Alfredo Sauce

Put the store-bought jar down—my easy Alfredo will make you a homemade pasta sauce believer. Because it's so simple to make, I highly recommend really taking the time (and choosing the right ingredients) to make this sauce the best it can be. Whether you use it in a classic pasta dish or turn it into a winning appetizer, this is the time to do it right. Read on for my top tips for perfecting this rich, beloved sauce, so you can use it in all your fave recipes:

What People Are Saying:
“Made this for my super picky kids, but I ended up eating it for dinner too!! The garlic flavor is there without being too overwhelming” -infinitezest

How To Make Alfredo Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• Unsalted Butter: This is a super simple recipe with only a few ingredients, and any time we’re working with simple recipes it's important to choose the right ingredients to really make the recipe pop. Unsalted butter gives us better control of the amount of salt in the sauce, because there is nothing worse than an overly salty sauce.
• Garlic: A little bit goes a long way. One clove of garlic here will add a nice aroma and depth of flavor to the sauce without overpowering it. Similarly, it is important to finely grate the garlic before adding it in because we want it to almost dissolve into the sauce.
• Heavy Cream: While you could substitute heavy cream for milk, I think the extra fat content in the heavy cream is what really makes this sauce. A good Alfredo should have some hold and depth to it, and heavy cream is best suited for those purposes.
• Parmesan: Parmesan is the star of the show here. Slightly nutty and oh-so-creamy, the finely grated Parmesan is the perfect balance to create a nice cheesy sauce that still isn’t TOO cheesy.
• Salt: A little bit of salt to taste at the end will enhance the other flavors of the sauce and make it just that little bit more enticing.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

To start this simple sauce, first heat the unsalted butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Once the butter has melted fully, add in the garlic and cook, stirring frequently to achieve an even cook and avoid burning the garlic, for about 2 minutes (until fragrant). The add in the heavy cream, stirring as you do, and allow the cream to come up to a simmer. Cook the simmering cream, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Take the saucepan off of the heat and gradually add in the grated Parmesan, whisking constantly, until all of the Parmesan is incorporated and the sauce is thick and silky without any lumps. Whisk in the salt to taste and serve.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What is Alfredo sauce? Let's start with the basics. Alfredo sauce began its journey from Italy to America in 1914 in Rome. Traditionally, it was made with just cheese and butter (when in Rome!), before American tourists (or silent film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, as legend has it) got involved. In the U.S., it’s made with a combination of melted butter and heavy cream, which is emulsified with grated Parmesan cheese. Some variations also include a touch of nutmeg, cracked black pepper, and/or parsley, though I keep mine more straightforward.
• Use grated or finely chopped garlic. Regular chopping just won’t cut it in this recipe—grated or finely chopped garlic will add more garlicky flavor and will also incorporate more fully into the sauce instead of leaving little garlic bits behind.
• Buy a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano. It’s a major ingredient in this simple recipe, so it's worth seeking out the good stuff and grating it yourself. If the block you have has a rind, look for little dots, a pattern that spells out Parmigiano-Reggiano on the rind of full wheels of the cheese.
• Control the heat. Creamy sauces like low, gentle heat. Pull the heavy cream off the heat when whisking in the Parmesan cheese to prevent the cheese from breaking or clumping.
• Don’t skip the heavy cream. I think it’s worth it to use heavy cream in this recipe, both for its full-fat flavor and silky consistency. If you really need a substitute, you can use half-and-half, but keep in mind you may have to cook the sauce a little longer to reduce it to a thick sauce.

Storage

Store leftover Alfredo in a glass jar or airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Tip: Double or triple the recipe and stash the extra sauce in the freezer, where it will last for up to 1 month.