Easy Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Let's just be up front right from the get-go: this Alfredo sauce is not a low-fat, low-calorie situation here. This sauce is amazingly flavorful thanks to the fact that it's made with a whole lot of butter, heavy cream, and of course plenty of Parmesan cheese. So if you're looking for a light, healthy dish, look elsewhere. If you want to make a meal that is a pure pleasure and that everyone will love, then by all means make this one!
"I wanted to create an Alfredo recipe that was super easy and reminiscent of an Alfredo dish at an Italian-American restaurant," says chef and recipe developer Christina Musgrave of Tasting with Tina, and she completely succeeded there. This is a restaurant-quality sauce that elevates any pasta to entree status, yet it's remarkably simple to prepare. And the sauce is also delectable over roast or grilled chicken and served beside a green salad, Musgrave says, so making a whole meal out of things is easy here.
Gather your ingredients for easy Alfredo sauce
To make one excellent sauce that will serve six people (or provide some seconds to a smaller number of diners), you'll a stick of butter, heavy whipping cream, garlic powder, a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of black pepper, Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. "The key ingredient is the Parmesan cheese," Musgrave says. "It gives this sauce the classic Alfredo flavor and consistency." While Musgrave's recipe is specifically for Alfredo sauce, it will also walk you through making some pasta, for which you will need 1 pound of your pasta — whichever type is your favorite!
Cook the pasta and melt the butter
First off, begin to cook the pasta according to its package directions. When it's cooked, drain it and set it aside, but ideally you'll have the sauce ready right about when the pasta is done.
So, as soon as you get the pasta boiling, add the stick butter and cup of heavy cream to a large skillet over medium heat and allow the butter to melt.
Simmer, then add the cheese and spices
Simmer the cream and butter for 5 minutes on low heat, which will thicken the liquid a bit. Then add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and 2 cups of Parmesan cheese to the pan. Whisk until the cheese has melted and combined in.
Serve the Alfredo pasta
And just like that, the sauce is done! Toss the pasta in the sauce then serve the dish, ideally topped with 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and, if you like some spice, a pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
The pasta will be great hot or cold the next day, too, and Musgrave adds that "the sauce will keep for two to three days. Refrigerate it in an airtight container. To reheat it, heat the sauce in a pan on low heat until warmed."
- 1 pound pasta
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
- Add 1 stick of butter and 1 cup of heavy cream to a large skillet over medium heat, and allow the butter to melt.
- Simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 2 cups of Parmesan cheese to the pan and whisk until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the sauce over cooked pasta and top with 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.
| Calories per Serving | 753 |
| Total Fat | 43.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 27.2 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.6 g |
| Cholesterol | 128.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 60.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.7 g |
| Total Sugars | 3.6 g |
| Sodium | 705.5 mg |
| Protein | 28.9 g |
