In this How to Make Alfredo Sauce recipe I’m sharing my American-style version. It’s creamy, cheesy and amazingly easy to make. Perfect for over any pasta, to pour on top of sautéed chicken, or as a dipping sauce for, or over, vegetables or breadsticks.
How to Make Alfredo Sauce
Fettuccine Alfredo is a classic Italian pasta dish that is beloved here in the States as a comfort food. It gained even more widespread fans via restaurant chains Cheesecake Factory and Olive Garden.
The Alfredo sauce in those restaurants is not the same as an authentic Italian version though. They include heavy cream in their recipes while the original recipe does not.
I’ve even tried some alfredo recipes that use heavy whipping cream and cream cheese as ingredients, while delicious and quite decadent, heavy cream is a sufficient indulgence for me!
Authentic Italian version
Italian chefs use fresh fettuccine that gets tossed with butter and Parmesan cheese. As the freshly grated cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a glossy smooth and rich sauce coating the pasta. This is known as Fettuccine al Burro, or Fettuccine Alfredo as we know it!
I’m sharing with you my American-style version of Alfredo Sauce.
What’s Alfredo Sauce made of?
- butter
- garlic
- cream
- parmesan cheese
- salt
- white pepper
- dash of nutmeg
How do you make Alfredo sauce from scratch?
Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet (cast iron type) over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
To the skillet, whisk in the heavy cream until combined and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, white and black peppers and nutmeg. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve immediately over fettuccini (or pasta of choice), sautéed chicken or as a dipping sauce for, or over, vegetables or breadsticks.
Do I have to use heavy cream?
- You can substitute Half and Half (equal part milk and cream)
- You can also substitute using evaporated milk
- 3 parts milk with 1 part melted butter
- Equal parts milk and Greek yogurt, whisked together
Storing Alfredo Sauce
If you make a large batch and decide to save some for another meal it will last 5 days refrigerated in a sealed container.
What can Alfredo Sauce be used on?
Tossed with pasta of choice, sautéed chicken, or as a dipping sauce for, or over, vegetables or breadsticks.
Watch how to make easy Alfredo Sauce below!
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How to Make Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (See Note 1)
- 2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan (2.5 ounces total, freshly grated)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet (cast iron type) over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- To the skillet, whisk in the heavy cream until combined and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, white and black peppers and nutmeg. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Serve immediately over fettuccini (or pasta of choice), sautéed chicken or as a dipping sauce for, or over, vegetables or breadsticks.
Notes
- Heavy cream substitutions:
- You can substitute Half and Half (equal part milk and cream)
- You can also substitute using evaporated milk
- 3 parts milk with 1 part melted butter
- Equal parts milk and Greek yogurt, whisked together
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Nutrition
This was so much better than jar sauce. It was super yummy and I liked the tutorial. It came out creamy and not gummy. Thanks
I have to agree! I love homemade sauce!
Great tutorial Kevin! It is so easy to just grab a jar at the store, but making from scratch always tastes so much better and you can control the ingredients. Pinning!
Could this sauce be used as a base, with added cheese(s) for Mac n Cheese? If so..would any changes be required?
Definitely Diane and I also have a Cheese Sauce recipe coming out soon, too. It’s quite versatile!