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A quick and easy alfredo sauce recipe made with only 4 ingredients. This creamy pasta sauce is a classic Italian-American weeknight staple that the whole family loves!
Alfredo sauce was the very first thing I learned in culinary school. Not officially, moreso we were in the middle of processing and Chef Paris gave us a quick passing lesson in making fresh pasta and Alfredo sauce.
It was so simple and fast, but the result was a rich, garlicky, creamy sauce that was so well seasoned and made with simple ingredients. Way better than the stuff in the jar we had at home. So today, I'll be showing you how to make the best alfredo sauce you'll ever have (video included!).
Jump to:
- What is Alfredo Sauce?
- Is Alfredo Sauce authentic Italian?
- American-Style Alfredo Sauce
- How to Make Alfredo Sauce from Scratch
- Ingredients
- How does Alfredo Sauce thicken without Flour or Cornstarch?
- What's the difference between bechamel and Alfredo sauce?
- Serve Alfredo sauce with...
- FAQ's
- How to Store and Reheat Alfredo Sauce
- More Pasta Sauces and Pasta Recipes:
- Recommended Tools
- Best Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- How to Store and Reheat Alfredo Sauce
What is Alfredo Sauce?
Alfredo sauce is a creamy white sauce that is popular in the States as an Italian-American pasta dish, usually served as 'chicken fettuccini alfredo' with fettuccine noodles and chopped chicken.
It's an American favorite, though unfortunately many believe it must be a difficult thing to make since there are so many versions of it jarred at the store. I'm here to get you to never grab a jar of pasta sauce again. You can make your own alfredo, honey! And I got all the tips for the best results.
Is Alfredo Sauce authentic Italian?
The biggest question on this dish I've received: is alfredo sauce really Italian?
The answer: ...yes and no.
In 1908, a Roman man named Alfredo di Lelio made his newly postpartum wife a hearty bowl of pasta coated in a thick, creamy sauce made with butter and parmesan cheese to help her recover her strength. She liked it so much, she told him it needed to be on the menu at their family's restaurant. And the classic alfredo sauce was borne.
Now, how'd it become a big hit in the United States? Two big time actors in , Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, visited his restaurant. They went back to Hollywood singing the praises of the fettuccine Alfredo they ate in Rome and even went back and gifted di Lelio golden utensils declaring him 'The King of Noodles'.
This fame followed Alfredo throughout his many decades as the owner of several restaurants, where Hollywood guests and tourists would visit to try his notable pasta. This, unfortunately turned most local Italians off from it, seeing it as a gimmicky tourist dish.
So authentic Italian Alfredo recipe doesn't have cream. Why is the one with cream such a popular recipe and where did it come from?
American-Style Alfredo Sauce
According to The Italian-American Cookbook, Americans looking to replicate Alfredo's Alfredo sauce couldn't find high-quality butter or parmesan cheese that could recreate the creamy, rich sauce on their favorite pasta. Cue the heavy cream. Heavy cream is basically the un-whipped version of butter, with plenty of fat content to make a decadent sauce. And the American version was born.
So I can see where the idea to use it came from. And honestly, it's really good. But with such few and simple ingredients I just want to know why every young girl's Snapchat and so many restaurants use the jarred stuff??? Like why, sis? It's really such an easy recipe!
It really blew up in mainstream popularity once the American casual chain restaurant Olive Garden opened in 1982. Olive garden’s alfredo sauce recipe (which includes a roux) hasn't changed since it opened, and while it is different than this version, it has its own cult following!
...I'm just not paying $20 for a plate of pasta. I don't care if it's one of my favorite things.
How to Make Alfredo Sauce from Scratch
The best homemade alfredo sauce recipe is the most simple one. Seriously, not including salt and pepper, it's only FOUR basic ingredients. The garlic isn't traditional, but it adds tons of flavor.
All you need to do is melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan, or in a sauté pan, then sauté the garlic, and reduce the cream. Then add in a generous amount of fresh parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, let it thicken up some more and boom, your creamy alfredo sauce is ready, honey!
Toss it with your favorite pasta. Lately my family has been enjoying it with herb-chicken filled tortellini (so yum! A fun little spin on chicken alfredo) but use any pasta you like.
Ingredients
Butter. Use what you have, salted or unsalted butter. Just make sure you taste the sauce before adding more salt.
Fresh Garlic Cloves. I add in garlic like I add in vanilla: with my heart. However if your heart can't tell you how much to use, mince up about three cloves.
Heavy Whipping Cream. This isn't a recipe for the authentic Italian alfredo sauce, that's for another post. Nope, this one is the easy peasy Americanized recipe and it calls for plenty of that classic cream sauce.
Fresh Parmesan Cheese. I say it every time: do not use the cheese dust in the green can or any can. Fresh parm only vibes here.
Use a microplane to grate lots of parmesan cheese into the sauce. Don't be stingy, you want a thick, delicious sauce and the cheese definitely helps out here.
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper. Chef Liles would kick my behind for telling you to put black pepper instead of white pepper, but I actually like it more with black pepper, it's the one that's in everyone's home.
How does Alfredo Sauce thicken without Flour or Cornstarch?
As you can see in the video, my alfredo recipe thickens really well without using any thickeners like flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot. How? The cream! Cream has less water in it than milk along with way more fat and milk solids. When the cream reduces the water evaporates, leaving concentrated solids and fat and less liquid.
