Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (1)

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Table Of Contents hide

  • Why You’ll Love This Alfredo Sauce Recipe
  • What Is Alfredo Sauce?
  • How To Make Alfredo Sauce
  • Tips For Best Results
  • Ways To Use Homemade Alfredo Sauce
  • More Homemade Sauce Recipes
  • Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!)

This easy homemade alfredo sauce recipe is the best way to satisfy comfort food cravings in minutes! Unlike some store-bought sauces, this one is made with clean ingredients, without starch or thickeners. Serve it over your favorite noodles or vegetables for a quick dinner. This recipe for alfredo sauce is so versatile that I included it in my second cookbook to combine with other dishes the book has. And it tastes way better than the jarred kind!

Why You’ll Love This Alfredo Sauce Recipe

  • Rich and creamy
  • Just 4 simple ingredients
  • Ready in 10 minutes
  • Better than store-bought brands
  • Perfect on ANY pasta!
Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (2)

What Is Alfredo Sauce?

Alfredo is a creamy white sauce traditionally made with butter, parmesan cheese, milk or cream, and spices. Store-bought sauces may also contain thickeners (such as flour or cornstarch), vegetable oils, or other added ingredients to keep them shelf stable.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best alfredo sauce ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

  • Butter – I use grass-fed butter here, but any unsalted variety will work.
  • Garlic– I prefer to use fresh garlic cloves, but 1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic or 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder can be used for convenience.
  • Heavy Cream – Sometimes this is called heavy whipping cream on the carton. I don’t recommend regular milk or almond milk for this alfredo sauce recipe, as using these requires thickeners and the final sauce will be too thin.
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese – Adds flavor and thickens the alfredo sauce without a flour roux or cornstarch. Shredded parm should also work, but might take longer to melt. As an alternative, cream cheese can act as a thickener, but the flavor is completely different, so I don’t really recommend it unless you want a tangier cream sauce.
  • Sea Salt & Black Pepper– You’ll want to add a little more than you think you’ll need, since the sauce will mellow out after mixing with ingredients like pasta or vegetables. If you don’t like the appearance of black pepper in your sauce, use white pepper instead.
  • Nutmeg– It’s a classic ingredient for any easy alfredo sauce recipe, but you can omit it if you like.
Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (3)

How To Make Alfredo Sauce

This section shows how to make homemade alfredo sauce, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

  1. Saute the garlic. Melt the butter in amedium to large saucepanover medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
  2. Add the heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, and continue simmering until sauce thickens and reduces by roughly one third.
Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (4)
Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (5)
  1. Thicken with parmesan. Reduce the heat and gradually whisk in the parmesan cheese, until smooth.
  2. Add the spices. You can adjust the spices in this alfredo sauce recipe to your taste. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like.
Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (6)

Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (7)

Tips For Best Results

  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese works best. It melts more smoothly into the sauce than the canned stuff. Pre-grated works okay in a pinch, but may not be as smooth.
  • A large saucepan works best. The larger your pan, the faster the cream will reduce. You can even use a skillet with tall sides!
  • It’s easy to adjust the consistency. For sauce that’s too thick, thin it with more cream. But if you’re wondering how to thicken alfredo sauce, just add extra parmesan to get the right consistency.

Storage & Reheating

  • Store: Pour the alfredo sauce into a covered container and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
  • Reheat: Warm up on the stove over low heat, or in the microwave at low power, stirring occasionally to smooth out lumps. If it’s still not smooth, you can give it a quick blend. This sauce thickens during storage and reheating may cause more moisture to evaporate, so if it’s too thick, add cream to thin out as needed.
  • Freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat from frozen. It may separate when thawed, but reheating will smooth it out.
Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (8)

Ways To Use Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Now that you know how to make alfredo sauce, you need ways to use it! Here are some recipes you can pair with this sauce for a comforting meal:

