Homemade Alfredo Sauce
A quick and creamy homemade alfredo sauce that's absolutely divine. Perfect served over pasta, as a dipping sauce for breadsticks, or a delicious pizza sauce.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream see note
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder see note
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese see note
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
-
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cream cheese and turn down the heat. Whisk well until the cream cheese mixes in with the butter and looks kind of clumpy (it will not melt completely at this stage and that is fine).
-
Stir in the cream and garlic powder. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a low simmer. Whisk well until the cream cheese mixes in and sauce is smooth. Leave at a simmer, stirring often for about five minutes or until slightly thickened.
-
Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add any additional salt and pepper, if needed. See note for serving ideas.
Recipe Notes
1. Fresh garlic works great in this recipe too. To use fresh garlic, sauté 2 cloves of minced garlic with the butter for about a minute before adding the cream cheese.
2. I have also successfully made this alfredo sauce with half-n-half, evaporated milk, or whole milk and it is still very good. Everyone needs to try it at least once in their life with the cream, though, because it is to die for good.
3. I have also omitted the Parmesan cheese successfully in this recipe and it is still good. But it is better with it.
4. The recipe makes about 2 to 3 cups of sauce which we usually serve with a 1-pound package of cooked pasta. But that can obviously be adjusted depending on how saucy you like it.
4. To use this alfredo as a pizza sauce or dipping sauce, thicken with flour, 1 teaspoon at a time before adding the Parmesan cheese until the desired consistency is reached.
5. I have frozen this recipe successfully also, although I think it is better made fresh. To freeze, let sauce cool and pack into a quart freezer bag. When reheating, reheat slowly and whisk well to avoid clumps. You may need to add a bit of milk to thin it out slightly