Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo Sauce is a fast and easy creamy Italian sauce made with a simple combination of heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, butter, flour and garlic. This Homemade Alfredo Sauce is a classic pasta sauce that only takes about 15 minutes to make.
After many disappointing tastings of jarred sauces, I had to come up with my own recipe that my family will actually enjoy. I’ve created this sauce about 10+ years ago and it’s been the family favorite ever since!
- My Alfredo Sauce has taken me years to perfect. I’ve tried a few different variation and this one is the best by far. I like using freshly grated Parmesan cheese off the block and dry pre-grated Parmesan. The combination of the two makes perfect texture and flavor.
- Like many other classic sauces, you can use Alfredo sauce with so many different dishes as well as the classic shrimp alfredo and chicken alfredo. So the whole jar of sauce can last through several different dinners.
- Alfredo is a classic sauce that is so creamy, cheesy, and comforting. It’s perfect with chicken, seafood, vegetable or to dip some bread sticks in it.
Featured Comment
“This is my go to Alfredo sauce! Thanks for the recipe!” ~Josh
“So darn delicious and super EASY!!” ~ Lesli”
Recipe Tips
Step by step instruction on how to make homemade sauce is below in the recipe card. I want to share my tips with you and some things to remember:
- This sauce is a very easy sauce to make and will only take about 15 minutes and you can make it while pasta and meats are cooking (if using). It’s always best to prepare and measure your ingredients ahead of time, especially in a fast recipe like this one.
- Use a medium sauce pot to prepare the Alfredo Sauce and if you have one, try to use bottom-heavy sauce pot.
- Sauté garlic until it’s fragrant, stir in flour until it’s incorporated with butter and slowly pour in heavy whipping cream.
- Gently stir the mixture together and let it heat through. (Don’t let it boil!) Once heavy cream is hot, whisk in sour cream, Parmesan cheeses, salt, and pepper. Lower heat to medium-low and gently stir until grated cheese starts to melt.
- Once again, do NOT let the cream boil! If your stove runs too hot on medium, start to cook the sauce over lower than medium heat.
- Feel free to add some extra parmesan cheese on top of Fettuccine Alfredo!
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
- Heavy whipping cream: for the best rich and creamy Alfredo, it’s best to use heavy whipping cream and nothing with lower fat content. Do not substitute!
- Flour: use all purpose flour to thicken the sauce and if you need to make it gluten free, use 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour.
- Parmesan cheese: a combination of fresh grated and dry pre-grated (not refrigerated) is perfect for the flavors and the texture because fresh grated Parmesan cheese melts better but pre-grated Parmesan will add a slightly different texture.
- Other cheeses: If you want to bump up the flavor of the sauce, add some fresh grated Asiago, Romano, or Pecorino.
- See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Make Ahead, Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Make Ahead: You can easily prepare the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to use.
- Storing: Store Alfredo sauce in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Reheating (microwave): I don’t really recommend reheating Alfredo Sauce in a microwave because it separates easily if it is overheated. The key to reheating Alfredo sauce is low and slow. If you wish to try and reheat it in a microwave, use lower power setting and heat it up for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between.
- Reheating (sauce pot): The better way to reheat it though is in a small sauce pot, over medium-low heat. Let it warm up slowly, while stirring often.
- One more way to reheat the sauce is to mix cold sauce with hot, freshly cooked pasta. As soon as you drain the boiling water off pasta, add it back to the empty pot and add cold sauce. Mix it together and let hot pasta heat up the sauce.
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Classic Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Alfredo Sauce is a fast and easy creamy Italian sauce made with a simple combination of heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, butter, flour and garlic. This Homemade Alfredo Sauce is a classic pasta sauce that only takes about 15 minutes to make.
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Servings: 6 (Makes about 3 cups)
Calories: 400kcal
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 large clove of garlic pressed
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour (can substitute gluten free flour)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup dry Parmesan cheese
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add pressed garlic and saute until fragrant (just a few seconds).
- Sprinkle flour over it, start whisking, and slowly add heavy whipping cream WHILE whisking constantly. (I suggest using a silicone covered whisk so it doesn't scratch the pot). Heat through over medium heat as you slowly stir.
- Whisk in sour cream, Parmesan cheeses, salt, and pepper. Lower heat to medium-low.
