Alfredo Sauce: the best recipe for a creamy, rich pasta sauce

With its rich, creamy texture and deliciously cheesy, garlicky flavor, there's nothing like biting into pasta coated in homemade alfredo sauce. This delicious white sauce is often served with fettuccine and other types of noodle pasta.

The beauty of Alfredo sauce is that it only calls for seven ingredients, and you can whip it up in no time. Once you make homemade alfredo sauce, you'll never buy jars of it from a store again – this easy Alfredo recipe only takes about five minutes to make.

You can make it a day or two in advance for maximum convenience – perfect for busy weeknights when you want a delicious homecooked meal but are short on time.

What is Alfredo Sauce?

Fettuccine alfredo sauce is a classic white sauce made from garlic, parmesan cheese, butter, cream, and a few seasonings. The sauce is originally from Lazio and is named for Alfredo di Lelio, who famously served this dish in his restaurant in Rome during the first half of the 1900s.

The original fettuccine Alfredo was made with pasta, parmesan, and butter. Fettuccine Alfredo have a long story to tell. This dish made its way to the USA, where other ingredients like cream or milk were added. It's still an incredibly popular dish that can be found at most Italian restaurants in America.

Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce Ingredients

Alfredo sauce gets its richness from heavy whipping cream, butter, and parmesan cheese.

Salt and pepper add a bit of flavor, as does a dash of Italian seasoning.

You can add other ingredients to your sauce if you want to jazz it up, but these ingredients are the basics you'll need.

How to Make Alfredo Sauce

Ready to make a gorgeous, creamy Alfredo sauce that's ready in about five minutes? Here's what to do. Start by letting the butter and heavy cream come to a simmer over low heat. Add in the garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper, and gently stir the sauce for about one minute.

Mix in the parmesan cheese, continuing to stir until it melts into the cream mixture. Add the sauce to your favorite pasta and serve.

Tips for Making the Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce from Scratch

This recipe makes 2 cups of Alfredo sauce.

Alfredo sauce is naturally gluten-free and keto-friendly. To make it more keto-friendly, use grass-fed butter.

If you don't have heavy cream, milk is a suitable substitute, but your sauce won't be as thick or creamy.

If your sauce isn't thickening, continue whisking it over a low flame to cook it down. If that doesn't work, you can mix in a little bit of flour or a cornstarch slurry to achieve your desired thickness.

Alternatively, add milk and cream for an ultra-rich, thick Alfredo sauce.

To make dairy-free Alfredo sauce, use a vegan cheese substitute and vegan whipping cream instead of parmesan and heavy whipping cream.

If you don't want to use parmesan, you can substitute it with other types of cheese.

What to Serve with Alfredo Sauce?

Alfredo sauce is traditionally served over fettuccine or other long noodles. You can add protein to the dish to make it even heartier. Chicken, salmon, shrimp, mushrooms, chopped veggies, and bacon are all popular choices.

However you choose to enjoy it, fettuccine Alfredo is excellent with side dishes like roasted vegetables, homemade garlic bread, sautéed spinach, green salads, and mashed potatoes.

Alfredo Sauce Variations

Once you've mastered traditional Alfredo sauce, try mixing things up. Add in fresh chopped herbs like basil, parsley, or sage.

Make it spicy with a pinch of red chili flakes, or swap out the parmesan for a different type of cheese. Pecorino, cheddar, mozzarella, or gouda would all be delicious.

How to Store Alfredo Sauce

Keep Alfredo sauce in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four to 5 days. Reheat it gently over a low flame, stirring regularly until the sauce is heated through.

Can You Freeze Alfredo Sauce?

Because Alfredo sauce is mostly made from cream and cheese, it doesn't freeze well. It's best to enjoy your Alfredo sauce on the night it was made, or up to a few days after you've prepared it.

Instructions

Bring the butter and cream to a simmer over low heat.

Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Whisk for one minute to combine.

Mix in the parmesan cheese, stirring until melted.

Add to pasta and serve.