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Using just six simple ingredients, you can make the tastiest Creamy Garlic Sauce to use with everything from pasta to pizza! Super creamy, flavorful, and ready in less than 20 minutes.
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Garlic Sauce Recipe
If there’s one thing I love making, it’s a good sauce. Especially one that uses garlic! I’ve made compound butter sauce with garlic, garlic and honey sauce, butter sauce with sage, parmesan garlic wing sauce… the list goes on.
One of my favorite combinations is garlic and Parmesan, and this white cream sauce brings those two flavors together beautifully.
It’s a great sauce for drizzling over pizza and beef kebabs, mixing into lasagna or mac and cheese, dipping chicken wings or bread, a sauce for shrimp, or spread on burgers – you can’t go wrong!
This sauce is amazing!! I did white cheddar instead of parm and evaporated milk with a splash of milk instead of heavy cream, my favorite recipe for garlic sauce so far!!
Haley
Creamy Garlic Sauce Ingredients
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter and salting the sauce yourself, but you can use salted butter. Just taste test before adding any more salt, because Parmesan is salty, too.
- Garlic: You want to use minced fresh garlic or garlic paste for best flavor, not garlic powder.
- All-Purpose Flour: If you need to use gluten-free flour, you can substitute it at a 1:1 ratio.
- Half and Half: You can also use heavy cream or milk, but keep in mind this will change the consistency of the sauce (thicker with cream, thinner with milk).
- Parmesan: I recommend using freshly grated Parmesan for best flavor and texture.
- Parsley: This is optional, but some fresh herbs really add to this sauce. I recommend parsley, but you could use other fresh herbs if you like.
How to Make Garlic Sauce
- In a skillet or small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add in flour, stirring, and cook for about 1 minute, until lightly browned. Stir frequently. Whisk in half and half gradually and season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes – keep stirring now and then. Whisk out any lumps that form. Cook the sauce just until it thickens. When it thickly coats the back of a spoon, it’s ready.
- Stir in Parmesan and parsley, then remove the pan from heat. Serve immediately for best results. It will thicken further off heat. Serve with dishes like pasta, pizza, chicken wings, beef, and more!
Garlic White Sauce Tips
- Stir frequently while cooking to prevent lumps and keep the garlic from burning.
- Cook the sauce until it thickens. When it thickly coats the back of a spoon, it’s ready to take off the heat and serve.
- Serve immediately for best results. The sauce will thicken further after you take it off the heat.
This sauce is super easy to do and it tastes great.
Chanseang
What to Serve with White Garlic Sauce
- Beef Kebabs: I originally developed this recipe to serve with my beef kebabs, and highly recommend the pairing!
- Pizza: I love serving this as a sauce for white sauce pizza, or using it as a dip for pizza with BBQ chicken.
- Lasagna: You can make this into a white sauce for lasagna easily. Try it as a sauce replacement for my sausage lasagna.
- Mac & Cheese: White sauce mac and cheese is delicious! My bacon mac is a great pairing with white sauce.
- Shrimp: I love serving my shrimp linguine with white garlic sauce.
- Veggies: This is a great dip for veggies, like air fried broccoli.
Garlic Sauce FAQ
Yes! You can make this easy white sauce 3-4 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat over low heat on the stove.
You sure can. This sauce actually freezes quite well. I love making a big batch and freezing it for future uses. Store in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 4-6 months.
The sauce was easy to make and a very delicious dip!
Angela on Pinterest
Recipe
Garlic Sauce
Equipment
- Large non-stick skillet
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter salted
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 4 grated garlic cloves
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley 1-2 tablespoons, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt 4 Tablespoons butter over medium heat, then add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add in 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, stirring, and cook for about 1 minute, until lightly browned. Stir frequently. Whisk in 2 cups half and half gradually and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes – keep stirring now and then. Whisk out any lumps that form. Cook the sauce just until it thickens. When it thickly coats the back of a spoon, it's ready.
- Stir in ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese and 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, then remove pan from heat. Serve immediately for best results. It will thicken further off heat.
Notes
- Stir frequently throughout the cooking process. You don’t want the garlic to burn or the sauce to become lumpy.
- Cook the sauce just until it thickens. When it thickly coats the back of a spoon, it’s ready.
- Serve immediately for best results. It will thicken further off heat.
Patty from Phoenix says
I love garlic and your sauce was amazing.
Isabel Laessig says
Thank you so much, Patty! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!