This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
Alfredo sauce is one of my most popular recipes EVER! This sauce is ultra creamy and belongs on everything. It’s so much better than store-bought and only takes 20 minutes to make!
A Reader’s Review
This was BY FAR the best alfredo recipe I have yet to find! If any of you are looking for online alfredo recipes, you can quit looking. This one is the richest/creamiest/most appetizing one I’ve found yet. I’ve trialed with several and this one beats them all. EXCELLENT recipe!! My husband cannot stop talking about how much ‘better’ my alfredo is this time!
Why You Need to Make This Alfredo Sauce Today!
- It’s so good, I eat it with a spoon! I “test” it so many times while cooking that I’m usually full before dinner even starts. It’s that creamy, cheesy, and irresistible.
- Cream cheese makes it next-level! This is my secret ingredient! It adds the perfect tang and smooth texture that most Alfredo sauces are missing.
- You won’t believe how simple and fast this is! It tastes fancy, but it’s so easy. One pan, a few ingredients, and 20 minutes later, you’re a dinner hero.
Ingredients Needed
- Different Cheese: To switch up the flavor, use half Romano cheese or Asiago cheese instead of Parmesan cheese.
- Do I have to use cream cheese? You can omit the cream cheese, but I suggest replacing it with 1/2 cup of additional heavy cream.
- Fresh or canned Parmesan? Freshly grated Parmesan is a must! The stuff in a can will make the sauce grainy, and the pre-shredded kind will end up very clumpy.
- Can I substitute the heavy Cream? You can use milk or half & half instead. The sauce will be lighter, but still tasty.
- Make it spicy! You can add in more spices and seasonings like red pepper flakes or paprika so your Alfredo has a little kick to it! Similar to this Cajun Alfredo pasta!
- What protein can I add? Alfredo sauce goes so well with chicken or shrimp.
How to Make Alfredo Sauce from Scratch
Not only does this Alfredo sauce use simple, everyday ingredients, but it also comes together in minutes.
- Melt: Add the butter, cream, and cream cheese to a medium pan and whisk over medium heat until melted.
- Whisk: Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and whisk until combined. Make sure to whisk it together rather than stirring with a spatula. This will help your Alfredo sauce not to separate.
- Gradually Add Cheese: Continue to whisk until smooth before gradually adding the Parmesan cheese. (Overheating can cause the cheese to break and turn clumpy. Keep the heat low, stir gently, and avoid boiling. For best results, add the Parmesan off heat to help it melt smoothly.)
- Simmer and Serve: Bring to a simmer and whisk for about 3-5 minutes or until it thickens. Toss it with fettuccine noodles and serve immediately.
Alyssa’s Pro Tips
Want a thicker sauce? Cut the cream cheese up into cubes and add in small amounts at a time while stirring. It melts evenly and enhances the texture. If needed, whisk together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir it in to thicken further.
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.
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!
- In the Fridge: Store your homemade Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat your sauce on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often. It is best not to microwave this sauce because it can cause the sauce to break and turn oily.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 pint
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add ½ cup unsalted butter, 2 cups heavy whipping cream, and 4 ounces cream cheese to a medium saucepan and whisk over medium heat until melted.
- Add ½ teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Continue to whisk until smooth before gradually adding 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Bring to a simmer and continue to whisk for about 3-5 minutes or until it thickens. Toss it with your favorite pasta and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We love this recipe, but every time I make it, the butter separates from the alfredo sauce. Today I tried putting the entire thing in a food processor, but the butter still didn’t incorporate. What am I doing wrong, and how can I correct it? We love the chicken broccoli garlic alfredo shells; in fact, I made it today to freeze and take on vacation with us!
Hi Eileen — Two things, Alfredo sauce unfortunately will not freeze and reheat well at all. You can refrigerate for a few days though and then reheat on a lower heat (you don’t want it to curdle).
The other thing is if you are having trouble with whisking the cream and butter together, you could use an immersion blender right in the sauce pan as it cooks. With the blender running, add the cream to the melted better a bit at a time or in a slow stream. I do this sometimes and it works really well and the sauce stays homogenized. I hope this helps.
By far the best alfredo sauce I’ve ever eaten! I made this tonight and added chicken and shrimp and tossed with fettuccine. My whole family loved it!
I made this for my husband and neighbors. I can not tell you how much they loved it. We are making left overs on Sunday! This is definitely a keeper!
Absolutely the BEST. I have usually bought jarred alfredo and then “doctored” it up for more flavor. This recipe is so easy and delicious! I had started shrimp alfredo last night, and then had to throw the garlic, onions etc in the fridge to deal with a family urgency. By then, 2 am and didnt eat now, I just made your sauce, and my shrimp, snap peas, shitake mushrooms, etc and tossed it in your sauce. Omg Amazing! Thank you!
Wow, that really is delicious! Better than restaurants!
My daughter would like to make this for her open house. Do you think making it the day before and under cooking the noodles a bit would be ok? We would like to mix the sauce with the noodles and then warm it up in the oven the next day.
I would recommend making the Alfredo, then making the noodles the next day and reheating the Alfredo slowly so it does not clump together or curdle.
When you say grated Parmesan cheese do you mean fresh grated Parmesan or Parmesan in the can? Thank you!
I prefer fresh for that extra cheesy flavor but powdered is great too!
Absolutely ahhhhhhmayzazing!!!
I love this recipe. Can the leftover sauce be frozen?
No, unfortunately, this sauce is not freezable. It will last in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.
Can this be made ahead and refrigerated?
YES! It can be left in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Not frozen though.
Can I use half and half instead of heavy whipping cream? Or would that not be as tasty.
Yes, that will work; however, you will lose the thickness of the sauce as well as the texture and flavor. I would prefer the heavy whipping cream instead.
Seriously. Best alfredo sauce ever. Thank you so much! I was even out of cream and used lactose free 2% milk – it was still amazing.
I added a little more spice than the recipe and a few good dashes of hot sauce yummy
AWESOME!!!!!!✨?❤️……..
This was the best one I’ve seen yet thank you so much.
I’m making this right now I have used your recipe for a while. It’s very good. When I run out of parm I use the pregrated in the tub. I also ran out of fett noodles so I’ll use rigatoni today 🙂 very interchangeable recipe. Thank you
I’ve made this recipe several times. It’s super quick to make and easy to put together. Far better than store bought alfredo from a jar. My two kids (who can be picky) and husband love it. I don’t normally leave reviews, but this recipe I keep coming back to. The only thing I change is the amount of butter. 1/2 cup (1 whole stick) of butter is just way too much. It seperates from the rest of the sauce, especially when cooled/reheated. I’ll use half a stick or less and still same great flavor without so much of a butter flavor.