Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo sauce is one of those things you’d be crazy NOT to make at home. It’s easier and tastes infinitely better than any jarred alfredo sauce out there.

Homemade alfredo sauce in 15 minutes?! It’s true, friends.

There’s absolutely no excuse NOT to make it from scratch. Seriously.

This recipe for homemade alfredo sauce comes together faster than your pasta boils!

Why This One Works for Real Life

My family loves alfredo. Whenever we have it, the kids devour the entire plate.

It’s easy enough to whip together on a weeknight and you’ll NEVER reach for store-bought alfredo again after trying this recipe.

• Real Life Tip: Although fettuccine is a traditional pasta shape used to serve alfredo sauce, penne is MUCH easier for my kids to eat. Use whichever shape you prefer.

Ingredient Breakdown

• 1/4 cup salted butter, because you NEED real butter for this recipe. You’ll want to melt it down over medium-low heat and watch it so it doesn’t brown. Do NOT use unsalted butter or margarine.
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream – I prefer the kind that’s at least 36% fat content. This ingredient does a lot of work in this recipe, helping to bring all of the flavors together. As the sauce simmers, the heavy cream reduces, thickens and combines with the butter to create the luscious body of this alfredo recipe. Do NOT try to “lighten” the recipe with half-and-half or milk. It will NOT work. You’re likely to end up with a broken, curdled mess.
• 3/4 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese – it’s important to use fresh-shredded cheese here. Pre-shredded parmesan in a can is powdered and has additives that help to prevent clumping. These additives will result in a grainy, chalky alfredo sauce that can’t be rescued.
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add heavy cream and parmesan and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until parmesan has melted and sauce has slightly thickened. Serve immediately.

Alfredo sauce comes together so quickly that I recommend boiling your pasta, preparing your protein and getting your table set before beginning.

How to Make It

• Melt butter in a pan over medium-low heat, watching closely because it will brown quickly. Pour in heavy whipping cream and raise the heat to medium. Simmer for several minutes until it reaches a boil. It will be boiling, but gently – you’ll see small, steady bubbles. Add parmesan cheese, reduce heat, and cook while whisking for about 10 minutes until cheese is melted. The sauce will be very smooth. Take pan off the burner and let it sit 3-5 minutes before combining with pasta. It will appear a little runny, but will thicken as it sits. Combine with drained, still warm pasta immediately after making.
• fettuccine has wide noodles for catching alfredo sauce, but my family loves it over penne as well because it’s easier to eat (think kids).
• sear chicken breast seasoned with McCormick’s Montreal Chicken, slice, and lay on top of pasta.
• shrimp sauteed in a mixture of garlic and butter is a classic addition as well.

Can I make ahead? How should I store alfredo sauce?

You can store leftover sauce with pasta in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 days. To reheat, place in a small saucepan and heat on LOW.

Add some milk or heavy whipping cream, whisking while heating until warmed throughout. Do not microwave at high heat as it will become oily and lose its emulsification.

Do not attempt to freeze, as it will thaw out oily and chunky. Freezing isn’t kind to cream-based sauces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my alfredo sauce too thin?

There are possible reasons for this. One, the sauce needs more time on the stove to melt the parmesan completely.

Make sure to give it at least 10 minutes while whisking the sauce constantly. The parmesan should melt and the sauce should be smooth, not lumpy or clumpy.

Two, once removed from the heat it needs 3-5 minutes to thicken a little. Don’t be fooled into leaving on the heat too long which will ruin the sauce.

Alfredo sauce may appear thin right after cooking, but will thicken when allowed to sit off the heat for 3-5 minutes. If your alfredo sauce is still thin after allowing to sit off heat, cook on low heat an additional 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly, and allow to sit off heat again to thicken.

This means that it did not thicken/reduce enough while it was cooking.

Can I add pasta water to my alfredo sauce?

If the alfredo sauce seems too thick after tossing with pasta, you can always loosen it up with some of the reserved pasta water, reserving 1 cup before draining pasta.

Why is my alfredo sauce grainy?

Powdered cheese does not melt as smoothly. There are additives in canister cheese to keep from clumping and these additives can make your sauce feel gritty.

It won’t go away no matter how long you whisk. Also, heat causes cheese to seize up so make sure that your burner is set to medium-low.

Using a fresh grated parmesan cheese will help as will storing shredded parmesan cheese in the fridge.

Can I use half-and-half instead of cream?

You can, however, it won’t be as flavorful or thick and will separate more easily so cook on a lower heat to compensate. Cream makes all the difference in homemade sauces.

Can I add garlic?

This is not traditional, however, you could always sauté 1-2 cloves of garlic in the butter before adding in the cream for an amazing flavor. Make sure that it does not brown.

Can I use a different kind of cheese?

The best alfredo sauce is made with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Try to avoid powdered cheese.

How much pasta does this alfredo sauce recipe cover?

This recipe makes enough alfredo sauce for 4-5 servings of pasta. Want more?

Just double the recipe. Keep the ingredients in the same proportion.

Is this sauce like Olive Garden alfredo sauce?

I am not exactly sure what’s in Olive Garden sauce, however, it’s a cream, butter, and parmesan base just like this recipe so it’s 90% there. This recipe takes about 15 minutes and will be your new weeknight go-to recipe.

Related Recipes

Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole, representing all of the goodness of fettuccine alfredo baked into a casserole and topped with crispy bacon.

Crockpot Ravioli Casserole, being an easy slow cooker casserole recipe with ravioli and creamy sauce that is perfect for busy weeknights or entertaining.