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 a thick, rich and creamy white sauce most frequently associated with pasta dishes of all kinds. With just the right amount of garlic, it offers a wonderful combination of flavors!
It is so delicious that most people think that it must be hard to make but the truth is that making Alfredo sauce is ridiculously easy. Four simple ingredients and a saucepan.
Make this Four Ingredient Alfredo Sauce, add to any type of pasta, add in some chicken or shrimp, and a side of garlic toast and you have a restaurant quality meal that is satisfying and delicious!
What is Alfredo Sauce ?
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!
What you’ll Need to make Four Ingredient Alfredo Sauce
BUTTER – There is no substitute for butter.in this recipe. I use regular salted butter but feel free to substitute unsalted butter instead. If you do, 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.
HEAVY CREAM – Don’t have heavy cream? There are some substitutions that work well. You can use half and half or you can just 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. I have done this with good results.
PARMESAN CHEESE – This is another must have ingredient but there is no specific must have type. I prefer shredded Parmesan for this but I have used grated Parmesan and even have used “Green Shaker Parmesan” 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. Any pasta will do.
ADDING 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.
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!
How to make Four Ingredient Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo sauce is one of the easiest sauces that you can make at home. Complimentary to pretty much any pasta, this makes dinner both easy and so delicious!
Melt the butter In a medium saucepan 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 the sauce 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 your choice of cooked, warm pasta, garnished with parsley if desired.
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.
4 Ingredient Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Melt the butter In a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped garlic and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Reduce 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, garnished with parsley if desired.
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Amanda Paladini says
This is amazing, tried it tonight!
Michelle Mundy says
So glad you tried it and liked it Amanda! It’s a great weeknight recipe <3
Julie Hewitt says
So simple and so delicious! Will definitely be making this again.
The Bandit says
So glad to hear Julie! Thanks for your feedback! <3