and I made these Chicken Bacon Garlic Alfredo Roll Ups. They are always are a huge hit! This homemade alfredo sauce really makes any dish shine. It’s thick and creamy, coats pasta perfectly, and the flavor is out of the world. It is restaurant quality that you can make right at home!
Ingredients You Need to Make It
You only need a few simple ingredients to make the BEST alfredo sauce. This sauce just has a smooth, creamy texture that melts in your mouth. For the best possible flavor, using the freshest ingredients is key! Fresh parmesan cheese grated off the block is one of those key ingredients. This will create a smooth textured sauce rather than a grainy one.
- Butter: Both unsalted or salted work for this alfredo sauce recipe. If using salted butter, then just adjust the extra salt you use or omit it entirely.
- Heavy Cream: A must-add so your sauce is rich and creamy.
- Cream Cheese: My secret ingredient! This adds a nice, thick consistency to your alfredo sauce.
- Minced Garlic: For the best flavor, use fresh garlic.
- Garlic Powder: Because you can never go wrong with too much garlic! Add some of this in so your sauce has a little extra savory flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: My favorite blend of herbs! They make the sauce smell and taste amazing.
- Salt and Pepper: Add both to taste.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Using freshly grated parmesan cheese is best. Powdered cheese will create a grainy texture and does not melt through when heated. This is because of all the preservatives that are added.
How to Make Alfredo Sauce From Scratch
Not only does this alfredo sauce recipe use super simple ingredients, but it’s so quick and easy to make! Simply combine all of your ingredients in a skillet and achieve creamy, cheesy goodness. It’s so good!
- Whisk Dairy Ingredients Together: In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Then cook over medium heat and whisk until melted.
- Add In Seasonings: Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Then continue to whisk until smooth.
- Stir in Cheese: Add the grated parmesan cheese.
- Thicken Your Sauce: Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes until it starts to thicken.
- Toss With Pasta: Toss alfredo sauce with your favorite pasta! I always go for fettuccine noodles to make the best fettuccine alfredo ever!
How Many Cups Does It Yield?
When you are done making your alfredo sauce you will be able to fill a tall canning jar. This is about 14 to 16 ounces (1 pound) of pasta or 2 cups of sauce. I like to reserve a little sauce on the side for dipping breadsticks in.
Alfredo Sauce FAQ
This thick, cheesy, and flavorful sauce is a reader favorite for good reason! These are a few common questions I get asked, I hope they help you create the homemade alfredo sauce of your dreams!
- Can I Make Alfredo Sauce With Milk Instead of Cream? Adding milk is always an option. You will end up with a lighter and less thick consistency but it will work. Half and half is another option you can use. If you need to thicken your sauce up a little more, then add 1 to 2 teaspoons of flour until you reach your desired consistency.
- How Do I Make My Sauce Thicker? When adding cream cheese, slowly cut chunks of cream cheese as you are stirring. This helps create a thicker and creamier sauce. You can also use a roux by using an equal amount of butter to flour, about 1 teaspoon.
- Is This Alfredo Sauce Gluten-Free? This recipe is considered gluten-free! It has an amazing flavor without substitutions.
- Is Alfredo Sauce Made With Cheese? This is a cheese-based pasta sauce that is rich in flavor. It does not harden like cheese though.
- Can I Make it Dairy-Free? There are substitutions to make this dairy-free but I do not recommend it if you are looking for an authentic alfredo sauce. Having dairy in the recipe makes it rich, creamy, and smooth. If you absolutely must, then swap out the heavy cream for a dairy-free creamer or nut milk and use dairy-free or vegan cheese crumbles. Keep in mind that the texture may end up slightly different.
- What Protein Can I Add? Alfredo sauce goes so well with chicken or fish. Try this crispy parmesan chicken or garlic brown sugar salmon!
Tips and Variations
I think this sauce is even better than any restaurant that I have been to and the best part is- you can make it yourself! It’s thick, creamy, and rich. The perfect sauce for your favorite pasta. I know that you will quickly agree that it is the BEST! This will be a recipe that you make again and again, just like I do!
- Use a Whisk: Avoid separating your alfredo sauce when mixing it by whisking it together rather than stirring with a spatula.
- Cook Low and Slow: The most important rule is to not overheat your alfredo sauce. Slowly add ingredients on a low heat and for a short period of time. Melted cheese will break and separate once it gets too hot leaving your cheese clumpy. Do not boil or overheat. Boiling will separate and ruin the alfredo sauce. If you are worried about overheating, then add your parmesan with the heat off. This will also prevent clumping!
- Protein Choices: Grilled chicken, fish, shredded rotisserie chicken, or shrimp are great with this sauce!
- Extra Seasonings: Add in more spices and seasonings like red pepper flakes or paprika so your alfredo has a kick of heat, similar to this One Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta.
- Different Cheese: To switch up the flavor, use half Romano cheese or asiago cheese instead of parmesan cheese.
Storing Leftover Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo sauce is a favorite at our house and I know that it won’t last long, even if I double it! Here’s how to store any leftovers so you can enjoy it again and again.
- Storing in the Refrigerator: I like to store my alfredo sauce in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. It will stay good for about 5 days. The ingredients may separate as it sits, so give it a quick stir before you use it.
