Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce
on Apr 28, 2022
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce is great for topping pasta or for your casserole dishes. Easy to make from scratch with 4 simple ingredients.
Make sure you’re using fresh parmesan for this pasta sauce recipe- it makes a big difference and tastes way better than store bought! For some other tasty sauces, try our Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce Recipe or our Homemade Pizza Sauce.
Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Making a delicious Alfredo Sauce for all sorts of pasta dishes or some Chicken Alfredo isn’t hard at all! I used to go out and buy jarred alfredo sauce from the store whenever I needed a white sauce for quick weeknight dinners. That was before I realized that I could make Alfredo Sauce from scratch and have it taste way better than the store bought stuff. All you need is 4 ingredients to make this tasty Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce!
subscribe for all the latest deliciousness
While this recipe does have a short ingredients list, you definitely get your mileage out of each one. Garlic- even the jarred stuff- tastes amazing if you brown it up and saute it a little, the heavy cream adds creaminess and plenty of body to the sauce, and butter is… well… butter! Probably the most important part of this Alfredo Sauce Recipe is the parmesan: using good, freshly-grated parmesan cheese is going to be the main thing that makes this sauce taste better than any store bought alfredo sauce. If you do everything right, you’re going to have an amazing Homemade Alfredo Sauce that’s perfect on just about anything and keeps well in the fridge. You’ll find the recipe below- we know you’re all going to love it!
Liked this recipe? Try some of these easy pasta recipes next!
-
For something buttery, garlicky, and creamy, go with our Garlic Parmesan Noodles. These are sort of like a homemade Lipton Noodle side dish: just as easy to make but so much tastier! Packed with parmesan and garlic flavor, these buttery noodles make for a great side dish with almost any meal.
-
If you want something more beefy, simple, and comforting, then make some of our One Pot American Goulash. Goulash is great for feeding a big crowd or family because it’s packed with plenty of inexpensive but filling ingredients: ground beef, crushed tomatoes, and some macaroni elbows. So easy to make up all in one pot too, which means clean-up is a breeze!
-
For a simple but rich-tasting weeknight dinner, boil up some pappardelle and toss with some of our Bolognese Sauce. Meat sauces are so easy to make and can be packed with so much flavor and richness. This sauce will keep well in the fridge or freezer too, so you don’t have to worry about those leftovers.
Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
-
Butter
-
Garlic – Jarred garlic will work perfectly fine for this recipe, so don’t worry if that’s all you have!
-
Heavy Cream – If you feel like your Alfredo Sauce is too thick, feel free to sub in something like half-and-half for this recipe.
-
Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated is going to work best. Pre-grated parmesan never tastes as good as freshly grated parmesan!
How to make Alfredo Sauce from scratch
-
Melt butter over medium/medium-low heat before adding garlic and sautéing for a couple minutes.
-
Mix in the heavy cream and allow to simmer for 6-7 minutes, whisking occasionally.
-
Add in grated parmesan and then whisk until cheese is melted. Use immediately or let cool then store in fridge.
After prepping your ingredients- grating parmesan, mincing garlic if using fresh- you can get right into making the sauce. Start by setting your pan over medium to medium-low heat and tossing in your butter. Let melt then add your garlic.
Sautee that for a minute or two to give it some color and aroma before whisking in your heavy cream. Whisk occasionally and let simmer for 6 or 7 minutes. Make sure you DON’T BOIL the sauce!
At this point, you can add the parmesan in. Whisk the sauce together until the cheese has melted.
Feel free to hit your sauce with some salt and pepper for a bit of seasoning. Hope you enjoy!
How long does Homemade Alfredo Sauce last in the fridge?
Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium low heat, melt butter.
- Add garlic and stir.
- Add heavy cream and wisk to combine.
- Allow to simmer, whisking occasionally, for 6-7 minutes.
- Add Parmesan cheese and whisk continuously until the cheese is melted.
- Add cooked pasta or use in another recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Hello, Can I make this in advance to serve at a reception party for 20 people as a side dish to the main course, and if so how would I keep the cheese sauce warm until serving,
Hi Kathy I have never tried to make this Alfredo Sauce ahead of time, refrigerate freeze, etc. I would think if you made it and then stored it in a slow cooker on the keep warm setting, it would hold up well. I would give it a quick stir from time to time. I hope that helps.
Absolutely delicious! My grandkids love when I make this for them!
Made this over the weekend and it was delicious. This is the simplest and best recipe I have found. Love it. Thanks for sharing!
The sauce is amazingly simple and quite delicious. I’ve made it a handful of times, and in addition to serving it as a simple Alfredo as shown here, I’ve added diced pancetta and frozen peas (or baby spinach leaves w/or w/out stems), as well as, grilled, chunked chicken and frozen peas, shrimp & peas (we like peas!). It’s a great tasting sauce that’s extremely versatile. I encourage those on the fence or those that may, like I initially did, think that it’s too easy to be tasty. It’s not! I was also a bit skeptical because she said she sometimes uses jarred/pre-made Alfredo sauce. Because I’d sooner eat plain pasta than with a jarred Alfredo sauce, I wasn’t sure her sauce would meet my taste expectations, but it’s really good. Someone asked about making it and then refrigerating it. I’ve done this with success. However, using a microwave is possible, but because you must stir it every 30 seconds, it’s much easier to reheat on the stove top and stir frequently– you may need to add a tablespoon or two of cream or milk when reheating just to help release the stronghold between the cheese & cream molecules. Also, do not add the pasta before refrigeration. Because it uses the same amount of pots & pans –one deep pan for the sauce & one pot for the pasta AND it takes the same amount of time to reheat as to cook from scratch, I would only refrigerate to reheat as a leftover as it won’t save any time to make ahead. I’d like to know if anyone has tried freezing the sauce to have it on hand when you want a quick meal but don’t have the ingredients on hand.??
I made 12 gallons of alfedo sauce for a wedding reception, froze it, when it thawed and as i reheated I had to add a bit more half and half I had rave reviews on my sauce
Can this recipe be made in advance and refrigerated over night or put in freezer?
thanks, will do this week
I make mine the same way- with lots of fresh cracked black pepper. Thanks
Is that pepper?
Try adding just a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg to get the real Italian flavor! Do not use ground nutmeg…a world of difference.
This looks delicious and soooo easy. Thanks!