This alfredo sauce with cream cheese is smooth, creamy and has the perfect texture and flavor! Simple to whip up at home and always a family favorite.
If you love this Italian recipes with homemade alfredo, don’t miss my chicken fettuccini alfredo, chicken alfredo bake and chicken alfredo lasagna.
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Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
This homemade alfredo sauce with cream cheese is so creamy and one of my all-time favorite pasta sauces. Give me a big bowl of fettuccine alfredo with a warm breadstick and a chopped salad and I am in literal heaven!
Alfredo is my weakness! Whenever we go out for Italian, it’s always what I end up ordering. Luckily, I can make the best alfredo sauce recipe easily at home whenever the craving strikes. It’s a crowd-pleaser and the cream cheese adds a smooth richness to the homemade alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
To make this classic alfredo sauce even more delicious, I added garlic powder and Italian cheese to the sauce along with Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, butter, and cream. It will be your new favorite!
- Butter: I used salted, but feel free to use unsalted and adjust the salt added as necessary.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves minced plus garlic powder is the perfect combo! You can also use the garlic from the jar. If you need it more subtle, though, use one or the other.
- Cream: Heavy cream or half and half. Heavy whipping cream will give you the best creamy, rich results for the ultimate indulgent dish.
- Cream cheese: A must for this cream cheese Alfredo sauce.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan from a block will not only taste better but will melt better too. Pre-shredded could cause your sauce to be grainy.
- Seasonings: A trio of seasonings including salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. It really adds to the flavor!
How to Make Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese
While the fettuccine boils in a pot of salted water, melt butter in a large skillet over low heat, add garlic then cream cheese. Whisk in the heavy cream and garlic powder. Add Italian seasoning if desired.
Increase heat to medium heat. Bring sauce to a simmer, then let simmer for 5 minutes (whisking occasionally) until reaches desired consistency. Add in Parmesan cheese and stir.
Once Parmesan melted, toss with hot fettuccine noodles and serve! Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
How to Thicken Alfredo Sauce
One of the main keys to getting the perfect consistency is to make sure to simmer the sauce (this requires some patience!) and whisk often. The alfredo will thicken as it cooks.
You also want to make sure you use the correct amounts of cheese and cream (or substitute of choice). If using milk instead of cream like I do in my white sauce recipe, add a couple of teaspoons of flour to help thicken it up.
What to Serve With Fettuccine Alfredo
- Oven Baked Chicken
- Olive Garden Breadsticks (I love to make extra sauce to dip these in)
- Garlic Bread
- Olive Garden Salad
- Steamed Vegetables
- Roasted broccoli
- Roasted asparagus
Tips for the Perfect Alfredo Sauce
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese tastes best. Trust me, it does make a difference!
- While the sauce simmers, make sure to whisk often. This will help create a creamy sauce.
- Make sure not to use too high of heat. I find that medium-low is perfect. You don’t want to burn or curdle the cream.
- Feel free to add in cooked chicken to make chicken alfredo. You can also add cooked broccoli or peas.
- Top with more fresh parmesan and parsley before serving.
- You could easily make this sauce a couple of days in advance, then reheat it over low heat when ready to serve. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Love homemade pasta sauces? Try this bolognese sauce, marinara sauce or garlic roasted tomato sauce!
More Delicious Pasta Dishes
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Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese
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Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy whipping cream , or half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder , more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning , optional
- Kosher salt , to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- ¼ -3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese , more to taste
- 1 pound fettuccine , cooked according to package
Optional: Grilled chicken, Steamed broccoli
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and cream cheese over low heat. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the heavy cream, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, if using.
- Increase the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Stir in parmesan cheese and simmer until melt. Add more parmesan, if desired. The more cheese you add, the thicker the sauce will be.
- If using chicken or broccoli, stir into the sauce. Toss with cooked fettuccine until coated. Serve while hot. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan cheese and parsley on top, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
FAQs
The best Alfredo is rich and indulgent so using heavy whipping cream really gives it that special touch. If you want to lighten it up, though, that is totally fine! Whole milk can definitely be used, just note that the sauce will be less thick and creamy.
