Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe | So Rich & Creamy In Just 10 Mins! (2024)

This rich and ultra-creamy homemade alfredo sauce recipe is truly the *best* alfredo sauce that you will ever make! Ready in just 10 minutes with 6 simple ingredients, you are guaranteed to make it over and over again.

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Table of Contents

• Why I Love This Sauce
• Key Ingredients
• How to Make Alfredo Sauce From Scratch
• Chef’s Tips and Variations
• How To Serve Alfredo Sauce
• Get the Recipe
• More Classic Pasta Recipes

Why I Love This Sauce

As a kid, I got so excited whenever I saw chicken alfredo on the menu, it was my favorite restaurant dish. When Jorge and I first got married, we rarely got to go out to eat, so I set off on figuring out how to make alfredo sauce that was rich, thick, and super creamy. It took some trial and error, but I finally nailed it. Almost 16 years later, I am still making this alfredo sauce recipe the exact same way and it’s now my three kids’ favorite dinner too! Here’s why I know you will love it:

• So Creamy: Made with nutty parmesan cheese, rich butter, and heavy cream, this Alfredo sauce is a lusciously rich and creamy sauce that coats every strand of pasta beautifully.
• Quick and Easy: You may think this creamy sauce is hard to make, but it only takes 10 minutes with just a whisk and a skillet!
• Crowd Favorite: To say this easy alfredo sauce is a crowd-pleaser would be a massive understatement! Despite its simplicity, this sauce transforms any dinner into a gourmet meal.
• Budget Friendly: Made with just 6 simple ingredients, this sauce is cheaper to make at home and tastes infinitely better than store-bought versions!

If you agree that homemade sauces can make your entire meal, make sure to also try my irresistibly flavorful “Oh My!” steak sauce. My famous homemade honey mustard and creamy cucumber tzatziki sauce are also must-try sauces!

Key Ingredients

You only need 6 simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand! Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients.Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredient list and exact amounts!

• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream will create the creamiest sauce possible. However you can use a 50/50 combo of heavy cream and whole milk, or half and half, for a lighter sauce. Evaporated milk also works great and is creamier than whole milk.
• Garlic: I always use fresh garlic cloves, not jarred garlic, for the most flavor. And personally, I like to double the garlic because my family loves garlic. You can use 1 teaspoon garlic powder in a pinch.
• Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated parmesan cheese, not the kind in the shaker can. (Read why in the tips section below.) For a slightly different flavor, try another hard cheese like Asiago or Romano cheese.
• Seasoning: Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. You can also add a pinch of Italian seasoning if you like.

How to Make Alfredo Sauce From Scratch

This easy Alfredo sauce recipe comes together in just a few simple steps! Too much heat can burn the butter/garlic and make the cheese clump, so keep it at a steady low-medium heat. Below is a quick recipe overview, but pleasescroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step by step video!

• Simmer: Melt butter in a medium saucepan, add the cream and bring the mixture to a low simmer. Cook, whisking often, for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, and cook for another minute.
• Thicken: Add the parmesan cheese slowly, whisking constantly, until melted and the sauce is smooth. If your sauce becomes too thick, add a little pasta water or more cream to thin it out until your desired consistency.
• Serve: Add salt and pepper, to taste. Toss in your favorite cooked pasta, or use it as a dip or topping, and dinner is served. It really is that simple and easy to make homemade alfredo Sauce!

Chef’s Tips and Variations

• Use fresh parmesan: The most important tip is to use freshly grated parmesan. You can grate it yourself or use the kind found in the refrigerated section. Do not use the green shaker can, it is coated in anti-caking agents and can make your sauce over-thicken or seize up.
• Double the recipe: This sauce will make enough to throughly coat 8 ounces of cooked fettuccine. Double the recipe if you are making 16 ounces (1 pound or standard sized box) of pasta!
• Extra thick: For a super thick sauce, add 1 tablespoon of flour to the melted butter and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Then add the cream and continue with the recipe.
• Lemon cream sauce: For a lemon Alfredo sauce, add fresh lemon juice when you add the cream. For a slight lemon flavor, add juice from half of a lemon. For a very lemon-y Alfredo, add juice from a whole lemon.
• Cream cheese: Alfredo sauce with cream cheese is another common swap made in many American home kitchens. It gives your Alfredo a slightly tangy flavor.
• Nutmeg: Add a little freshly grated nutmeg to add a touch of warmth! Just grab your microplane grater and a whole nutmeg and grate about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, to taste, into the finished sauce.

How To Serve Alfredo Sauce

• Pasta: Just pick your favorite pasta: fettuccine, penne, ziti, spaghetti, etc. It’s also amazing over stuffed ravioli. Don’t forget some homemade breadsticks on the side!
• Meatballs: It’s delicious served over these homemade Italian meatballs.
• Chicken: Drizzle over chicken breasts, use it in this Cajun chicken Alfredo or this chicken broccoli Alfredo bake!
• Pizza: Alfredo sauce makes a perfect white pizza – especially if you top it with some chicken, bacon, or mushrooms.
• Use as a Dip: Any kind of vegetable is delicious dunked in Alfredo! This parmesan roasted broccoli is a personal favorite of ours.

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