Homemade Alfredo Sauce

This Homemade Alfredo Sauce is a classic alfredo sauce recipe every home cook needs to know! It’s a rich and creamy white pasta sauce made with a few easy ingredients that you can use for fettuccine alfredo and homemade pizza.

One of the first pasta sauces I’ve ever learned how to make from scratch is Homemade Alfredo Sauce.

It’s a rich and creamy white pasta sauce made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese that’s often tossed with fettuccine alfredo.

My homemade alfredo sauce recipe has a few more ingredients than your traditional alfredo, mainly because they add extra flavor.

I’m half Italian, of course I add onion and garlic to everything. I mean, what sauce doesn’t taste better with onion and garlic added?!

It’s so ridiculously easy to make, every beginner cook should have this in their recipe repertoire. You don’t even need flour to thicken it! Just a few minutes of cooking time to thicken the cream naturally.

I often make it with my shrimp alfredo, but I also make my alfredo mac and cheese for something that’s a little more casual.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Alfredo Sauce

• Has extra flavor – Adding onion and garlic really adds more depth to the sauce
• Makes enough for 4 servings – This small batch alfredo sauce makes just enough to coat 8 ounces pasta. Of course if you want it for future meals, you can easily double the recipe.
• Uses lemon juice – The bright acidity really cuts through the heavy richness of the sauce

Ingredients For Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Here’s what you need to make the best alfredo sauce recipe:

• Butter: The fat needed for the base of your sauce
• Onion and garlic: Adds another layer of flavor
• Heavy cream: Has the required fat content needed to thicken the sauce without flour. Do not substitute milk.
• Parmesan cheese: If your budget allows it, use imported Parmigiano Reggiano (more on that below)
• Lemon juice: A bright pop of acidity that cuts through all that heavy richness.
• Salt and pepper: You won’t need to add as much salt thanks to the Parmesan cheese (a naturally salty ingredient), but you still may want a big pinch or two. The black pepper also adds a touch of spiciness to balance all that fat.

Best Type Of Parmesan Cheese for Alfredo Sauce

Not all Parmesan cheeses are created equal.

Ideally for the best alfredo sauce you want to use Parmigiano Reggiano, which has the iconic rind on it with the holes that spell out its name. It’s imported exclusively from Italy and made with only milk, salt, and rennet.

However it’s pricier than domestic Parmesan, which usually contains additives. And then you have the grated Parmesan in the green can.

I don’t come from a rich household, so I don’t always splurge for the good stuff. That’s why I tested my classic alfredo sauce with each type of Parmesan.

Good news – you can make it with both imported and domestic Parmesan!

In theory you can also make it with the cheese in the green can but it doesn’t melt as well. It also has a different volume, so use half of the amount called for, taste, then add more as needed.

How To Make Homemade Alfredo Sacue

Here’s how to make your alfredo sauce for two:

1. Melt butter then fry onion and garlic until softened.
2. Whisk in the cream and bring to a simmer.
3. Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, black pepper, and additional salt if needed.

Refrigerate leftover alfredo sauce for up to 3 days.

It’ll thicken as it cools, especially if it’s refrigerated. Whisk in more cream to thin it back out to a more desirable consistency.

Recipes Using Alfredo Sauce

Now that your homemade alfredo sauce recipe is ready to go, here are some dinner recipes you can make:

• Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells
• Butternut Squash Alfredo
• Chicken Alfredo Pizza by Midwest Foodie