01.06.2023
How to Make Alfredo Sauce
Make creamy Alfredo in 10-15 minutes with butter, cream, and parmesan. Learn a lighter milk version, chicken tips, and ways to keep it smooth.
- Classic Alfredo is just butter, heavy cream, and freshly grated parmesan—ready in 10 to 15 minutes.
- For a lighter sauce, swap cream for a flour roux plus milk and add milk gradually to avoid lumps.
- Turn it into Chicken Alfredo by seasoning and cooking breasts, resting, then slicing and serving over pasta.
Alfredo sauce and your favorite pasta is a decadent comfort food and is also fit for serving guests, especially when paired with grilled chicken and garlic bread. A simple Alfredo sauce only takes 10-15 minutes to whip up making it a go-to for weekday meals. Traditional Alfredo sauce is a simple cream sauce made from butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Adding in a few more seasonings brings the flavor of your Alfredo to the next level.
Easy Alfredo Sauce
A good Alfredo sauce consists of only 3 ingredients, butter, heavy cream, and parmesan. Use this easy recipe to get the base of your Alfredo, and then add in any of the seasonings we have suggested to make your signature sauce.
Tools you’ll need:
- Whisk
- Saucepan
Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
Optional ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic or ½ teaspoon roasted granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
- Add the butter and cream to a large skillet and simmer over low heat for 2 minutes
- Whisk in the parmesan cheese and mix until completely melted
- Stir in optional seasonings and simmer for an additional minute
How to Make Alfredo Sauce with Milk
To make a lighter version of traditional Alfredo, you can use milk instead of heavy cream. To do so, simply use the recipe above but substitute the heavy cream with ¼ cup all purpose flour and 3 cups of milk of your choosing. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and then add the ¼ cup flour and whisk to combine. Cook the flour and butter mixture for about 5 minutes before stirring in the milk in ½ cup increments.
Chicken Alfredo Recipe
To add more protein to this delicious dish, you may want to add sliced chicken on top, or diced chicken directly into the sauce. To prepare chicken Alfredo, simply season and cook 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts over medium-high heat until fully cooked, about 8 minutes per side. While the chicken is resting for 10 minutes, you can start your Alfredo sauce. Once the sauce is done, slice the chicken into strips and serve over the pasta. We recommend seasoning your chicken with your favorite combination of the following spices!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the basic ingredients for Alfredo sauce?
The classic base is butter, heavy whipping cream, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Use a saucepan or skillet and a whisk to combine them.
How long does it take to make Alfredo sauce?
About 10 to 15 minutes. Simmer butter and cream briefly, whisk in parmesan until melted, then simmer a minute more.
Can I make Alfredo with milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes. Use 1/4 cup all purpose flour plus 3 cups milk. Melt butter, whisk in the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, then add milk in 1/2 cup increments while whisking.
How do I add chicken to make Chicken Alfredo?
Season 2 boneless skinless breasts, cook over medium-high heat about 8 minutes per side until done, rest 10 minutes, then slice. Serve the sliced chicken over pasta and Alfredo sauce or dice it into the sauce.
How can I prevent Alfredo from becoming grainy or separating?
Keep heat low and avoid boiling. Use freshly grated parmesan and add it off or over very low heat, whisking until smooth. Avoid pre-shredded cheese with anti-caking agents.
Can I make Alfredo ahead and reheat it?
Yes. Store cooled sauce in the fridge. Reheat gently over low heat and add a splash of milk, cream, or reserved pasta water to loosen and restore creaminess.
What seasonings can I add to customize the flavor?
Try minced garlic or roasted granulated garlic, Italian herb seasoning, salt, and pepper. For chicken, kosher salt, white pepper, paprika, peri peri, or Mediterranean blends work well.
How do I thin or thicken Alfredo sauce if needed?
To thin, stir in a little milk or reserved pasta water and heat gently. To thicken, simmer to reduce, or whisk in more parmesan or a small butter and flour roux.
What are the basic ingredients for Alfredo sauce?
The classic base is butter, heavy whipping cream, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Use a saucepan or skillet and a whisk to combine them.
How long does it take to make Alfredo sauce?
About 10 to 15 minutes. Simmer butter and cream briefly, whisk in parmesan until melted, then simmer a minute more.
Can I make Alfredo with milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes. Use 1/4 cup all purpose flour plus 3 cups milk. Melt butter, whisk in the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, then add milk in 1/2 cup increments while whisking.
How do I add chicken to make Chicken Alfredo?
Season 2 boneless skinless breasts, cook over medium-high heat about 8 minutes per side until done, rest 10 minutes, then slice. Serve the sliced chicken over pasta and Alfredo sauce or dice it into the sauce.
How can I prevent Alfredo from becoming grainy or separating?
Keep heat low and avoid boiling. Use freshly grated parmesan and add it off or over very low heat, whisking until smooth. Avoid pre-shredded cheese with anti-caking agents.
Can I make Alfredo ahead and reheat it?
Yes. Store cooled sauce in the fridge. Reheat gently over low heat and add a splash of milk, cream, or reserved pasta water to loosen and restore creaminess.
What seasonings can I add to customize the flavor?
Try minced garlic or roasted granulated garlic, Italian herb seasoning, salt, and pepper. For chicken, kosher salt, white pepper, paprika, peri peri, or Mediterranean blends work well.
How do I thin or thicken Alfredo sauce if needed?
To thin, stir in a little milk or reserved pasta water and heat gently. To thicken, simmer to reduce, or whisk in more parmesan or a small butter and flour roux.
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