The cheese also helps. Don't skimp on the cheese.
The starch in the pasta water that'll be attached to the noodles (don't rinse your pasta! Ever!) also thickens the sauce up. There are so many sneaky little ways to thicken up your pasta sauces, guys.
What's the difference between bechamel and Alfredo sauce?
While both are creamy dairy-based white sauces, bechamel is a roux-based sauce, seasoned with nutmeg, and has no cheese in it. It's used as a base in many dishes like potatoes au gratin, or turned into a Mornay sauce by adding cheese and being used in Croque Madame sandwiches (which are SO bomb, btw) and in many macaroni and cheese recipes like Panera's White Cheddar Mac and Cheese.
American alfredo sauce, on the other hand, is thickened cream with parmesan cheese, seasoned very simply with salt and pepper and tons of garlic that's just so right for tossing pasta in.
Serve Alfredo sauce with...
Chopped rotisserie chicken and fettuccine pasta for an easy dinner idea.
Butter Garlic Mushrooms for a meatless monday!
Sautéed shrimp or baked salmon
Ground beef with Italian seasoning
A small squeeze of lemon to brighten up the heaviness for a lighter version and more complex flavor.
FAQ's
Milk has a tendency to curdle when exposed to high heat or acid like lemon juice, so it's not recommended. The fats in cream stabilize the sauce and resisting curdling, since cream has about 36% fat while whole milk has around 3%.
Yes, alfredo sauce will thicken as it cools. It will be pretty stiff once being in the fridge. Make sure to read the sections, How to Store and Reheat, to see how to restore leftover sauce back to its creamy consistency.
First let's talk about how to prevent grainy alfredo sauce. Follow these tips and your sauce will have a perfect texture!
The main ingredients of alfredo are cheese, butter, and cream, right? So what could cause the graininess? One, the dairy becoming unstabilized by getting boiled. So do not allow the sauce to get higher than a simmer, no boiling.
And two, the cheese. Do not use that cheese dust pre-grated stuff at the store. It's covered in cellulose, which helps it not clump in the container but also makes it difficult to melt. Take my advice and get the wedge of parm, they're at every grocery store now and they're pretty affordable, between $3-$6.
You want to use good quality ingredients because this is such a simple recipe. And with good alfredo, there is nowhere to hide. Go get yourself a good wedge of parm. Pro Tip: Use a microplane. It grates the cheese finely so that it will melt easier into the sauce than a cube or big shred of cheese.
So maybe you didn't read my post before starting on the recipe, didn't use the right ingredients, maybe you brought the sauce to a boil, and now you have a weird, gloppy, grainy cheese sauce. Don't worry, there's ways to fix it.
First, take the alfredo off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. You should probably transfer it to another pan so it'll cool down quicker. High heat is a big factor in curdling the cheese.
Next, add in some lemon juice, one tablespoon worth of it. The acid (because we didn't add any in the recipe) will help detangle the cheese's proteins. Once you add the lemon juice, whisk the sauce really well until it's nice and smooth.
Don't have lemon juice? You can use more heavy cream, the fat will help as well. But DON'T use lemon juice and cream together, it won't work.
Alfredo sauce is rich and decadent but I find that adding herbs, whether they're fresh herbs or dried, a nice sized pinch of red pepper flakes, and a little squeeze of lemon juice (not a lot! No more than about a teaspoon or two) brightens up the flavor plenty.
You can also make the sauce your own by sautéing grated onions for more flavor with delicious cremini mushrooms, or adding other tasty veggies.
This recipe is simple to double for more servings. Double every ingredient, you'll have to reduce the cream for just a little bit longer, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Use a splash pasta water from cooking your pasta and whisk it in to loosen up the sauce.
I do not recommend freezing, dairy and cheese-based sauces tend to turn out pretty grainy when you reheat them.
How to Store and Reheat Alfredo Sauce
Store the alfredo sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days separate from the pasta, but the sooner you eat it the easier it is to reheat.
There are two easy methods to reheating alfredo sauce: microwaving, or on the stove.
For the stove: Slowly reheat the alfredo in a pan with a splash of milk, cream, or water, over medium low heat, stirring frequently to keep the alfredo from burning at the bottom, until warmed through.
To microwave: in a microwave-safe bowl, put in your serving of alfredo sauce with about 2 tablespoons of water or milk, stirring it in. They don't need to be incorporated, just make sure the water isn't sitting on the top of the alfredo. Microwave on high for a minute, take it out and mix again, then microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir again, check to see if the sauce is at serving temperature. If not, heat again for 30 seconds to one minute.
The stove top is the best way to reheat it, but if you want your sauce quick, microwaving is the way to go.
More Pasta Sauces and Pasta Recipes:
- Slow Braised Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
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Best Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- Pasta of choice, for serving
- 8 tablespoon 1 stick butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot halfway with water. Bring to a boil, then add pasta and cook for the recommended amount of time on its packaging.
- While the pasta is boiling, in a medium saucepan or large saute pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic to the melted butter, and stir to ensure the garlic doesn't burn. Saute for one minute, you want the garlic to smell fragrant, then stir in the heavy cream.
- Let cream come to a simmer, not a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the cream.
- Add in the parmesan cheese and stir well, the sauce should be smooth. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes, whisking occasionally to ensure the sauce is smooth and thickening.
- Season with the kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, pouring over the prepared pasta and tossing in a serving bowl..
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