An easy alfredo sauce that comes together in less than 10 minutes. Who’s ready to start cooking?
Watch how easily this creamy sauce comes together in this quick recipe video.
Toss this rich and creamy sauce with pasta or spread it over pizza for an easy, crowd-pleasing meal.
What is Alfredo Sauce?
You probably best know it in the delicious Fettucine Alfredo and today, I’m showing how you can make your own alfredo sauce for all your family’s favorite meals.
The restaurant/ jarred versions have nothing on this homemade Alfredo sauce and it takes less than 10 minutes to whip up. Whether tossed with pasta or spread over a pizza, it’s one sauce the kids are always up for.
Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
Good thing alfredo sauce ingredients also happen to be common pantry and fridge staples.
This recipe uses half & half to give the sauce a smooth velvet texture. Some people prefer a combination of milk and heavy cream which works well too, but keeping it to one liquid keeps everything simple.
For the cheese, this recipe uses cream cheese and grated Parmesan. Classic alfredo is very basic, using only Parmesan, but I find the cream cheese gives it a nice tang and thicker consistency. You can leave it out or swap it for more Parmesan cheese.
Here’s a look at everything you’ll need for this Alfredo sauce:
- Butter
- Garlic
- Cream cheese
- Half & Half
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
How easy is it to make alfredo sauce?
With simple ingredients and a few minutes, you can have fresh homemade alfredo sauce.
It’s also worth mentioning; you’ll need a whisk and some mad whisking skills, both essential for the ultimate, creamy, smooth alfredo sauce.
Step by Step Alfredo Sauce Instructions
You are about to see just how easy this recipe is. This recipe yields about 3 cups, which is just enough for a pound of pasta. When needed, this can also be doubled and tripled.
1. First, you will melt the butter and brown the garlic.
2. Next, add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Pour in the half & half and continue to whisk.
3. Add the cheese and whisk until melted and smooth.
4. Finally season it with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Give it a good stir and voila! Homemade Alfredo sauce.
Be sure to scroll down and print the full recipe from the recipe box below.
Best Recipes Using Alfredo Sauce
I couldn’t leave you without some epic recipes to try with this alfredo sauce! Here are just a few of my favorites.
- Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
- Sausage & Pepper Creole Alfredo
- No-Bake Lasagna– swap it for tomato sauce in this No Bake Lasagna
- Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta
If you love making your own pasta sauces, be sure to check out my Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce and Homemade Broccoli Pesto too.
Like this alfredo, you won’t go back to the jarred version any time soon.
Easy Alfredo Sauce
This easy alfredo sauce is rich, creamy, and the perfect pair for pasta for a crowd-pleasing meal. Best of all, it comes to gether in just 10 minutes.
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Cuisine: Sauces
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, optional
Instructions
- Over medium heat, melt the butter, and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the cream cheese, and keep stirring until melted. Slowly pour in the half and half, and keep whisking.
- Add the Parmesan cheese in small amounts, and keep stirring on medium-low heat until well combined.
- Remove from the heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and top with nutmeg, if using.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 292
- Sugar: 3.6g
- Sodium: 367.8mg
- Fat: 27.5g
- Saturated Fat: 17.4g
- Carbohydrates: 4.2g
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 80.6mg
Kasey Stanley
I love this sauce!! The best ever and its really easy. I panicked at first because the butter and cream cheese was lumpy and curdled looking. I stuck with it and the lumps wisk out with the half and half. Very good resturaunt quality flavor.
★★★★★
MOMables - Laura
Glad you loved this Kasey!
Jenna
I made this easy alfredo sauce yesterday and it was delicious. Super simple, I already had the ingredients on hand and it worked perfectly!
★★★★★
Robin
I just made the homemade Alfredo sauce from your book which involves lots of simmering and it totally curdled. I’ve made cheese sauces plenty of times before so I had a suspicion it would happen, but the recipe seemed so straightforward. What happened??
MOMables
Hi Robin, I’m not sure what happened but it’s the same recipe I use at home and have since I shared this post 5 years ago and in my book. I”m sorry it did not turn out for you.
Kelly
I made this tonight and it turned out good. I used 1% milk, low fat cream cheese and half and half. It was a bit thin, so I just stirred in a little more cream cheese, then thickened it with a teeny bit of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water. I used it with spaghetti squash. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★
Jamie
Mine turned out far too runny. I had to make a roux and add it in. I used half and half and full fat cream cheese, so I’m not sure why.
Melissa prado
How can this be stored? and for how long?
MOMables
4 days in the refrigerator but you can double or more and freeze extras.
Emily S.
Did you just add the nutmeg at the end?
MOMables
usually when cooking.
Sarah
I made this last night and could not get the cream cheese to completely melt, I followed the directions to the T but it became lumpy and inediable. Any idea what I might have done wrong? I used 1/2 & 1/2.
Laura
what kind of cream cheese did you use Sarah? I know some low fat and non fat versions clump. Regular cream cheese should melt fine.
katlynn
Can i use regular milk or buttermilk instead of 1/2 & 1/2?
Laura
yes, I’m sure you could Katlynn. Just don’t use anything less than 2%. Otherwise it won’t have the creamy alfredo consistency and it will be runny.
marla
This looks yummy! Could you please tell me what a half stick of butter is in cups or tablespoons? I’m in Mexico and our butter is sold in the different size package than in the US. Thanks!
Mui
half a stick of butter is 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup.
Laura
thank you!
Laura
Marla, great point! I edited the recipe. But 1/2 stick is 8 Tablespoons or 1/2 cup
Kristi
This is a little confusing….because 1 WHOLE stick of butter is 8 TB and also !/2 cup of butter. !?!
Laura
I stick of butter -as they are wrapped in the USA- is the same thing as 1/2 cup of butter that is also 8 Tablespoons. People look at recipes from all over the world so we had to show what 1 “stick” is. Hope this helps.
Danielle
I understand her confusion. You have written 1/2 a stick of butter (1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons) so you need to edit the recipe to say use a whole stick of butter if you really need 8 tablespoons or if it is 1/2 a stick then 1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons because as it’s written right now it’s expressing 2 different amounts.
Laura
you are correct Danielle. We fully corrected the recipe and we won’t have several of us answering questions at the same time (on our end) lol