  • Pasta – For a classic fettuccine alfredo, cook up some fettuccine noodles or your favorite pasta. If you want a lighter option, use spaghetti squash noodles or zucchini noodles (pictured above). Add some quick pan seared chicken breast for a chicken alfredo meal.
  • Proteins – This alfredo sauce recipe actually tastes delicious on meats! Try it on top of healthy baked chicken, grilled shrimp skewers, or even pan seared salmon.
  • Roasted Veggies – Toss roasted broccoli or brussels sprouts in this creamy sauce, or drizzle it on roasted asparagus.
  • Pizza – Alfredo sauce makes a delicious white pizza! Spread it on your favorite crust with toppings like grilled chicken, sauteed spinach, red onions, and fresh or sauteed mushrooms. One of my favorite ways to use it is on a chicken crust pizza!

More Homemade Sauce Recipes

Making your own sauce from scratch is not only healthier, but also super fun and lets you experiment with flavors. Explore some more simple options:

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Recipe Card

Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (14)

4.91 from 175 votes☝️ Click stars to rate or click here to leave a review!

Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!)

This easy homemade alfredo sauce recipe needs just 4 simple ingredients and 10 minutes! It's rich, creamy, and perfect for pasta or veggies.

Cook: 10 minutes

Total: 10 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

  2. Add the heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, then continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken and volume is reduced by about 1/3. (Amount of time will vary depending on the size of your saucepan.)

  3. Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in the Parmesan cheese. Keep whisking over low heat, until smooth.

  4. Stir in nutmeg, sea salt, and black pepper, to taste. If sauce is thicker than you like, you can thin it out with more cream.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1/4 cup

Recipe from The Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories261

Fat25.9g

Protein5g

Total Carbs2.9g

Net Carbs2.8g

Fiber0.1g

Sugar1.9g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:Italian

Keywords:alfredo sauce, alfredo sauce recipe, easy alfredo sauce, homemade alfredo sauce

Calories: 261 kcal

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂

Alfredo Sauce Recipe

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Alfredo Sauce Recipe (4 Ingredients!) - Wholesome Yum (22)
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FAQs

What is the main ingredients in Alfredo sauce? ›

Alfredo Sauce Ingredients

You'll need just five simple ingredients to make this basic Alfredo sauce recipe: butter, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and fresh parsley.

What makes Alfredo sauce taste better? ›

Extra seasonings and spices will go a long way in adding flavor to a boring jar of sauce. Some of my personal favorites include salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, dried basil, oregano, onion powder or seasoned salt. Start with small amounts (1/2 teaspoon at a time) and add as needed, in order to avoid over-spicing.

What is the secret to smooth Alfredo sauce? ›

Add heavy whipping cream, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long.

What's the difference between white sauce and Alfredo sauce? ›

White sauce – also known as béchamel – is made with flour, milk, and butter. It's a basic sauce that can be used as a base for other sauces or as a topping for dishes like lasagna. Alfredo sauce, on the other hand, is made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, and has a much richer flavour than white sauce.

What is authentic Italian Alfredo made of? ›

Real alfredo sauce is made with 3 simple ingredients: butter, Parmesan cheese and fresh fettuccine pasta. There is absolutely no cream in this dish (cream is common in most American-style alfredo sauce recipes). Make this dish with my fresh homemade pasta, fresh sourdough pasta or store-bought fresh pasta.

What mother sauce is Alfredo made from? ›

Bechamel is a white sauce, made of flour, butter and milk. It's typically the base for Alfredo sauce or white country gravy.

What seasoning taste good in Alfredo? ›

Butter: This Alfredo sauce starts with two sticks of butter. Cream: The rich sauce calls for almost a cup of heavy cream. Seasonings: The fettuccine Alfredo is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cheese: You'll need Romano and Parmesan cheeses.

What makes homemade Alfredo sauce thicker? ›

Starch-Based Thickeners
  1. Roux. The most typical way to make an alfredo sauce is to use a roux. ...
  2. Cornstarch. This works as a great thickening agent. ...
  3. Egg Yolks. Egg yolks are a terrific thickener for many things and pasta sauce is one of them. ...
  4. Heavy Cream. ...
  5. Shredded Cheese. ...
  6. Potato.

