Description
This Best Alfredo Sauce Recipe is a creamy, rich, and flavorful classic Italian sauce made with butter, garlic, heavy cream, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Perfect for draping over fettuccine or your favorite pasta, this homemade sauce is simple to make on the stovetop and can be easily customized with garlic or without. The addition of a roux using flour ensures a smooth, velvety texture that clings beautifully to noodles for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 clove garlic (minced, optional)
- 1 tablespoon flour (optional, see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Instructions
- Melt the butter: In a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat, melt the butter completely. Once melted, add the minced garlic if using and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to brown or burn it.
- Add flour and seasoning: Sprinkle in the flour, salt, and black pepper. This will help create the base for the roux and flavor the sauce.
- Create the roux: Whisk continuously as the flour and butter mixture cooks until it forms a thick, golden-colored paste known as a roux. Reduce heat if the roux starts to brown too quickly to avoid burning.
- Add heavy cream: Slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking constantly to avoid any lumps. Maintain a gentle simmer, stirring continuously for 4 to 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken without boiling.
- Incorporate Parmesan cheese: Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and incorporated, then remove the skillet from the heat.
- Thicken off heat: Continue whisking the sauce off the heat for an additional minute until the sauce thickens further. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve: Pour the Alfredo sauce over cooked pasta such as fettuccine or penne. Garnish with fresh parsley if preferred and serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- If you prefer a garlic-free sauce, simply omit the minced garlic in step 1.
- The flour is optional; omitting it will result in a thinner sauce but still delicious.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and smooth melting; pre-grated cheeses may not melt as well.
- To avoid curdling, keep the heat low and do not allow the sauce to come to a full boil.
- For a lighter version, you can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream, but the sauce may be less rich and creamy.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Alfredo sauce, creamy pasta sauce, homemade Alfredo, Parmesan sauce, Italian sauce, fettuccine sauce
