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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.
Thank you for the recipe. I followed it as written and it was creamy and good, and most of all, easy to make.
Amazing!
Trying this! Thanks for the comprehensive guide.
I don’t leave comments often but this recipe is deserving of the recognition! This sauce was so simple to make, prepped everything ahead of time, and the suggested tips like grating your own quality Parmesan cheese & using the heavy whipping cream vs milk only added to the creamy goodness! I will add a pinch of chili flakes to add a kick next time. My family loved it and I added chicken which helped soak up some of the extra sauce. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
I made it. It was excellent. Does it freeze well or store?
This Alfredo Sauce does not freeze well unfortunately. It can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
I froze mine and it reheated perfectly fine! I thawed it in the fridge and warmed slowly. Once it begins to warm whisk continuously (somewhat vigorously) and it works perfectly, believe it or not!
I have frozen it several times and it is just as good as the first time. Some have said it separates but I have never had that issue. Hope this helps.
Made this tonite, added broccoli. Delicious!!
I never leave comments on recipes but this recipe is bookmarked and favorited a thousand times over. I love this recipe. It is guilt free, easy to make and dangerously delicious. I use this recipe for pizza, for actually fettuccine alfredo and anything I can think of. It’s a cheesy, white butter sauce in my opinion. It isn’t very salty, just enough flavor and very versatile. Don’t pass on the chance to use this recipe.
This is such a good one. If you find two comments the first one was having trouble going thru but kept saying it did
I make this for supper with asparagus and shrimp and oh my so creamy and stayed right on the noodles. I started eating it right off the spoon before I got it on the fettichini. I have a ton left over because I don’t know how to cook in small batches, so I will have some for lunch and as a side for supper again tomorrow, that is if I can stay out of it between supper and lunch haha
I was in heaven when I ate this. I started eating it right off a spoon before it even got on the noodles. I made it with fettachini, fresh asparagus and frozen shrimp. I loved that the sauce didn’t penetrate the noodles as fast as other sauce does, it stayed right on the noodles and coated them so creamy. This will be a mainstay in my kitchen. I have a hard time making just a little of anything so I have enough for Lunch tomorrow and maybe a side dish for supper, that is if I can leave it alone long enough for supper. Great recipe for sure. keep them coming. Always looking for new recipes.
Delicious , what can I do if I don’t have cream cheese. Only thing I forgot at the store
This sauce was incredible! I doubled the fresh garlic and used fresh herbs from the garden: rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano, equal parts to equal 1tsp. The sauce was quite thick, insanely rich, and came out better than most restaurants. Thank you!
I used your Alfredo recipe with sautéed mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini and peas to make a wonderful primavera. Your recipe is wonderful! Thank you!
Outstanding 🤩
My hubby and I love this with grilled shrimp!! My go to for Alfredo sauce!!
I had some left over crab meat that I wanted to use in something other than a crab cake. Decided to use in an Alfredo sauce. I made this recipe and it was phenomenal! I loved it and can’t stop raving about it. I used Toscano cheese since that’s what I had on hand. Warning it is super rich and a little addictive.
This is the BEST recipe! I added grilled chicken and green peas. I cooked frozen green peas and added them and the chicken at the end. It was better than Carraba’s fettucine alfredo.