What makes fettuccine alfredo so good? ›

The original fettuccine Alfredo

The real Alfredo sauce is delicious because of its simplicity. The only ingredients are butter, Parmesan cheese and pepper. That's it! You'll find neither heavy cream nor parsley in the original recipe.

How to keep Alfredo sauce creamy? ›

Mix the cornstarch with some cold water to create a smooth slurry, then whisk it into the sauce while cooking over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add all-purpose flour. Another very common thickening agent that will give your Alfredo sauce a creamy texture.

Why won't my parmesan cheese melt in my Alfredo sauce? ›

The pre-grated packaged parmesan won't melt into the alfredo sauce nearly as well. Instead, buy a brick of parmesan and use a grater to grate it fresh. Don't bring to a boil. Cooking alfredo sauce over too high of heat can cause the cream to curdle and the sauce to break.

How do restaurants keep Alfredo sauce from separating? ›

Use Low Heat: Reheat the sauce on the stove over a low setting. This gradual warming helps to keep the sauce components together. Stir Frequently: Regular stirring is essential in keeping the sauce uniform. A wooden spoon or whisk can be effective in maintaining an even texture.

Which is healthier spaghetti sauce or alfredo sauce? ›

Marinara sauce is lower in calories and fat, making it a preferable sauce choice for those that are counting calories or on a low-fat diet. It also has more fiber than Alfredo sauce as it contains mostly vegetables. Conversely, high-fat diets are on the rise, making Alfredo an ideal sauce for many consumers.

What is the difference between American Alfredo and Italian Alfredo? ›

The alfredo sauce, which now catered to American tastes rather than Italian, evolved to include ingredients like flour, cream, milk, and shrimp or chicken. To this day, di Lelio's original recipe only contains three ingredients: fettuccine, young Parmesan cheese, and butter.

What's the difference between carbonara and alfredo sauce? ›

The difference between alfredo and carbonara is that carbonara contains an egg while alfredo sauce does not. Carbonara is usually thinner in consistency than alfredo sauce, using the egg to coat the noodles instead of relying on the cream.

What are the ingredients in great value Alfredo sauce? ›

INGREDIENTS: WATER, CREAM, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, SUNFLOWER OIL, PARMESAN CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS, MODIFIED EGG YOLK (EGG YOLKS, SALT, PHOSPHOLIPASE), SALT, CONTAINS 0.5% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: ROMANO CHEESE (MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), NATURAL FLAVORS, ROASTED GARLIC ...

What does pasta alfredo contain? ›

Fettuccine Alfredo (Italian: [fettut'tʃiːne alˈfreːdo]) is a pasta dish made with fettuccine, butter, and Parmesan cheese. As the cheese is mixed with freshly cooked, warm fettuccine and ample butter, it melts and emulsifies to form a smooth, rich cheese sauce coating the noodles.

What is store bought Alfredo sauce made of? ›

WATER, CREAM, BUTTER (SWEET CREAM, SALT), GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), SOYBEAN OIL, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, ENZYME MODIFIED EGG YOLK (EGG YOLK, SALT, ENZYME), NONFAT DRY MILK, SALT, AMERICAN SHERRY COOKING WINE (WINE, GRAPE ALCOHOL, SALT, POTASSIUM METABISULFITE [ ...

What ingredients are used to thicken the Alfredo sauce? ›

How to Thicken Alfredo Sauce
  • Cream Cheese. Cube softened cream cheese and whisk into the Alfredo Sauce into a pot over heat until the cheese is smooth. ...
  • Parmesan Cheese. Add some freshly grated good quality Parmesan cheese into the sauce. ...
  • Shredded Cheese. ...
  • Heavy Cream. ...
  • Cornstarch (or Arrowroot) ...
  • Flour. ...
  • Egg Yolks. ...
  • Vegetables.
Oct 3, 2019

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