Kiss the jarred sauce goodbye and make this incredibly easy and delicious Homemade Alfredo Sauce instead. It’s an easy addition to some of your favorite types of pasta, including fettuccine, spaghetti, and penne!
What’s in this Alfredo Sauce Recipe?
Who knew it was so simple to make a delicious Homemade Alfredo Sauce for your favorite fettuccine alfredo? Use fresh ingredients to make something that tastes like it came straight out of a restaurant!
- Butter: Make sure you’re using unsalted butter. If it has salt in it, the sauce may taste a bit too salty to you.
- Garlic: Feel free to use pre-minced garlic if you don’t have fresh garlic cloves available to use for this recipe.
- Heavy Cream: This the base of this classic creamy sauce. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can make it using whole milk and full-fat butter.
- Parmesan Cheese: It’s best to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese because of the extra flavor it brings to the sauce compared to bottled Parmesan.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhance the flavors of this sauce.
Pro Tip: Add red chili pepper flakes to the blend of seasonings if you’d like to add a slight bit of spice to your sauce.
Variations on Alfredo Sauce
You can easily change up this homemade Alfredo sauce to meet your needs. For a vegan Alfredo sauce, swap the butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan for vegan alternatives. Follow the same advice to make a dairy-free Alfredo sauce. Fortunately for those on the keto diet, this Alfredo sauce is already keto-friendly, so serve it up with your favorite keto noodles for keto Alfredo! For a light Alfredo sauce, swap the heavy cream for milk or half-and-half.
Yes, this Alfredo sauce is naturally gluten-free. Simply prepare some of your favorite gluten-free pasta, and you’re good to go!
If cold heavy cream is added, it may separate. Room temperature cream incorporates much more easily with the other warm ingredients.
Yes! Instead of 6.4 ounces of Parmesan cheese, use a combination of freshly grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses. For the best-tasting sauce, use high-quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well and isn’t a great option for Alfredo sauce.
To thin out the sauce, gradually add a couple tablespoons of warm water (or pasta water) after the cheese is mixed in.
Yes! For a lighter Alfredo sauce, use whole milk or half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
Store any leftover Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to reheat, don’t microwave the sauce! Instead, warm the sauce in a saucepan set over low heat.
I don’t recommend it. Cream-based recipes don’t typically thaw and reheat well.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop set over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until warmed through. I do not recommend freezing this sauce.
What to Serve with Alfredo Sauce from Scratch
Of course you’ll want to use this homemade alfredo sauce on fettuccine noodles and chicken alfredo, but you can use it in lots of other tasty Italian dishes too. Make chicken alfredo stuffed shells, chicken alfredo gnocchi bake, or chicken alfredo sandwiches.
Try making pasta from scratch for the freshest taste, then add diced chicken, steak, or sausage crumbles for a hearty meal.
Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (¾ stick)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1½ cups heavy cream room temperature
- 6.4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Minced fresh thyme optional
Instructions
For the Alfredo Sauce
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant.1 clove garlic
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in the room temperature heavy cream. Whisk until combined.1½ cups heavy cream
- Once the cream is fully combined, place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Do not let the sauce come to a boil – keep it over low heat.
- Add the grated cheese and continually whisk the sauce together until the cheese is completely melted and evenly combined.6.4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Taste and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.Kosher salt, Ground black pepper, Minced fresh thyme
To Make Fettuccini Alfredo
- Bring water in a large pot to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Once the water is boiling, cook 16 ounces of fettuccine noodles to al dente according to package instructions.
- Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Mix the pasta with the sauce, adding cooking water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Serve immediately.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Make sure you’re using unsalted butter. If it has salt in it, the sauce may taste a bit too salty to you.
- Feel free to use pre-minced garlic if you don’t have fresh garlic cloves available to use for this recipe. It will still work well.
- If you don’t have heavy cream, you can make it using whole milk and full-fat butter.
- It’s best to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese because of the extra flavor it brings to the sauce compared to bottled Parmesan.
- Fresh thyme is an optional ingredient that adds even more flavor to this sauce. However, you don’t need it. If you can’t find it, don’t worry about adding it because the sauce will still taste amazing.
- Add red chili pepper flakes to the blend of seasonings if you’d like to add a slight bit of spice to your sauce.
- If your sauce appears to be too thick, you can thin it out by using some of the reserved pasta water and adding it to the skillet.
- Nutritional information is for the sauce only, not prepared fettuccini Alfredo.
Nutrition Information
Big thumbs up from my picky toddler. So easy and simple thank you!!
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, Lauryn!
I found this recipe and followed all the steps. The only things different was I sprinkled some cayenne pepper over the top and mixed it in instead of red pepper flakes. Delish! Just the right amount of garlic!
That looks great, Rachel! Thanks so much for sharing!
Can I leave out or use less butter?
I don’t recommend modifying the amount of butter, as it is key in helping to emulsify the sauce!
I had to use whole milk for this recipe. I nearly cried and was very close to chucking it all into the trash when the cheese became one big rubbery lump. I am on a tight budget and can’t afford to waste any food.
My son convinced me to keep whisking. It finally turned into something resembling a cheese sauce. Hopefully putting it over hot spinach raviolis will help to thin it out a bit.
Next time I will use a bit of flour like I do when I make other cheese sauces.
Hi Ashen, unfortunately, this recipe was not designed for milk, as it has a much different fat content than heavy cream!
This was a very easy recipe and taste so much better than store bought sauce. I didn’t have Alfredo noodles so I had to use spaghetti noodles and I added Brock and grilled chicken. I will be making this with the proper noodles !!
Thanks so much for sharing, Wendy! It looks delish!
Added shrimp and asparagus too. Yummy!!
That looks absolutely delicious, Emily! Thanks so much for sharing!
Perfect quick & dirty/in a pinch Alfredo sauce. Made a half recipe (4servings) and it was the exact right amount for a 9oz pkg of Buitoni tortellini. Only change I made was 1Tbsp minced garlic because I love my garlic.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Karen!
Made this tonight & added small rings of cooked pork sausage & it was delicious! Side salad & yeast roll for a super supper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Molly!
Made this for dinner tonight. Added sautéed chicken…way simple and tastes phenomenal!
I’m so happy to hear you loved it, Kristi!
The sauce was perfect added scallops and shrimp …delish. Tried to send a photo to your email,but it said wrong address.
I’m so happy to hear you loved it!!