Yes! Since there is no roux made with flour used this sauce is gluten free. Just keep your noodles gluten free, too if that is how you choose to serve it.
You should roughly get 2 1/2 cups of sauce which is enough to coat 1 pound of fettuccine pasta. Adjust the amount of pasta you toss it with if you like it more saucy.
A traditional Alfredo sauce is made with butter, cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic. On the other hand, white sauce also known as bechamel sauce, is a French sauce that starts with a roux containing butter and flour and cream.
You can add grilled chicken, shrimp or steam vegetables to this alfredo.
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, Condiments, Dinner, Italian, Pasta, Reader Favorites, Sauces, Stovetop, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Not only is this fast and easy, it is also the best Alfredo!! Seriously so creamy and delicious! We add chicken and veggies sometimes and it’s always a hit! ❤️
Yay, I’m so glad you love the recipe! It’s a favorite at our house too. Thanks for your comment and review Erika :)
This was super easy and one of the best Alfredo’s I have ever made or had! Thank you!!
Yay! So happy it was a hit!
Can the sauce be frozen?
Dairy tends to separate when frozen, so I don’t think it will hold up too well in the freezer
I’ve made this numerous times and it freezes/thaws and warms up perfectly, just do it in a pan not the microwave!
My 19-year-old daughter said, “ Mom write down this recipe, this is the best homemade Alfredo I’ve ever had“. I followed the recipe almost exact except I substituted shredded Parmesan cheese and for the pasta I used 100% yellow lentil spaghetti and I added chicken. This was delicious and simple to make! Thank You!
Yay! I’m so glad your daughter loved it! Thanks so much for the kind review and rating, Deb :)
The instructions do not tell you when to add the heavy cream. I did not notice until the end that at no point was the heavy cream addressed. The garlic powder should be removed from the recipe.
Hi Rochelle – The heavy cream is added in after you add in the cream cheese (step #2). Hope that helps!
Can u add it to crockpot and let it simmer when it’s done?
Hi Anne! I think that should be fine. I would just stir occasionally. :)
This is amazing i made for the first time 3 days ago and so good im making it again tonight i added a can of fire roasted tomatoes drained and baby spinach at the end again amazing.
Sounds delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
This was fantastic! I used half & half, but also used freshly grated romano, parmesan, and asiago cheese for an alfredo baked ziti, Italian sausage, spinach sautéed with garlic dish with mozzarella cheese. The sauce made everything absolutely amazing!
Sounds delicious!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
THE BEST EVER. Did half and half and it still thickened well. Did 1/8 nutmeg vs the optional italian dressing. 100% else no change and my family said THIS is the only one to ever make again.
This is my favorite and my friends said they hadn’t tasted Alfredo sauce so delicious before either. I used some milk and some half ‘n half. I used a lot of Basil for the Italian seasoning. Soooo delicious we could hardly stop eating it!!!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it! :)
I have made this many times for my family they absolutely love it I sauté shrimp on the side so my family likes that on top of the fettuccine.
Sounds delicious! I’m so glad your family loves it!
I am making this tonight for supper. Also is my weakness. Love it…. thank you for your recipe.
I hope you enjoy!!
This was awesome! Made it today for a birthday dinner for my SIL. Soooooo good! I added a little more mince garlic and I forgot the Italian seasoning but it was still just perfect.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
Very good!
Simple and delicious! Everyone in my house loves it. Added grilled chicken breasts and we were all set!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! We love adding chicken too! :)
Can I make the sauce the day before. Can I freeze the leftover
Hi Dawn! Yes, you can definitely make the sauce the day before. You may just need to add a little more milk if it is too thick. I typically don’t like to freeze alfredo sauce since cream based sauces often curdle when reheating. If you plan to freeze, I would just make sure to stir often.
I love this recipe its super easy and the cream cheese makes it perfect that clings to the pasta!
I always love the little tang that cream cheese adds to creamy sauces, so this one was right up my street. It’s such an easy recipe yet everybody loved it – perfect.