This Homemade Alfredo Sauce is a quick and easy recipe for making a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce in less than 30 minutes in your own kitchen! It is full of that classic creamy, parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning flavors. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a classic Christmas Eve dinner (we love serving it with the Blackened Chicken)!
Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce
For years, we were buying a jar of Alfredo sauce from our local grocery store not realizing that it is so easy to make your own Alfredo pasta sauce right on your stovetop! It can literally be made while your pasta of choice is cooking alongside it on the stove. Serve this simple Alfredo sauce over fettuccine noodles, linguine noodles, or even spaghetti squash for a delicious dinner that the whole family will love! If you are looking for a dairy-free version try our Vegan Alfredo Sauce!
If you love Alfredo as much as us, you need to try our Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Bake!
What You Will Need
- pasta noodles – we love using classic fettuccine noodles, but pappardelle noodles or linguine noodles are also great options! Looking to keep it gluten-free? Just use your favorite gluten-free noodles or spaghetti squash.
- butter – the perfect way to start this rich, creamy sauce!
- garlic – everything is better with garlic and this is a classic ingredient for any Alfredo sauce recipe.
- heavy cream – option to substitute this with an unsweetened, dairy-free cream, like NutPods. You could also use half & half or regular milk, but they might require more simmering to thicken your sauce.
- kosher salt & ground black pepper – just a pinch of each for the perfect simple seasoning.
- parmesan cheese – it takes some extra time but we love to freshly grate parmesan cheese for this!
- reserved pasta water – place a bowl under your colander when straining your noodles to reserve some pasta water that can be used to thin out your sauce, if it gets a little too thick.
What Is Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo sauce is an easy and flavorful pasta sauce that has a rich, creamy texture. It traditionally has buttery, parmesan, and garlic flavors that perfectly coat any of your favorite noodles! Many people love enjoying this amazing pasta during the colder, winter months or even for Christmas Eve dinner.
What Can I Use Instead Of Heavy Cream For Alfredo Sauce
There are a few different options for getting that smooth, creamy texture. We love using heavy cream, but you can also use half & half or even regular milk. Both of those might require a slightly longer simmer time if you prefer a thicker sauce or you can keep it at a thinner consistency. We have also tested this recipe card with an unsweetened, dairy-free cream (NutPods) and that also works great (and is actually what I prefer to lighten your traditionally heavy alfredo sauce a bit)!
How To Make Homemade Alfredo Sauce
This easy pasta sauce cooks up quickly, so it is best to gather your ingredients before you begin cooking.
Now grab a large cast iron skillet and begin melting your butter on medium high heat. Then add the garlic and move around until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Next, whisk in your cream of choice along with the seasonings. Continue whisking for about 10 minutes while the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
Then remove the sauce from the heat and mix in your fresh parmesan cheese.
After the parmesan has fully melted you can add in a bit of reserved pasta water if you need to thin out your sauce at all. Just add and whisk until it reaches your desired consistency and then add your al dente noodles to the pan. Mix to coat and serve immediately!
Best Ways To Serve Homemade Alfredo Sauce
You can keep this Alfredo pasta sauce simple and serve over your favorite noodles with a garnish of fresh parsley and parmesan or you can dress it up with your favorite vegetables or protein. We love adding in some grilled chicken breasts or pan-fried shrimp. Toss in some fresh vegetables, like steamed broccoli or roasted broccolini for a pop of color and added nutrition!
Recipe FAQ
- leftovers: any leftover sauce or pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- freezing: you can, but it is not recommended. The creamy base of this sauce doesn’t reheat very well. You end up with more of a grainy texture.
- how to thicken Alfredo sauce: this can easily be done by simmering your sauce for a longer time. The longer you simmer the sauce, the more liquid cooks off resulting in a thicker sauce.
- how to thin Alfredo sauce: simply add in a bit of reserved pasta water or more cream to thin out the sauce to your desired thickness.
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Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Description
Homemade Alfredo Sauce – a simple and easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce recipe that is perfect for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fettuccine noodles (regular or gluten-free) (pappardelle works too)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2–3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 cup dairy free, unsweetened cream OR heavy cream*
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- pinch of kosher salt**
- 2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- fresh parsley and additional grated parmesan for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta, al dente, according to package instructions – reserve approx. 1/2 cup of pasta water!
- Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add butter to pan and let melt.
- Add garlic to the pan and and move around until fragrant, approx. 30 seconds.
- Add heavy cream (or dairy-free alternative) along with Italian seasoning, pepper and pinch of salt. Whisk together and let simmer and reduce approx. 10 minutes, whisking fairly constantly.
- Once mixture has thickened, remove from heat and gently whisk in parmesan cheese until it has melted. Add cooked noodles to the skillet and toss to combine. Add splashes of reserved pasta water to thin, as-needed. Taste and add any additional salt, as desired.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parsley and more grated parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- *Dairy-Free Cream: if you are more sensitive to dairy (but can handle butter and cheese), I like to swap the heavy cream for Nutpods original, unsweetened/unflavored. It worked wonderfully and tasted amazing! Of course if you prefer heavy cream then go for it!
- **Butter/Kosher Salt: if you are using salted butter you might not need to add any salt. If you use unsalted butter just give things a taste and add salt, as needed. The parmesan cheese adds quite a bit of salt.
- Serving: serve with some blackened chicken and steamed broccoli (or roasted broccolini).
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days – add a splash of water to help revive the sauce.
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