Homemade Alfredo Sauce
When I first started learning how to cook, I believed Alfredo sauce to be an advanced and mysterious recipe to be conquered in the future. When I started trying to cook “lighter,” I was fearful that this delicious, creamy sauce would ruin my health and expand my waist line. Turns out I was wrong on both accounts!
Even without OAMC, creamy Alfredo pasta is a 30 minute meal. If you can melt butter and whisk for a few minutes, you can make Alfredo. If you are sold on whole (real) food, you know that it doesn’t get more real than fresh butter, milk, and cheese. This recipe has only five ingredients (minus the spices) compared to the seemingly endless list on the jars in the store. (If you’re still skeptical of the health benefits of whole dairy products, stay tuned for answers in our Get Real Series!)
Finally, I love Alfredo sauce for its versatility. You can toss it with pasta, seasonal veggies, and/or leftover meat. Or you can use it in one of these recipes:
- Spinach and Walnut Stuffed Ravioli
- Chicken Alfredo Casserole with Buttermilk Biscuits
- Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
- Chicken Pierogi Alfredo Casserole
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Author/Source:
Kelly @ Onceamonthmom.com
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- .75 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- .5 teaspoon salt
- .5 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Gradually add milk, whisking to combine as you go. I generally add it about 1/2 cup at a time, whisk, then wait for the milk to heat up and thicken a bit before adding more. Once all the milk has been added and it’s hot {do not boil!} add the cream cheese. Whisk to combine. Heat the sauce back up before adding the Parmesan cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Use as needed in recipes.
Freezing Directions:
Cool sauce, then store in freezer safe containers. Thaw and serve or use in recipes.
Servings: 4 (enough to cover 1 lb. fettuccine pasta)
This Post will be linked at:
- Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- These Chicks Cooked Weekly Recipe Collection at This Chick Cooks
- Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gormet
- Simple Lives Thursday at GNOWFGLINS
This recipe sounds great. I have been looking for a good recipe. I never thought you could freeze it. I will be making this tonight or tomorrow. I will make a double batch and freeze half. Thank you so much for sharing :)
I went home after seeing this post and made it last night! What a hit! This recipe is fantastic!
Hi Kelly,
I like you Alfredo with the cream cheese, I am going to make your recipe the next time I make Alfredo. Hope you are having a great week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
I just found this website a few days ago and I am loving it! I made this alfredo sauce the same night I found the recipe. It was so easy. My husband and I loved it! We like our pasta spicy, so I added cayenne and red pepper flakes. Thank you so much!
Oh that does sound good! Welcome!
This recipe sounds interesting. I usually make my alfredo by reducing heavy cream, garlic and butter to the desired consistency and then remove from heat and add cheese. Could that be frozen? Thanks so much for your site! I love it!
Sounds like you could Ashley. Check out our post about what you can and cannot freeze here: http://onceamonthmom.com/what-you-can-and-cannot-freeze/
What kind of flour did you use? Michael Pollan and Sally Fallon talk about staying away from refined white flour….that it is not a whole food. What are you thoughts? What kind of flour do you use.
It is true that refined white flour is technically not a whole food, although personally I allow it occasionally. Using this recipe which uses only a few tablespoons of white flour is much better than buying a jar which contains a lot of other ick. I have substituted whole wheat or white whole wheat flour in this recipe and it made no difference in taste or texture. It is really a matter of where you are personally in your whole foods journey.
[...] Alfredo Sauce [...]
How much does this actually make? I need 4 cups. Will 1 recipe make it?
It makes about 2.5 cups, so you should have more than enough with a double batch.
What kind of Parmesan cheese did you use???
I usually buy a block of Parmesan from the deli section of my grocery store and grate it fresh. I try to steer away from the pre-grated and packaged versions because they often have preservatives in them.
This is a wonderful sauce! Just curious when you add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I generally forget until the end but I am wondering if it would be better to add it with the flour. Thanks!
You can season at the end.