A rich, creamy and authentic Alfredo sauce is a culinary dream – a handful of herbs and spices hand-tossed in classic cheese that add up to something wonderful.
Alfredo hails from the 1920s in Rome, where it was first created by restaurateur Alfredo di Lello. He rose to fame with his hallmark dish, fettuccine Alfredo, which combine shot fettuccine served with a buttery, creamy and cheesy sauce along with grindings of pepper.
While fettuccine Alfredo is still a classic, Alfredo sauce has acquired a place in many recipes, ranging from veggies and salads to pizzas and pastas. Whenever a rich, creamy sauce is called for, it works exceptionally well.
Although you can save time and buy refrigerated cans of Alfredo sauce from the market, preservatives used in commercial products cannot be avoided. Also, handy and ready-to-use commercial products use food starches as thickeners, which can mute or diminish the authentic flavors of the cheese, cream and butter.
Cooking Alfredo sauce from scratch will taste better and fresher with all the authenticity and flavor of the ingredients intact. Plus, it takes just minutes to make.
So, here’s how to make creamy, luxurious and best homemade Alfredo sauce:
Contents
Method 1: Using Cream Cheese
Things you’ll need:
- Butter – ½ cup
- Cream cheese – ½ cup
- Heavy whipping cream – 1 pint (2 cups)
- Minced or powdered garlic– 1 teaspoon
- Parmesan cheese, grated – 1 cup
- Salt – as per taste
- Pepper – as per taste
Step 1. Melt butter in a skillet
In a medium-sized saucepan or skillet, melt ½ cup of butter over medium heat. Make sure the butter does not get brown. The creamy white color is the hallmark of this recipe.
Step 2. Add cream cheese
Add ½ cup of cream cheese to the butter. Stir it for no longer than 2 minutes.
Step 3. Blend in spices
Blend in 1 teaspoon of garlic powder as well as salt and pepper, as per your taste.
You can also add other herbs like parsley, sage, oregano, rosemary and basil. These work fantastically well to add color and flavor to your sauce.
Step 4. Add cream and stir
Slowly add 2 cups of heavy whipping cream to the mixture. Stir it frequently so that no lumps form.
The cream imparts a slightly grainy, but luxurious and creamy texture to your sauce that cannot be beaten.
Step 5. Add parmesan cheese
Turn off the heat and add 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Make sure the heat is turned off while you add the cheese, as it sticks to the surface and may result in clumpy cheese strings.
You can use pre-grated cheese, but it will not have the intense flavor of freshly grated cheese. So, it is best to grate the cheese just before you want to use it.
Step 6. Stir and enjoy
Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally to ensure that no lumps form. This helps thicken the sauce to a creamy consistency.
Serve immediately over hot, cooked pasta or any other delicacy of your choice. If you intend to store it, refrigerate it in an airtight container after the sauce cools down at room temperature.
Method 2: Using Full-Cream Milk (no cream cheese)
Things you’ll need:
- Butter or margarine – 4 tablespoons
- All-purpose flour – 3 tablespoons
- Minced or powdered garlic– 1 tablespoon
- Full-cream milk – 2 cups
- Cream – 1 cup
- Salt – as per taste
- Pepper – as per taste
- Parmesan cheese, grated – 1 cup
Step 1. Melt the butter
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy bottomed, medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat.
Step 2. Blend in spices
Fuse in 1 tablespoon of powdered garlic, as well as salt and pepper as per your taste.
You can blend in other herbs and condiments of your choice. Basil, rosemary, parsley, sage and oregano work amazingly well to enhance the flavor and color of the sauce.
If you are looking for a spicy tinge, you can fuse in paprika.
Step 3. Add all-purpose flour
Add 3 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
All-purpose flour imparts a soft texture and thicker consistency to the sauce.
Step 4. Pour in full-cream milk and cream
Add 2 cups full-cream milk and 1 cup of cream to the pan.
The cream adds an unbeatable luxurious, soft and creamy texture to the sauce.
Step 5. Add cheese
Turn off the heat and add 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese completely melts into the mixture to become smooth.
Step 6. Stir and cool
Turn the heat on to a simmer. Cook your Alfredo sauce over medium heat, whisking until the sauce achieves a thick consistency. Once thickened, turn off the heat.
Serve immediately with your favorite dish or spread over pasta.
Alfredo sauce thickens as it cools. Allow it to cool for 2 hours at room temperature. Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate it to be used later.
If the sauce thickens too much, thin it out with a small amount of milk.
Additional Tips
- For garnishing and topping, you can add chopped parsley or extra grated parmesan cheese.
- For a healthier sauce, you may use olive oil in place of butter.
- Grating the cheese is an important step while cooking. Otherwise, you may end up with stringy cheese clumps.
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container only after you allow it to cool at room temperature. Alfredo sauce can stay fresh in a refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or you can freeze it for up to 4 to 6 months.