Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Kiss the jarred sauce goodbye and make this incredibly easy and delicious homemade Alfredo sauce instead. Since developing this recipe, it’s been the sauce I crave most often when wanting a quick and easy dinner. This rich and creamy sauce has become a family tradition, and it’s an easy addition to some of my favorite pasta recipes, including fettuccine, spaghetti, and penne!

overhead view of fettuccini alfredo in a white dutch oven with tongs.

I never knew it was so simple to make a delicious homemade Alfredo sauce for my favorite fettuccine Alfredo! Once I developed this recipe, I’ve never looked back. It’s so much better than store-bought, and also incredibly easy. I use fresh ingredients to make something that tastes like it came straight out of a restaurant in just 15 minutes!

What’s in This Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe?

Butter: Makes this sauce super rich. Make sure you’re using unsalted butter. If it has salt in it, the sauce may taste a bit too salty to you. .
Garlic: Minced garlic adds a savory and earthy flavor to the sauce. Feel free to use pre-minced garlic if you don’t have fresh garlic cloves available to use for this recipe. It will still work well.
Heavy Cream: Gives the sauce body and a creamy texture. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can make it using whole milk and full-fat butter.
Parmesan Cheese: Adds that classic umami flavor to the sauce. It’s best to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese because of the extra flavor it brings to the sauce compared to bottled Parmesan.
Spices: Salt, pepper, and thyme season the sauce to perfection.

overhead view of a serving of fettuccini alfredo on a white plate with a fork.

Tips for Success

You can easily change up this homemade Alfredo sauce to meet your needs. For a vegan Alfredo sauce, swap the butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan for vegan alternatives. Follow the same advice to make a dairy-free Alfredo sauce.
For a lighter Alfredo sauce, use whole milk or half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
If cold heavy cream is added, it may separate. Room temperature cream incorporates much more easily with the other warm ingredients.
When the sauce appears to be too thick, I thin it out by using some of the reserved pasta water and adding it to the skillet.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop set over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until warmed through. I do not recommend freezing this sauce.

close up overhead view of a serving of fettuccini alfredo on a white plate with a fork.

Serving Suggestions

Of course you’ll want to use this homemade alfredo sauce on fettuccine noodles and chicken alfredo, but you can use it in lots of other tasty Italian dishes too. Make chicken alfredo stuffed shells, chicken alfredo gnocchi bake, Alfredo pizza, or chicken alfredo sandwiches.

Try making pasta from scratch for the freshest taste, then add diced chicken, steak, or sausage crumbles for a hearty meal.

5-Star Reviews

“This was quick and easy to prepare. My 11y/o who loves cooking did an amazing job following the directions. 10/10 would recommend. Next time she makes it we’ll have to take pics of the sauce at least because it did not last long 🤣” – Divine

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“This was a very easy recipe and taste so much better than store bought sauce.” – Wendy

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“Big thumbs up from my picky toddler. So easy and simple thank you!!” – Lauren

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

This easy alfredo sauce is perfect for any of your favorite Italian dishes, like fettuccine alfredo and chicken alfredo.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Main Course, Sauce

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 323kcal

Author Becky Hardin

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (¾ stick)
1 clove garlic minced
1½ cups heavy cream room temperature
6.4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
Minced fresh thyme optional

Instructions

For the Alfredo Sauce

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant.

1 clove garlic
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.
Pour in the room temperature heavy cream. Whisk until combined.

1½ cups heavy cream
Once the cream is fully combined, place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Do not let the sauce come to a boil – keep it over low heat.
Add the grated cheese and continually whisk the sauce together until the cheese is completely melted and evenly combined.

6.4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Taste and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

Kosher salt, Ground black pepper, Minced fresh thyme

To Make Fettuccini Alfredo

Bring water in a large pot to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
Once the water is boiling, cook 16 ounces of fettuccine noodles to al dente according to package instructions.
Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
Mix the pasta with the sauce, adding cooking water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Yield: This recipe yields approx. 2 cups of Alfredo sauce.

Fresh thyme is an optional ingredient that adds even more flavor to this sauce. However, you don’t need it. If you can’t find it, don’t worry about adding it because the sauce will still taste amazing.
Add red chili pepper flakes to the blend of seasonings if you’d like to add a slight bit of spice to your sauce.
Nutritional information is for the sauce only, not prepared fettuccini Alfredo.

Storage: Store Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this sauce as cream-based recipes don’t typically thaw and reheat well.

Nutrition

How to Make Alfredo Sauce Step by Step

Sauté the Garlic: Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add 1 clove of minced garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 3-5 minutes.

overhead view of ingredients for homemade alfredo sauce in individual bowls.

Add the Cream and Cheese: Pour in 1½ cups of room temperature heavy cream. Whisk until combined. Once the cream is fully combined, place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Do not let the sauce come to a boil – keep it over low heat. Add 6.4 ounces of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and continually whisk the sauce together until the cheese is completely melted and evenly combined. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

homemade alfredo sauce in a white dutch oven with a whisk.

Make the Pasta: Make Fettuccini Alfredo by cooking 16 ounces of fettuccine noodles to al dente in salted water. Drain and reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Mix the pasta with the sauce, adding cooking water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Serve immediately.