- Reheating: Slowly is key! Use low temperatures and stir often. If it starts to separate, slowly whisk it back together over low heat on the stovetop. It is best not to microwave this sauce. It becomes more oily and separates just as easily, if not more.
More Amazing Alfredo Recipes
If you love everything alfredo, here are a few more great dishes to try. They’re easy, cheesy, and picky eater approved! What could be better than that? So go ahead, try them out with that tasty batch of alfredo sauce you just made!
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The Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce Ever!
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream or 2 cups
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted.
- Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated parmesan cheese.
- Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Toss it with your favorite pasta!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this be made a day in advance or will it become Grainy and separate?
You can make this a day in advance. You will want to slowly reheat it over the stovetop, stirring occasionally.
I’ve tried several homemade alfredo sauces. They were all a disappointment. This recipe, however, was AMAZING!!!!! This is our new favorite sauce. I used to make a meal with alfredo once every 2-3 weeks, now we use this recipe at least once a week! (Even though it’s so fattening haha we can’t help it!)
Thank you so much for posting this! My whole family loves it!
That is so great to hear! Thank you for sharing!
Do I use Italian seasoning mix out of packet like you would use for making Italian dressing or regular dry Italian seasoning that you sprinkle from a bottle?
You will use the Italian seasoning that you sprinkle from a bottle.
First of all, I’m impressed that you answer the folks that comment~!! I’ve seen so many that don’t 🙁 I’m going to try this tomorrow for a “late” Easter dinner of lamb loin chops, homemade cavatelli, fresh asparagus, broccoli and sweet potatoes. I think the sauce will be great on everything… even the lamb… but I’ll be conservative and just put it on the cavatelli and maybe the green vegg
Hi Alyssa, First of all, I’m impressed that you actually respond to visitor’s comments! Sadly, not many do. I’m going to try this tomorrow and I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Theresa
UGH! I wish I could edit that comment!~ I decided not to give so much detail and leave that for after I made it~~ !!!!
This sauce is very similar to mine. The biggest diference is that I use garlic cream cheese I get drom our local dairy. Other than that it’s a perfect match.
For a spicier twist, add two tablespoons of cajun seasoning, or more as you please.
OMG- this recipe is so delicious – restaurant quality and was the most amazing Alfredo sauce ever made. Treat your taste buds and try this recipe, not only is it awesome but so easy! You will not be disappointed. Everyone loved it!
I made this delicious ?
I added two beaten eggs to the cream before not adding to the pot
Will definitely make his again !!!
if you add bacon or pancetta and an egg you will have carbonera
Let me just say this is the MOST AMAZING Alfredo Sauce that has ever laid upon my tastebuds! WOW just WOW…. this is better that any other alfredo sacue I have ever had (I will never eat another Alfredo sauce again it has al een ruined for me form this day on.), most certainly AMAZING utterly to totally AMAZING.
That Alfredo sauce recipe is amazing! The cream cheese added a great flavor to it!
Hey! What is nutritional info? I am keto so need to keep track.
I like to use skinny taste.com or myfitnesspal.com for any nutritional information. Hope that helps you too!
I subsubstituted half the cream cheese with firm tofu because I didn’t have enough cream cheese, and used garlic powder instead of minced onions. Put in blender then heated in a pan rather than following the instructions, because my brother, who is a great cook, told me I needed to blend the tofu before cooking it.
Ended up great! A little garlicky, but that is my fault. That didn’t make it unenjoyable, though.
I’ve made this recipe a few times. It is absolutely the best! Super delicious! My son loved it. We had it for dinner two days in a row and no complaints. I will never have a store bought Alfredo sauce again. Thank you!
Absolutely love this recipe, it’s one of our all time favorites in our home!! I am having a large group coming over and want to make it but 6 times the recipe, I don’t wanna have it break up tho with all of the butter/cream/cream cheese. Any suggestions on making it??
I would just make two pots of it with it 3 times in each pot if you can. That way you can even serve it that way too at the tables. Hope that helps!
You say this makes 4 servings? How big is each serving? I’m trying to figure out how much bigger I should make this for my family
This will feed about 4 to 6 grown adults. A serving is about a cup. Hope that helps!
My son’s loves when I make chicken Alfredo and that was with the jar sause. I one day decided to make the sause homemade and found this receipt. Now when ever I ask the family what they would like for dinner he yell Chicken Alfredo and for days after will tell people how great his mom’s Alfredo is…
I don’t understand what happened but mine is all curdled 🙁
Sometimes cooking it on high heat will make that curdled. When reheating you will want to warm slowly and stirring frequently.
This is absolutely the best recipe yet. I have made it twice and & gave it to 8 people and they absolutely love it too. One shared it with another friend. This is so easy. Thank you.
I love this recipe. I have used it many many times. I double the sauce and use the sauce to cook my chicken in my instant pot. sooooo good.
Hi I was wondering if you have the calorie and serving size information
I like to use myfitnesspal.com or skinnytaste.com for any nutritional information. Hope you can find what you are looking for.
This is the best alfredo sauce i’ve ever made from scratch. The only thing I change is the amount of butter. i’ve made it with half and it still comes out amazing.
Is this sauce freezeable? What is the best type of container to freeze sauce in?
No, this sauce does not do well frozen. It will last in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 days. Enjoy your alfredo sauce!
Made with for fettuccine noodles and topped everything with rotisserie chicken. It was so easy and was ready quickly! Love!