- Keep cooking on medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring often. (Do not let it boil.) Take off heat.
Fettuccine Alfredo:
- This is one of the easiest pasta dishes you can make using this Alfredo sauce recipe. You can cook the pasta while preparing the sauce, drain off pasta water, and mix it with the desired amount of sauce.
- Or, prepare the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it. When you're ready to make the pasta, cook it according to the package instructions, drain, and stir the sauce into the freshly made, still hot fettuccine. (No need to heat up the sauce because the hot pasta in a still hot pot will warm it up nicely.)Feel free to add some extra parmesan cheese on top of Fettuccine Alfredo!
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Notes
- Gluten Free: it is easily make gluten free by using gluten free all purpose flour. There is not much flour that goes into the sauce because the sauce gets most of its thick texture from Parmesan cheese and sour cream. So use the same amount of all purpose gluten free flour as calls for in the recipe.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Heavy whipping cream is the best option for a rich and creamy Alfredo sauce. If you’re in a bind, you can use half and half but it will be slightly thinner and not as rich. To make the sauce thicker when using half and half, add another 1/2 tbsp of flour and use a little more parmesan cheese. Don’t use anything less rich than half and half!
- Lactose Free: If you need to keep this recipe lactose free, use lactose free half and half. Parmesan cheese is aged and aged cheeses are usually naturally lactose free. (As always double check the packaging for sugar content or lactose statement.)
- Storing: Store Alfredo sauce in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it. When you’re ready to make the pasta, cook it according to the package instructions, drain, and stir the sauce into the HOT freshly made fettuccine. The hot pasta will re-heat the sauce!
- DO NOT bring the cream to boil! Cook over medium to medium-low heat. It’s okay to bring the cream to a low and slow simmer but turn the heat down right away.
Nutrition
Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 332mg | Potassium: 91mg | Vitamin A: 1480IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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Classic Italian Sauce Recipes To Try
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on February 3, 2014.
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Super easy to make from ingredients readily available in any grocery store/supermarket and beats ANY AND ALL JARRED SAUCES hands down. Will work with any protein (I tried shrimp, lobster and chicken) or vegetable like broccoli and asparagus. You’ll make this a part of your cooking rotation immediately, I promise you!
I am so glad to hear you like it, Bob! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
This is the best alfredo sauce ever. I do not buy jar sauce anymore. It’s very easy and quick to make. And it is sooooo good. Thank you for all your recipes.
This sauce was so delicious and very quick and easy to make plus it’s so much better than what you buy in the store. I love this recipe thank you.
You are so welcome, Cindy! I am so glad you liked it!
Soooo good and it’s easy to make!! For me the key is to have all ingredients ready before I start making the sauce. My grandson loves this better than the Alfredo at Olive Garden. I use lots of garlic and it sure makes a difference…like 6 to 8 cloves.
I’m so happy to hear that you liked the recipe and find it easy to make! It’s a great tip to have all the ingredients prepared beforehand – it really does make the cooking process smoother. I love that your grandson prefers this homemade version over the Alfredo at Olive Garden – what a wonderful compliment! Thank you for sharing your positive experience and your helpful tips. I hope you and your grandson continue to enjoy many delicious meals together! 😊
You can your sauce will just be thinner.
Could I omit the sour cream?
So darn delicious and super EASY!!
Thank you, Lesli! I am so glad you liked it!
Just found your alfredo sauce recipe. I was wondering can we double or triple this recipe? My family are big pasta eaters so I need tio make sure have enough….love all you recipes. Never disappointed.
Sure, you can double or triple it by using 2 or 3x as much as the recipe calls for and cooking it the same way. I hope you enjoy it!
Do you have to use heavy cream? Has any one tried it with 1/2 & 1/2 or whole milk? Heart condition in the family
Hi! I don’t have any fresh Parmesan. Is it possible to just use a full cup of dry Parmesan for this recipe?
Hi Aleisa,
I do not recommend it because dry parm does not melt as well or have the same smoothness so it’s really best to get a block and grate it.
Really good. Great recipe! Made a super small change. My family likes a little heat added. crushed red pepper flake. I have never used sour cream in Alfredo Sauce. Really glad I found your recipe.
Thank you, Kathy! I am so glad you like it!
This is my go to Alfredo sauce! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for letting me know, I am so glad you liked it!