Kiss the jarred sauce goodbye and make this incredibly easy and delicious homemade Alfredo sauce instead. Since developing this recipe, it’s been the sauce I crave most often when wanting a quick and easy dinner. This rich and creamy sauce has become a family tradition, and it’s an easy addition to some of my favorite pasta recipes, including fettuccine, spaghetti, and penne!

overhead view of fettuccini alfredo in a white dutch oven with tongs.

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I never knew it was so simple to make a delicious homemade Alfredo sauce for my favorite fettuccine Alfredo! Once I developed this recipe, I’ve never looked back. It’s so much better than store-bought, and also incredibly easy. I use fresh ingredients to make something that tastes like it came straight out of a restaurant in just 15 minutes!

What’s in This Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe?

  • Butter: Makes this sauce super rich. Make sure you’re using unsalted butter. If it has salt in it, the sauce may taste a bit too salty to you. .
  • Garlic: Minced garlic adds a savory and earthy flavor to the sauce. 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.
  • Heavy Cream: Gives the sauce body and a creamy texture. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can make it using whole milk and full-fat butter.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Adds that classic umami flavor to the sauce. It’s best to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese because of the extra flavor it brings to the sauce compared to bottled Parmesan.
  • Spices: Salt, pepper, and thyme season the sauce to perfection.
overhead view of a serving of fettuccini alfredo on a white plate with a fork.
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Tips for Success

  • 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.
  • For a lighter Alfredo sauce, use whole milk or half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
  • If cold heavy cream is added, it may separate. Room temperature cream incorporates much more easily with the other warm ingredients.
  • When the sauce appears to be too thick, I thin it out by using some of the reserved pasta water and adding it to the skillet.

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.

close up overhead view of a serving of fettuccini alfredo on a white plate with a fork.

Serving Suggestions

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, Alfredo pizza, 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.

5-Star Reviews

“This was quick and easy to prepare. My 11y/o who loves cooking did an amazing job following the directions. 10/10 would recommend. Next time she makes it we’ll have to take pics of the sauce at least because it did not last long 🤣” – Divine

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“This was a very easy recipe and taste so much better than store bought sauce.” – Wendy

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“Big thumbs up from my picky toddler. So easy and simple thank you!!” – Lauren

Recipe Card

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

4.74 from 192 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Becky Hardin
overhead view of fettuccini alfredo in a white dutch oven with tongs.
This easy alfredo sauce is perfect for any of your favorite Italian dishes, like fettuccine alfredo and chicken alfredo.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients 

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (¾ stick)
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 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
    overhead view of ingredients for homemade alfredo sauce in individual bowls.
  • 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
    cheese added to butter and heavy cream in a white dutch oven.
  • Taste and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
    Kosher salt, Ground black pepper, Minced fresh thyme
    homemade alfredo sauce in a white dutch oven with a whisk.

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.
    fettuccini alfredo in a white dutch oven.

Video

Becky’s Tips

Yield: This recipe yields approx. 2 cups of Alfredo sauce. 
  • 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.
  • Nutritional information is for the sauce only, not prepared fettuccini Alfredo.
Storage: Store Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this sauce as cream-based recipes don’t typically thaw and reheat well.
Serving: 0.25cupCalories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 8gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 556mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 0.04gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1115IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 234mgIron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Alfredo Sauce Step by Step

Sauté the Garlic: Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add 1 clove of minced garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.

overhead view of ingredients for homemade alfredo sauce in individual bowls.

Add the Cream and Cheese: Pour in 1½ cups of room temperature heavy cream. Whisk until combined. 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 6.4 ounces of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and continually whisk the sauce together until the cheese is completely melted and evenly combined. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

homemade alfredo sauce in a white dutch oven with a whisk.

Make the Pasta: Make Fettuccini Alfredo by cooking 16 ounces of fettuccine noodles to al dente in salted water. Drain and reserve 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.

pasta added to homemade alfredo sauce in a white dutch oven.

More Homemade Sauce Recipes To Try

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.74 from 192 votes (171 ratings without comment)
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47 Comments
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Jenny
Jenny
March 7, 2024 12:50 pm

An you use light cream instead of heavy cream for the Alfredo sauce?

Samantha Marceau
March 7, 2024 1:41 pm
Reply to  Jenny

Yes, but the final product will be less rich and may turn out runnier.

Carrie
Carrie
December 28, 2023 6:28 pm

Simple and delicious thanks for sharing!5 stars

Shelly
Shelly
December 7, 2023 6:38 pm

I substituted milk for heavy cream since heavy cream is to rich for my stomach and added a bit more parm and it turned out great..5 stars

Divine
Divine
December 5, 2023 5:49 pm

This was quick and easy to prepare. My 11y/o who loves cooking did an amazing job following the directions. 10/10 would recommend

Next time she makes it we’ll have to take pics of the sauce at least because it did not last long 🤣5 stars

Samantha Marceau
December 6, 2023 8:16 am
Reply to  Divine

We’re so happy to hear you both enjoyed this recipe, Divine!

Vicki
Vicki
December 5, 2023 9:55 am

Can this be made a day ahead of time?

Samantha Marceau
December 5, 2023 10:07 am
Reply to  Vicki

Absolutely! Reheat in a pot on the stovetop set over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until warmed through.

Sara
Sara
November 7, 2023 1:13 pm

i might give the Alfredo a 9 1/2

Stacey
Stacey
November 6, 2023 6:47 pm

Delicious Alfredo Sauce! After making the sauce, I stirred in sautéed baby bella mushrooms and chicken tortellini. Served with my daughter’s homemade sourdough bread.5 stars

Samantha Marceau
November 7, 2023 9:25 am
Reply to  Stacey

Sounds delish!

FAMILY
FAMILY
November 7, 2023 1:15 pm

good for you all

Lauryn
Lauryn
September 1, 2023 6:41 pm

Big thumbs up from my picky toddler. So easy and simple thank you!!4 stars

71530214248__B95FF46C-47C0-4065-9B21-D6E4E48B084D.fullsizerender.jpeg
Samantha Marceau
September 5, 2023 9:20 am
Reply to  Lauryn

We’re so happy to hear it was a hit, Lauryn!

FAMILY Love
FAMILY Love
November 7, 2023 1:18 pm

To Becky Hardin,
Thanks so much my Mom and Dad don’t like cooking so I’m hooping I can make then happy by making you’re awsome Recipes.Thank you my name is Sara

Samantha Marceau
November 8, 2023 12:29 pm
Reply to  FAMILY Love

Thanks so much for stopping by, Sara! Happy to have you here!

Rachel
Rachel
August 30, 2023 3:41 pm

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!4 stars

71512043375__34BFA0AA-DEF4-436A-B2A3-FF3210FCA26C.jpeg
Samantha Marceau
August 31, 2023 9:39 am
Reply to  Rachel

That looks great, Rachel! Thanks so much for sharing!

L B
L B
August 26, 2023 5:03 pm

Can I leave out or use less butter?

Samantha Marceau
August 28, 2023 9:18 am
Reply to  L B

We don’t recommend modifying the amount of butter, as it is key in helping to emulsify the sauce!