Once you know how to make alfredo sauce, you’ll never use store-bought alfredo again! This homemade alfredo sauce recipe is easy to make with simple, fresh ingredients, and is ready in UNDER 20 minutes.
Where are my alfredo sauce fans? Alfredo is one of my favorite sauces in the whole wide world. Whether it’s in a fettuccine recipe with chicken or shrimp, or used in an alfredo sauce pizza, you can’t go wrong with alfredo sauce!
What’s my secret about alfredo sauce? I never use it from a jar! Believe me, once you learn how to make alfredo sauce from scratch, you won’t go back.
What is Alfredo Sauce & What’s in it?
To put it simply, alfredo sauce is a thick white sauce used in a variety of different dishes, like fettuccine alfredo.
While alfredo sauce began as a simple combination of butter and parmesan cheese, over time the recipe has been modernized to include more ingredients. In a modernized, American alfredo sauce, you’ll find the following ingredients:
- butter
- heavy cream
- garlic
- salt
- pepper
- cheese
It’s easy to learn how to make alfredo sauce, and it comes together in no time at all, making it a great sauce to have on hand when you need something quick and easy (and delicious!).
How to Make Alfredo Sauce
As mentioned, it’s simple to learn how to make alfredo sauce, and it takes just under 10 minutes! To make alfredo sauce, gather your ingredients and follow these steps:
- Start by heating butter and cream in a medium-sized skillet or pan over medium heat.
- Simmer for 3-4 minutes, before adding garlic. The sauce should start to thicken.
- Once it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, you add in the cheeses, whisking over low heat until the cheese has melted.
- Finish by adding salt and pepper to taste.
That’s it! In just 4 simple steps, you have a gorgeous homemade alfredo sauce!
What cheese is in Alfredo Sauce?
Typically, parmesan cheese is used in alfredo sauce. For this particular recipe, I added mozzarella. By using a mixture of parmesan and mozzarella, you can make your alfredo sauce even more budget-friendly!
I used 3/4 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan. The mozzarella gives it a lovely cheese texture, while the parmesan adds a little sharpness to the flavor of the alfredo sauce.
Is Alfredo Sauce Gluten Free?
In short, yes!
Because they both use cheese as a base, alfredo sauce can be confused with béchamel! Béchamel is a cheese sauce made with a flour and butter base, which is not gluten-free. However, this recipe for alfredo sauce does not contain any wheat products, which is another reason to learn how to make alfredo sauce at home.
More often than not, store-bought sauces are not going to be gluten-free. By making your own, you know exactly what goes into the sauce, and you can feel safe knowing your alfredo sauce is gluten-free!
Can you freeze Alfredo Sauce?
Yes, you can freeze alfredo sauce! Alfredo sauce can be frozen in an air-tight container or freezer-friendly zip lock bag for 1 to 3 months.
After preparing, cool the alfredo sauce, and then freeze immediately. Freezing alfredo sauce is a great way to keep it for longer to use in your favorite alfredo recipes.
Be aware, alfredo sauce can separate when frozen. It should come back together when it’s reheated.
How do you reheat Alfredo Sauce?
Alfredo sauce is easy to reheat! Start by thawing your alfredo sauce overnight in the fridge. In order to avoid the sauce separating, it needs to be reheated slowly and at an even temperature. Place the alfredo sauce in a heatproof bowl, then reheat slowly over a double boiler, whisking so it combines.
To make a double boiler, you need to fill a saucepan 1/4 full with water. The heatproof bowl needs to be large enough to fit over the saucepan so it sits easily on top. Once the water in the bottom saucepan starts to simmer, the heat is transferred to the bowl, evenly heating up the contents.
Uses for Alfredo Sauce
There are SO many different ways you can use alfredo sauce! Try using your alfredo sauce for:
- Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken
- A cheesy Alfredo pizza base
- Top on broccoli or cauliflower for a creamy side dish
- Add to a salad as an alternative salad dressing
- Use as a marinade over pork or whole chicken
- A creamy dip for game day
- A creamy topping for seafood
There are many uses for alfredo sauce, which is why it is such a versatile sauce to have on hand. Plus, it’s so easy to make alfredo sauce! Once you learn how to make alfredo sauce, you won’t be going back to store-bought.
Use your knowledge of how to make alfredo sauce for a delicious recipe like this Chicken Glorioso Pasta Bake!
For more easy pasta recipes to enjoy, try these:
- Comfort Food Pasta Recipes
- Rasta Pasta Recipe for Two
- Sausage and Kale Pasta Dinner for Two
- Cheesy Orzo Pasta Bake
While you’re at it, learn how to make Peri Peri sauce from scratch with this Peri Peri sauce recipe!
Let us know what you make with your alfredo sauce in the comments below! We love to hear about your home cooking.
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Equipment
- Skillet
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup mozzarella
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Heat a medium-sized skillet or fry pan over medium to high heat. Add the 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) and 2 cups heavy cream, and bring to a low simmer. The butter should be melted and the sauce should just start to thicken.
- Add 1 clove minced garlic and stir through.
- Reduce the heat to low, and whisk through the 1/4 cup parmesan and 3/4 cup mozzarella until the sauce thickens and is nice and smooth – about 3-5 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper.
- Cool, and store in an air-tight container to freeze or refrigerate, or use immediately.
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