Still buying Alfredo sauce in a jar? Don’t! Although Alfredo sauce seems intimidating, this fast and easy Alfredo sauce recipe takes only a few ingredients, about 30 minutes, and some uninterrupted time to prepare. 

(Any information in the post is for general information purposes only and is NOT medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for individual medical and nutrition advice)

Alfredo sauce is a favorite in my home and goes perfectly with pasta and blackened shrimp, which conveniently are ready in less than 30 minutes as well.  However, the sauce is easy to burn with too high of heat or too little stirring, so it is best prepared without distractions.  

The basic ingredients of Alfredo sauce, heavy cream, butter, and parmesan cheese, make the sauce rich and add a creamy texture, while the seasonings (and some good parmesan!) add the flavor.  My family likes A LOT of garlic, and some may desire to cut the garlic in half.  It will not affect the texture of the sauce if you prefer it that way.  However, I do not recommend reducing the dry ingredients, as you will be left with a rather bland-tasting sauce.  

The creaminess of the Alfredo, while delicious, is packed with saturated fat, and is therefore not the healthiest.  For this reason, I prefer to pair the rich sauce with a very lean protein, like grilled chicken or blackened shrimp.  The charred flavor of the grilled or blackened meat cuts the richness of the Alfredo very nicely and helps to create a more balanced meal.  Add a quick vegetable, like steam-in-the-bag broccoli or some grilled asparagus, and you have a complete meal in only 30 minutes!  

A few things to consider:  this recipe yields about 1 cup of sauce, and is just enough for my family of 4.  However, we tend to have a smaller portion of sauce with our meal (about 1/4 cup).  If you desire a larger portion or are feeding more people, double the recipe.  It won’t take much additional time to prepare.  Second, this is a rather thick sauce, which my family also prefers.   Reducing the amount of parmesan cheese to only 1 cup will yield a thinner sauce that spreads more evenly.  However, it will also taste a little less strong, as the parmesan adds quite a lot of flavor.  

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Cook Time: 30 minues

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pinch dried crushed rosemary
• black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat
2. Add the minced garlic and sauté for approximately 1 minute
3. Add the heavy whipping cream and stir well. Simmer for about 2-3 minutes or until heated thoroughly (do not let it boil)
4. Add the dry ingredients (parsley, oregano, basil, rosemary, and black pepper). Stir well
5. Slowly add parmesan cheese, about 2 Tablespoons at a time, and stir constantly until melted
6. Once all the cheese is stirred in and melted, remove the pan from heat and let sit for 5 minutes before serving

Time-saving tip: Before starting the first step, set the table for dinner, and start heating your pot of water for pasta. That way, there’s no need to stop in the middle of the recipe.

*Nutrition Information (per serving)

Serving size: 1/4 of the sauce (about 1/4 cup) Servings per recipe: 4

• 260 Calories
• 23 g Fat
• 13 g Saturated Fat
• 10 g Protein
• 333 mg Sodium
• 4 g Carbohydrate
• 0 g Fiber

*Nutrition information is approximate and based on the products that I buy in my home. Information will vary based on the products purchased in your home.