If you love the Olive Garden Alfredo sauce, you’re going to want my recipe for how to make homemade Alfredo sauce. It’s even better than the restaurant and unbelievably easy!
If you’ve been personally victimized by a jar of Alfredo sauce, please raise your hand.
Yeah. That stuff is no bueno.
And I’m pretty sure the only reason people use jarred Alfredo sauce is because they think Alfredo sauce from scratch is difficult.
No, friends! Our easy Alfredo sauce recipe is a breeze to make with just a handful of ingredients and about 5 minutes of time. You’re going to FLIP for this creamy, decadent homemade Alfredo sauce.
Not only is this Alfredo sauce recipe super simple to whip up, it seriously rivals any restaurant Alfredo you’ve had, whether it’s the ever popular Olive Garden Alfredo sauce or a more authentic Alfredo sauce from your local Italian joint.
I just know you’re going to love this one!
Ingredient Notes:
Cream & Butter – You’ll heat heavy whipping cream (no substitutes, please) with butter and garlic to warm it through.
Cheese – When you’re making homemade Alfredo sauce you need lots of good quality Parmesan! You’ll want shredded Parmesan cheese, not the dry powdery stuff. We make our Alfredo sauce with cream cheese (just a little!) to add extra richness and creaminess to the sauce.
Seasoning – Salt and pepper, to taste, is all you’ll need.
What Readers are Saying!
“I started using this recipe over a year ago and I haven’t purchased a jar of Alfredo since. This is by far the best Alfredo sauce I’ve ever tasted!! Thank you so much for sharing this.” – Teesha
How To Make Alfredo Sauce From Scratch:
Heat: Start by melting the butter and cream together with a little blob of cream cheese (optional – see notes below). I do a garlic Alfredo sauce by adding in a teaspoon of minced garlic to the butter and cream while it’s heating. The garlic flavor is perfect with this creamy pasta sauce!
Cheese: When you’ve finished heating the butter and cream remove the pan from the heat and stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese! Keep stirring until it forms a smooth sauce.
Season: We sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
Serving Suggestions:
This Alfredo sauce recipe makes enough to generously coat one pound of pasta, but we usually reserve a half cup of the sauce for dipping our breadsticks in. These air fryer breadsticks are perfect in the sauce!
Grilled chicken is the perfect addition to fettuccine alfredo, but our shrimp alfredo and tortellini alfredo are also very popular around here.
Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese:
This recipe originally did NOT call for cream cheese – it was just butter, cream, and Parmesan (and a little garlic, for flavor). I’ll always stand by the fact that this was a delicious authentic Alfredo sauce that just works!
If you don’t love cream cheese, just leave it out.
But, we did start adding in a couple of ounces of cream cheese to our Alfredo, because it does add an extra layer of creamy richness and flavor. We’re hooked, but we wouldn’t hesitate to make this sauce without the cream cheese if we were out, either. 😉
Garlic Alfredo Sauce:
We’re obsessed with garlic, so we add just a little bit to this recipe…it really makes the best Alfredo sauce!
We just add the garlic straight in with the cream and butter as it’s warming to let the garlic flavors infuse the sauce. So simple and delicious!
FAQs:
Alfredo sauce is a simple cream sauce made of heavy cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese.
While you can store this recipe in the fridge, it is best served fresh. It’ll last for 3-4 days tightly covered, but does separate a bit and get oily upon reheating.
This is a gluten-free Alfredo sauce, but many recipes do call for flour.
Yes! This is a keto Alfredo sauce recipe, because there is no flour. Of course, if you’ll want to avoid serving with pasta to keep the carb count low. It’s delicious over broccoli, though!
MORE ALFREDO RECIPES!
I’ve got lots of great recipes that use creamy Alfredo sauce!
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the cream, butter, creaeam cheese, a and garlic to a sauce pan over medium heat and heat, stirring often, until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce is hot.
- Turn off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Continue whisking until cheese has fully melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Serve immediately.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in March 2018. It was updated with new photos in March 2022. Original photos below.
Sam says
I made this tonight and it’s way to salty for my taste. If I made it again I would cut the salt and than salt to taste at the table.
Karly says
Sorry to hear it was too salty for you.
Colleen Toews says
I add a tbsp of cornstarch to the melted butter and 1/2 block of cream cheese too.
