Description
Discover the basics of homemade Alfredo sauce: a simple white/cream sauce made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese. Plus, learn how to add garlic for an extra flavorful twist.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Traditional version
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups Heavy Cream (See Notes-Substitutions 1 for substitution options)
- 5 oz (about 2 Cups) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (See Notes-Substitutions 2 for substitution options)
- sea salt, and black pepper to taste
Optional Garlic version
Add all the above plus the following
- 3 Garlic cloves Minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt the butter (if making the garlic version add the Italian seasoning and garlic as well.) to a 3 Quart sauté pan or medium saucepan.
- Add the heavy cream and let simmer over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes
- Whisk in the parmesan cheese until melted fully melted and the sauce has thickened.
- Add sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately or see Notes -Storage Details – for storing.
Notes
Storage Details
- The Parmesan will thicken this sauce up. If it isn’t quite thick enough, allow the sauce to stand for 2-3 minutes before serving.
- To add your pasta I like to transfer directly from the water to the sauce. It you don’t like to do that, you will need to reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water before draining. Add about the pasta water, then the pasta.
- After either incorporation, allow it to re-thicken on low for about 2-5 minutes. Serve optionally with more parm and some fresh parsley and garlic bread
Substitutions
- If you don’t have heavy cream for THIS recipe, try one of these:
- Use equal amounts for Grated Parmesan.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian, Italian American