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Home » Dinner » Sauce » Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Created: April 6, 2021 Updated: September 13, 2022 by lyuba 59 Comments

51.0K shares
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Alfredo Sauce is a fast and easy creamy sauce made with a simple combination of heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, butter, flour and garlic. This recipe for Homemade Alfredo Sauce is my family’s absolute favorite. Alfredo Sauce is a classic creamy pasta sauce that only takes about 15 minutes to make and features lots of Parmesan cheese.

The best sauce for any of your favorite pasta, Chicken Alfredo, Shrimp Alfredo, poured over broccoli, to dip breadsticks, and many other dishes.

closeup of a glass jar filled with creamy sauce all the way to the top and dripping

HOMEMADE ALFREDO SAUCE

This is my family’s absolute favorite sauce to have with pasta, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables. (I’ve even make some Alfredo for a quick lunch to dip some bread stick into.)  Like many other classic sauces, you can use Alfredo sauce with so many different dishes so the whole jar of sauce can last through several different dinners. 

After many disappointing tastings of jarred sauces, I had to come up with my own recipe that my family will actually enjoy. 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 fresh grated Parmesan cheese and dry Parmesan. The combination of the two makes perfect texture and flavor.

Among all the classic sauces, Alfredo is my favorite one because it’s so creamy, cheesy, and comforting. It’s perfect with chicken, seafood, vegetable or to dip some bread sticks in it. Yes, this sauce can even be served as an appetizer or a dip!

ALFREDO SAUCE INGREDIENTS

ingredients for Alfredo sauce laid out on a cutting board

Heavy whipping cream – for the rich and creamy Alfredo, it’s best to use heavy whipping cream.

Butter – use unsalted butter and add salt to the sauce according to your preference. 

Sour cream – the small amount will add some flavor balance to the cream with it’s tartness. 

Flour – just a little bit to thicken the sauce. 

Garlic – there is just one clove but it will give a very pleasant flavor to the sauce without overpowering it.

Parmesan cheese – a combination of fresh grated and pre-grated is perfect for the flavors and the texture because fresh grated Parmesan cheese melts better but pre-grated Parmesan that you can buy does not. 

Use salt and pepper to taste.

HOW TO MAKE IT

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. 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. Melt butter over medium heat and once butter is melted, add pressed garlic. Cook garlic until it’s fragrant and sprinkle flour over it. Stir and then slowly pour in heavy whipping cream. 

pouring heavy whipping cream into the pot with butter and flour

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.

whisking grated Parmesan cheese added to the pot with heavy cream

Keep cooking over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Once sauce is ready mix it with cooked pasta.

spooning Alfredo sauce out of the sauce pot with a wooden spoon

IS ALFREDO SAUCE GLUTEN FREE?

This Alfredo Sauce recipe is not gluten free BUT 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. The combination of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some dry Parmesan cheese thickens the sauce nicely where only a small amount of flour is needed. 

STORING INSTRUCTIONS

pouring creamy sauce into the glass jar

Store Alfredo sauce in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS

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. 

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. 

fettuccine pasta tossed with Alfredo sauce on a plate with a fork

CLASSIC ITALIAN SAUCE RECIPES TO TRY

Bolognese Sauce – meat based Italian sauce made with vegetables, wine, milk, and a combination beef and pork.

Spaghetti Sauce – Spaghetti sauce, also known as marinara sauce, is a perfect tomato sauce for many classic Italian dinners.

Vodka Sauce – Vodka sauce is a smooth, creamy tomato sauce that is cooked with a hefty addition of vodka to enhance the flavors and aroma.

Pomodoro Sauce – light and fresh tomato-based sauce made with only 5 main ingredients and a couple simple seasonings.

glass jar filled with creamy sauce and some sauce over the edge

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

Classic Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce is a classic creamy pasta sauce that only takes about 15 minutes to make and features lots of Parmesan cheese. It can be served with pasta, chicken, shrimp, broccoli, and many other dishes.
4.72 from 14 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: alfredo sauce, cream sauce, sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 (Makes about 3 cups)
Calories: 400kcal
Author: lyuba

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
US Customary - Metric

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.)

Video

Notes

Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation.

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
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles

title collage of two images of pasta tossed in Alfredo sauce

Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on February 3, 2014. Updated April 6, 2021.

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

51.0K shares

Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Free, Sauce Tagged With: Alfredo, sauce

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.

Comments

  1. Jenna says

    August 31, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    I just loved the Alfredo sauce, as did my children. I have been on your site for hours at a time today. I have been looking for a delicious peanut butter cupcake recipe along with a peanut butter frosting, can you help me out…

    Reply
  2. Gina Gutierrez says

    October 10, 2018 at 9:26 pm

    Obviously it has to go in the fridge, right? I would love to give this as a Christmas gift. What do you suggest? If you have any suggestions! I like making food gifts!

    Reply
  3. Deb says

    October 11, 2018 at 12:12 pm

    I am cooking for a wedding. Having both red sauce and Alfredo. Guest list is 100 so I am trying to prepare as much as possible in advance. Can this be made 2 days in advance and warmed up or will it separate?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • lyuba says

      October 15, 2018 at 10:56 am

      Hi Deb!
      You know, I’ve had it separate on me when I reheated it in the microwave before. You can test it out and make a small batch and then reheat it the next day in a pot. May be if it’s reheated slower, in a pot, it will hold together.
      Best of luck with the catering!

      Reply
  4. Elizabeth DlPidio says

    September 13, 2019 at 8:30 pm

    When you say fresh grated Parmesan and dry Parmesan, what do you mean by dry? Is that the powdered graded cheese you get in the canister? Or is it just grated Parmesan that you buy in the tub by the dairy aisle I understand grated Parmesan fresh off the block. Just don’t know what the dry one is. Thank you. I can’t wait to try your recipe.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth DelPidio says

      September 13, 2019 at 9:14 pm

      5 stars
      I just couldn’t wait to make this and taste it. I used all fresh grated cheese I had previously grated on a microplane. And I halved recipe only because I only needed 1 cup for the tortellini. It tastes awesome and amazing. I never knew how quick and easy it is to make this sauce. And I had all the ingredients at the ready. I won’t be using the jarred sauce anymore.

      Reply
      • LyubaB says

        September 16, 2019 at 2:19 pm

        Hi, Elizabeth! Yes, Parmesan is the cheese in the container, but I am glad it came out good and you liked it! 🙂

        Reply
  5. Jess says

    March 28, 2020 at 8:06 pm

    5 stars
    This is my go to Alfredo sauce! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      March 30, 2020 at 2:05 pm

      Thanks for letting me know, I am so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  6. Kathy says

    April 18, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      April 20, 2020 at 4:27 pm

      Thank you, Kathy! I am so glad you like it!

      Reply
  7. Aleisa says

    August 3, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    Hi! I don’t have any fresh Parmesan. Is it possible to just use a full cup of dry Parmesan for this recipe?

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      August 4, 2020 at 11:45 am

      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.

      Reply
  8. Sharon S says

    January 15, 2021 at 8:58 pm

    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

    Reply
  9. Diane says

    January 27, 2022 at 9:03 am

    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.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      January 31, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      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!

      Reply
  10. Lesli Holt says

    October 26, 2022 at 9:40 pm

    5 stars
    So darn delicious and super EASY!!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      November 1, 2022 at 11:49 am

      Thank you, Lesli! I am so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  11. Jeanie says

    January 27, 2023 at 2:53 pm

    Could I omit the sour cream?

    Reply
  12. LyubaB says

    January 30, 2023 at 4:11 pm

    You can your sauce will just be thinner.

    Reply
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Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

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