Andra says
Delicious! I read in one of your replies to a comment about not using grated parm in the plastic shaker- maybe be more specific in your recipe- either FRESHLY grated parm or shredded parm.
Jake says
You can use either really. People are just being picky thinking theres a difference in taste between freshly grated parmesan and crumbled parmesan. Really freshness doesnt change much flavor when it comes to most foods. I can guarantee if I served you alfredo sauce made from crumbled parmesan in a shaker can you wouldnt even know.
Karly says
We’ll have to disagree on that one, Jake. Freshness plays a huge role in the flavor of most food and Alfredo sauce made from powdered Parmesan absolutely tastes like it was made from powdered Parmesan.
Jake says
Hmm well maybe im wrong I guess the crumbled kind is a bit more powerful in taste. I would cut it i n half i mean 2 cups does sound a bit much at least when it comes crumbled parmesan. Its more about quantity really. Most of the time when you use fresh ingredients it takes less of that ingredient than if you didnt use fresh a fresh ingredient. Which makes this an exception i guess lol
Dom says
dude. just no….
Dot says
Olive Garden’s alfredo sauce is not gluten free. They add flour to theirs.
Jocelyn says
This sounds wonderful, but how can it be Keto friendly with 13 carbs per serving? Or am I reading it wrong?
Carbohydrate 13g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Karly says
The nutrition information is calculated automatically and doesn’t always come out accurately. All of the ingredients are very low in carbs in actuality – the plugin is just a little wonky. You can calculate for yourself using any of the free online calculators. 🙂
Karly says
Also, this is calculating for the entire recipe, not a serving size. 🙂
Jake says
Lol yeah as Karly said its calculating for the whole recipe not the individual serving. Otherwise it would be absolutely horrible for you at 171 grams of fat and 104 grams of saturated fat XD. Plus 13 grams of carbs isnt actually that bad. Low carb diets call for between 50 and 150 carbs so unless you are eating several servings youre still in a targeted range for carbs each meal.
Milena says
Home made Alfredo is the best! Looks amazing.
Paulo cordero says
Very important question…..im not sure if i have to use fresh parmesan or if i can use the one that you sprinkle over pastas and pizzas
Karly says
You can use either freshly grated Parmesan or a bag of shredded Parmesan, but definitely don’t use the powdery kind in the green can.
Kayla says
Why don’t use the kind in the green can? Just made this and used that… Shoulda read the comments before I guess
Karly says
Because it’s not meant for melting. It’s a garnish, not really something you cook with.
Micki says
I saw this video on Facebook and it looked delicious. I have a question though – in the video it is obviously a whole stick of butter that is used. In the recipe, however, it calls for 1/2 stick. Camera angles? or did you possibly double the recipe in the video?
Thanks!
Micki says
oops – my error! I’m confusing my measurements! Sorry!
Karly says
Glad you figured it out. I have done that myself on multiple occasions. 😉
Amy says
The recipe calls for 1/2 cup which is 1 stick of butter. Make this all the time and it is delish!
Jake says
Usually 1 stick of butter is equal to 1/2 cup of butter. There are sticks of butter that equal 1 cup of butter but they are usually much bigger looking.
Cheryl says
I have never had Alfredo. I’m 60, why start now?
Crystal Fenton says
Cuz it’s goooood!
cindy says
Its never too late to try something new, even at 60 years young! 😉
Stephanie says
Well for gosh sakes. I’m over there at Foodgawker, submitting a pic, and this flipping’ pic catches my eye… then I looked at the name below it, “Karly” – I was like “shoulda guess man, I shoulda guessed.’ — This looks absolutely phenomenal, I’m pretty speechless, and that doesn’t happen easily. Well done my friend…. well done.
Karly says
<3 <3 <3
Adam Niemeyer says
Been using this recipe since my Granny taught me over 20 years ago…Always brings a crowd
Amy @Belly Full says
Is it wrong that I just want to drink this? I love homemade sauces!
Karly says
I would not judge you if you drank this. 😉
trish @ Spoonful Of Butter says
Nothing can go wrong with cream, butter, garlic, and cheese…Now I’m craving for some alfredo pasta. Looks so delish, Karly! 😉
Ivory says
This looks amazingly yummy. Thanks for sharing. Yum!
Karly says
Hope you give it a try! 🙂
Tomas says
Looks great. I will try it this weekend. The kids will probably love it.