This Homemade Alfredo Sauce recipe is rich and creamy, made from scratch, and the perfect pair for your favorite pasta. Quick and easy this delicious sauce is made in just 10 minutes to make a simple weeknight meal or cozy Sunday dinner with family. For a quick overview of this recipe, check out my web story for this tasty alfredo sauce.
There is nothing like a good homemade alfredo sauce slathered all over freshly cooked pasta. This recipe is a family favorite and is not only quick to make, but it's packed full of amazing flavor. Growing up I wasn't a huge fan of marinara, so alfredo was always my first pick. Its rich and creamy flavor is the perfect comfort food when you are in need of a pick me up!
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🍝 Ingredient notes
- Butter, garlic & flour - These ingredients are used as the base of this sauce to make a roux. A roux is a thickener made from equal parts flour and fat used to thicken sauces and soups.
- Half and Half - The half and half will help give this sauce a rich and creamy flavor without it being too heavy. For a lighter sauce, use milk or for a more rich sauce, use heavy cream instead.
- Pasta water - This is used to thin out the sauce to the desired consistency and also adds extra creaminess and helps the pasta bind to the sauce. Milk or vegetable broth can be used as an alternative.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Melt the butter in your pan until it stops bubbling and foaming. Add your garlic and cook it until you start to smell it. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it while cooking for 1-2 minutes.
Next, whisk in your half and half and continue cooking while stirring until it starts to thicken up. Then mix in the parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Lastly, add 1-2 cups of the pasta cooking water or milk will help thin it to the desired consistency.
⭐ Top tip
If you are using this alfredo sauce for pasta, I highly recommend adding some of the pasta cooking water to the sauce. Not only does it add flavor to the sauce, but it also helps bind the sauce to the pasta and make the sauce extra creamy.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 pint half and half
- ½ cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1-2 cups pasta cooking water or milk
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium-high heat until it stops foaming. Stir in chopped garlic, allowing to cook for about 30-60 seconds, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn.
- Pour in half and half and whisk to combine. Lower heat to medium and cook while whisking until sauce thickens.
- Remove pan from the heat and whisk in parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- If serving this with pasta, reserve 1-2 cups of the pasta cooking water to whisk into the sauce at the end to achieve the desired consistency. Milk can also be used as a substitute for this step.
Nutrition
🍽 What to make with alfredo
- Smother fresh homemade spinach fettuccine in this tasty sauce
- Substitute the marinara in this Italian lasagna recipe for white lasagna
- Make a delicious white pizza by substituting the marinara for pizza on the grill
- Make this homemade sauce for chicken broccoli alfredo
🍝 More pasta recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe for my homemade alfredo sauce, check out these other pasta recipes that I know you will love
Don't forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.
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