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Fettuccini pasta in a bowl with creamy alfredo pasta sauce.
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Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Rich, creamy, and packed with garlic and Parmesan, this American style Alfredo sauce comes together in minutes using butter, heavy cream, and freshly grated cheese. Perfect for pasta, chicken, or as a base for white pizza. Makes about 2¼ cups of sauce.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, condiment, dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: alfredo sauce, comfort food
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • 2-3 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 30-45 seconds.
    Adding garlic to a skillet with melted butter.
  • Add the heavy cream and whisk to combine. Let the mixture warm gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, do not boil.
    Adding heavy cream to the skillet.
  • Reduce the heat to low and begin adding the Parmesan a couple tablespoons at a time whisking constantly until smooth before adding more.
    Adding parmesan cheese to white sauce.
  • Stir in the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning.
    Grating fresh nutmeg into homemade alfredo cream sauce.

Notes

Quantity: This recipe makes 2 to 2¼ cups of sauce. 
Use freshly grated Parmesan: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
Grate cheese finely: The finer the shred, the faster and smoother it melts into the sauce.
Don’t boil the cream: Gentle warming keeps the sauce silky and stable. High heat can cause the cheese to seize and the sauce to split.
Mince garlic very fine: Or use a microplane. You want it to melt into the sauce, not leave raw bits behind.
Add cheese gradually: Whisk in small amounts, fully melting each addition before adding more.
Taste before salting: Parmesan varies in saltiness, season at the end.
Toss with hot pasta: Cold or rinsed noodles can cause the sauce to seize.
Hold off heat for up to 15 minutes: Keep it covered and warm; reheat gently with a splash of cream if it thickens.
Refrigerate up to 3 days: Store in an airtight container. Reheat slowly over low heat, whisking in a bit of cream to restore smoothness. Avoid boiling or microwaving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 697mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1878IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 287mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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