Homemade Alfredo Sauce with Heavy Cream

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This Alfredo liauce is made from a little bit of butter, minced garlic, cream, parmesan cheese and seasonings, it couldn’t be more simple! Don’t love the heavy cream? I have a slimmed down version for you down below!

homemade Alfredo sauce, finished and served over fettuccine pasta

Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce is one of those things that seem super complicated and fancy, but let me tell you, making homemade Alfredo Sauce could not be more simple!

Homemade Alfredo Sauce is far superior to the jarred stuff you buy at the store. First, you can pronounce all of the ingredients plus it honestly takes about the same amount of time to heat up!

If you have an Instant Pot (let’s be honest, if you don’t have one yet, you really should!) make sure to check out my super popular Dump and Start Alfredo Recipe. Homemade sauce just like this only the noodles cook at the same time.. aaaand it only takes 20 minutes start to finish!

Pssst. See the super cute (and totally practical!) spout for my mason jar below?? That is called the Ergo Spout! My friend Kate is the Co-Founder and CEO of this brand new company! I LOVE the spouts. Check them out here if you are interested!

easy Alfredo Sauce finished and in a jar for serving.

Alfredo Sauce with Heavy Cream ingredients

You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own Alfredo Sauce at home! You just need a handful of ingredients

butter
minced garlic, dried (can substitute fresh cloves, if desired)
heavy cream (can substitute evaporated milk, if desired)
parmesan cheese shredded
salt and pepper to taste

What kind of cheese is used in Homemade Alfredo?

Alfredo Sauce is a white creamy sauce that is flavored with garlic and parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese is used to both thicken the sauce and flavor it. Substituting a different kind of cheese would result in a very different flavored sauce.

It is very important to use shredded parmesan cheese that is found in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. The powdered parmesan cheese in the green can will not work in this recipe. Ideally, shredding your own from a wedge of parmesan cheese is best. It melts a lot smoother than the pre-shredded cheese. The pre-shredded cheese will work in a pinch though.

How to make Homemade Alfredo Sauce with Heavy Cream

To make this Alfredo Sauce recipe, you will first melt butter in a sauce pan.
Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add in the heavy cream and bring it to a boil.
Reduce the heat and slowly whisk in the parmesan cheese. At first the parmesan cheese will be stringy, keep stirring over the reduced heat and it will completely melt into the sauce.
Then season with salt and pepper! You can add parsley if you’d like, too.

How To Thicken Home Made Alfredo

Alfredo sauce is a classic Italian sauce made from butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, but sometimes it can become too thin. Fortunately, there are several ways to thicken Alfredo sauce to achieve the perfect consistency:

Use a flour-based roux. To make a roux, you can melt butter in a pan and whisk in an equal amount of flour until it forms a paste. Slowly add this mixture to your sauce and stir until it thickens.
Use cornstarch or arrowroot powder as a thickening agent. Mix a small amount of starch with cold water to create a slurry and then add it to your sauce while it’s simmering.
Reduce the liquid by letting it simmer. This method might take a little longer but will also give a more intense flavor to the sauce.
Grating more parmesan cheese into the sauce and stirring it in, will thicken it and give it a more cheesy flavor.

Keep in mind that these methods may require different measurements, cook time, and testing, adjust the method and ingredient ratios according to your personal preference and desired consistency.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce with No Heavy Cream

I would suggest substituting Evaporated Milk for the heavy cream. Evaporated milk has significantly less calories and fat, but still creates a very creamy sauce.

Home Made Alfredo FAQs

Can Homemade Alfredo Sauce be made ahead?

I guess technically it could be, but I highly suggest eating the sauce right after it is made. The sauce really thickens up once refrigerated and will need extra liquid to thin it out again. This will dilute the sauce which means it won’t be as flavorful. Also, once cheese is melted and then solidified, it never re-melts quite the same.

What is Alfredo sauce?

Alfredo sauce is a creamy and rich sauce that originated in Rome, Italy. It is made by combining butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, to create a smooth and flavorful sauce. It is often served over pasta, such as fettuccine.

Can you freeze Alfredo sauce?

Yes, you can freeze Alfredo sauce for future use. The best way to freeze Alfredo sauce is to let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or a freezer-safe plastic bag. Keep in mind that cream-based sauces, like Alfredo sauce, may separate or change their consistency after freezing and thawing. So, it’s recommendable to add a little bit of milk or cream to it before reheating, to bring it back to its original creamy consistency.

Can you make Alfredo sauce with milk?

Yes, you can use milk instead of cream, but it will not be the same consistency and flavor of traditional Alfredo sauce. You will have to add thickening agents and flavoring to make the taste similar to making it with heavy cream.

Is heavy cream or milk better for Alfredo?

Heavy cream is typically considered to be the best ingredient for making Alfredo sauce because it is richer and has a higher fat content than milk. The high-fat content of the cream creates a smooth and decadent sauce, with a silky texture that is hard to achieve with milk.

What seasonings are good for Alfredo?

There are many seasonings that can be added to Alfredo sauce to enhance the flavor. Some of the most common seasonings used to flavor Alfredo sauce include garlic, onion powder, black pepper, nutmeg and parsley.

Things to make with Alfredo Sauce with Heavy Cream

Alfredo Sauce is a very versatile sauce. Classically it is eaten with al dente fettuccine noodles. You can also use this as a dipping sauce, on white sauce pizzas, or even use it to make stuffed shells!

As for sides, I like to serve oven roasted broccoli, garlic bread, and maybe a fruit salad.

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