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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.
This is the best Alfredo Sauce I’ve ever had! Do make sure you use freshly grated Parmesan. This tastes like it came from the best Italian restaurant you have ever eaten at. Thank you so much Shari for sharing this recipe. It will be a family favorite for a very long time!!!
This is an amazing recipe. Hands down the best tasting alfredo my family has ever had. Thank you so much for Shari g this! It literally should be trademarked! Fir anyone who just happens upon this, trust me. It is so easy to make. Just follow the directions. This is definitely one you will make over and over again. You’ll never want a restaurant version again! 5 stars!
Bar far the best always sharing this recipe. My kids and husband say this the best Alfredo they had!!!
I love this alfredo sauce recipe. Every once in awhile I add a little bit of lemon zest to change it up. Thank you!
How much pasta do I need for this recipe?
This recipe can use a package of pasta. It depends on how much each person will be using per plate.
This is the most amazing recipe ever. My kids love it! Most of all my mom. When she was going through chemo everything she tried to eat tasted like metal. Except for this! Every time I was there to visit she would ask me to make it for her. Unfortunately she lost her battle with cancer last November but at least I was able to give her something that she could enjoy eating!
Taste was good but it was too thin and runny even though I followed the recipe to t just subbed with milk because I had no cream. I thought with all that Cream
Cheese and real Parmesan, not the powdered stuff, that it would be fine but I was a bit sad to find all those premium ingredients gave me an inferior consistancy, we family of three gobbled it up anyhow, the flavour was good and I added white meat chicken and shrimp which is my favourite way to have Linguine Alfredo, yummy
It was runny because u used milk i stead of heavy whipping cream.
Milk will always make it thinner. The heavy cream would have thickened it. I would suggest maybe adding a little flour next time and it should thicken it right up.
It’s because you used milk, you can’t sub out the cream! Remake it with the cream, big difference!
So yummy and creamy. Very flavorful and mixes well together; it’s not too “anything” (salty, herby, etc.) quick and easy too! Thank you!
Great sauce. Would you say serving size is a quarter of a cup?
For this sauce a serving size is about 1/2 cup.
This recipe was amazing! I quartered the recipe because I was just feeding my boyfriend and I, and from someone who barely cooks this was so easy to make. It was so good I’m going to make it again this week, my boyfriend said it was better than alfredo sauces he’s had at restaurants! Thanks for sharing!
I made this for the first time and it turned out wonderful! I did make the mistake of making way more than I needed. It goes a long way!
Bruh! I quadrupled the recipe…added crab meat. Aaaaah….heaven!
What an easy and awesome Alfredo sauce! Thanks for sharing!
Just made this today. I was skeptical because I’ve tried a few alfrado sauces already with lackluster, flavorless results. Now this recipe 😋 AMAZING and SUPER EASY to make!!! Definitely one to store and repeat often in pastas or for dipping! #delish
Loved this recipe. I subbed out the cream with half and half. My teenagers loved it .
My teenage son likes to cook and made this sauce one night for dinner. I honestly didn’t think I even liked alfredo sauce having tried some in the past but this sauce was amazing. We both have make it a few more times since that first time and will continue to do so. Thanks for a great recipe.
Thanks for the Gluten Free recipe. I LOVE Alfredo Sauce and was happy to have this recipe. I will add to my Gluten Free Noodles with Grilled Chicken. 😍
Just found this recipe, AMAZING!! Browned 4 halved chicken breasts, added saute’d mushrooms, covered in more Parmesan and Mozzarella, and baked for 30 min at 375. Delicious!! My new go to Alfredo!!!