This quick and easy Alfredo Sauce is made with only 6 ingredients. It's a creamy combination of butter, parmesan, garlic, and heavy cream. And a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything up!
Can't get enough of pasta dishes? Try my homemade spaghetti next!
About This Recipe
Everyone loves Alfredo! Especially me. I love anything creamy and garlicky. Did you know it's also incredibly easy to make? It only requires six ingredients and about 15 minutes. Heck, if you boil the pasta in parallel with the sauce, you could have this dish ready in even less time; just the time it takes to cook the pasta.
My favorite part of this recipe is that it's so quick to make. It truly only takes 15 minutes or less. If you're ever short on time, this is the perfect recipe for you. I love to add some grilled chicken or grilled shrimp as well, but it's just as good by itself.
Once you make the sauce, it can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days, depending on how fresh your ingredients are. Just remember to heat it up SLOWLY when you use it again. The reason is that a sudden change in temperature can "break" the sauce. Essentially, the liquid and fat in the dairy will separate, and you will end up with an oily (not creamy) sauce.
Key Ingredients
Butter: I used a ยผ cup of butter for the sauce. If you want it to be slightly healthier, you could use extra virgin olive oil instead.
Garlic: This is one of those recipes that tastes better if you add more garlic. I used a whole tablespoon of minced garlic, which is about three cloves.
Heavy cream: For that extra touch of luxury.
Parmesan: I used real parmesan and freshly grated it on a microplane. I would not recommend using the fake parmesan because it doesn't melt as good.
Salt & black pepper: Add to your own taste. I only add a bit of salt because the parmesan already has a lot of salt in it.
Lemon juice: Alfredo is not completely without a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top. It helps cut through all the richness and gives it a more balanced taste.
Instructions
STEP 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Reserve ยฝ cup of the pasta water and drain.
STEP 2: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
STEP 3: Add the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 minutes.
STEP 4: Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
STEP 5: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Squeeze on fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy! (I did a half portion of pasta in the picture above)
๐ Recipe
Easy Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
- ยผ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- lemon slices (for serving)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (I use 1 tablespoon of salt per 8 cups of water). Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve ยฝ cup of the pasta water and drain.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Toss with the drained pasta and enjoy. The texture of the sauce should be thick enough by now. If not, add some of the drained pasta water to help loosen the sauce. Squeeze on lemon juice and season with salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy!
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