Four Ingredient Alfredo Sauce

simple pantry ingredients combine to make this Restaurant quality Four Ingredient Alfredo Sauce. Add pasta for a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love!

Alfredo sauce is something that always seems so indulgent. The thick, rich and creamy cheese sauce with the underlying flavor of garlic is literally the perfect combination of flavors!

The thing is that it is so delicious that most people think that it must be hard to make! To be honest, making Alfredo sauce is ridiculously easy. Four simple ingredients and a saucepan.

Make the sauce and add to any type of pasta, maybe some chicken or shrimp, and a side of garlic toast and you have a restaurant quality meal that is satisfying and delicious!

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What is Alfredo Sauce Anyway?

Alfredo sauce is a rich pasta sauce made with butter, garlic, Parmesan Cheese and heavy cream.

Interesting fact – in Italy, Fettuccine Alfredo refers to Fettuccine noodles tossed only in butter and Parmesan cheese. The addition of heavy cream, garlic, parsley and protein (like shrimp and chicken) didn’t occur until the 1970’s… in the United States!

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Ingredients and Variations

BUTTER – Unfortunately, there is no substitute for butter. I use regular salted butter but feel free to substitute unsalted butter instead. Make sure that you taste the sauce before serving and add salt if needed!

GARLIC – This recipe has a robust garlic flavor. You can use less garlic if you prefer to just have a hint of the garlic rather than full flavor. Roasted Garlic is an amazing substitution, just spoon it in and break it up with the whisk. SO GOOD!

HEAVY CREAM – I have had times where I just don’t have heavy cream and no way to get it. There are some substitutions that work well. First substitution is to use regular milk and add more butter. 3/4 cup of regular milk mixed with 1/4 cup of butter has the same fat content of heavy cream. Another option is to swap evaporated milk for heavy cream straight across the board. Allrecipes.com suggested this and I have done it with good results!

PARMESAN CHEESE – This is another must have ingredient but there is no specific must have type. I prefer shredded Parm for this but I have used grated Parm and even have used “Green Shaker Parm” when I needed to and it has been delicious every single time!

PASTA – Alfredo Sauce is great on any and all pasta. We use it on whatever we have on hand in the pantry and we are yet to be disappointed. Cook your pasta and add the sauce. Yum!

PROTEIN – Sometimes I like to add protein to my Alfredo sauce. It makes dinner a little more filling and uses up whatever I need used up. I often will add shredded cooked chicken or shrimp and toss into the sauce and then spoon over the pasta. You don’t have to but you sure can if you want!

OTHER FANTASTIC ADDITIONS – Pretty much the sky is the limit. I have added chopped sun dried tomatoes, olives, broccoli, mushrooms. Pretty much if you like it, throw it in. The Alfredo sauce is a delicious blank slate. It only gets better!

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How to make Four Ingredient Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo sauce is one of the easiest sauces that you can make at home. Complimentary to any pasta, this makes dinner both easy and so delicious!

The first step in making Alfredo sauce is to melt the butter over medium heat.

When the butter is almost completely melted, add in the chopped garlic and stir for about one minute. This will distribute the garlic flavor throughout the butter and give your sauce a delicious garlicky base.

Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Adding the cream slowly maintains the temperature and helps with the thickening of the sauce.

Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. This fully incorporates the flavors throughout.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and begin adding the shredded Parmesan cheese, whisking constantly until incorporated and heated through, about 2 minutes. Sauce will thicken after adding the cheese.

Add salt & pepper to taste. Serve immediately over cooked, warm pasta (whatever type you prefer!), garnished with parsley if desired.

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Other Quick Meal Ideas You May Like

Simple Stir Fry Sauce – Stir fry is one of the easiest things to throw together for a quick and easy dinner or lunch!

Creamy Orzo with Meatballs and Peas – Meatballs, peas and orzo pasta in a creamy cheesy sauce is a great weeknight meal for a family on the go!

Simple Weeknight Meatloaf – Simple, home comfort food.

Simple Crustless Quiche – Meat and veggie ingredients can be interchanged for whatever you like or what you have on hand.

Spaghetti Pie – With Italian sausage and spinach hidden inside this is an unexpectedly good (and super easy!) weeknight creation that the entire family will love.