You’re never going to want to buy alfredo again thanks to this 3 ingredient alfredo sauce recipe! Made with minimal effort and ingredients this sauce turns out amazingly over any pasta.
I absolutely love creamy alfredo sauce recipes and it’s not hard to guess why. This recipe is so perfect for a quick dinner or meal and doesn’t require much effort to make either. This really is the best homemade alfredo sauce for so many reasons!
What is Alfredo Sauce?
Alfredo sauce is a pasta sauce made with parmesan cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. Traditionally it doesn’t contain cream but a lot of homemade recipes often have it starting with a roux or containing additional spices and herbs as ingredients. That said, alfredo isn’t an authentic Italian dish and we aren’t going to authentic here, we are going for delicious.
You will love this 3 Ingredient Quick Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Nothing is better than homemade. It only has 3 ingredients and it’s still 100% homemade!
- Speed is always convenient. It only takes about 5 minutes to make. For real. Quick recipes are always awesome!
- And of course, It’s beyond delicious!
Simple Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Nutmeg
- Fresh parsley
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to make an Easy Alfredo Sauce
- Warm your cream in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat until it is simmering.
- Reduce the heat to low and then stir in the parmesan cheese while stirring frequently until melted.
- When the cheese has fully melted and the sauce has reduced, add in the nutmeg. It should take about 5 minutes for the sauce to reduce.
- Serve your sauce over your favorite pasta and garnish with some fresh parsley.
Pair this Quick Alfredo Sauce with some pan fried chicken breasts
If you want to make chicken alfredo, just pan fry some chicken breasts in the skillet before making the alfredo sauce. It is really easy, here is how I like to do it:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
- Slice 2 chicken breasts in half lengthwise {so they are thinner}.
- Salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place in skillet and cook for about 5 minutes a side until golden brown and the internal temperature registers 160ºF.
- Rest, covered with foil, while you make the alfredo sauce.
So super easy! Now you have a super easy chicken-packed 15-minute meal.
Quick Alfredo Sauce Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the nutmeg! I know it can seem a little bit unusual for a savory dish, but it adds a special flavor that really complements all the rich creaminess going on.
- You may need to thin the easy alfredo sauce a bit with pasta water. Or regular water. But the pasta water is a bit starchy which is great for sauces.
- This amount of sauce usually works well to coat 1 to 1.5 pounds of cooked pasta.
How to thicken Homemade Alfredo Sauce
There are several different ways that you can thicken your alfredo sauce but for this recipe, you may want to cook just a little longer while stirring or stir in more freshly grated parmesan cheese. Sometimes the sauce just needs a little longer to warm up before it comes together. If that doesn’t work then you can always stir in a cornstarch slurry.
Quick Homemade Alfredo Sauce Substitutions
- This sauce is pretty decadent, so you could sub out the cream for half-and-half to lighten things up a bit.
- Don’t make this with the parmesan from the green can! I say this only because it really doesn’t melt well and usually turns into a clump in the pot and that will just ruin your whole day. Clumps of cheese in pots are total downers.
- You don’t have to buy totally fancy stuff, but if you can buy some and grate it yourself it will melt into the sauce beautifully.
Simple Alfredo Sauce Storage
How long does alfredo sauce last in the fridge?
You can keep your sauce stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. This will give you plenty of time to use it up or think of a few creative ideas. Serving this sauce over homemade pizza, on pasta, or in a soup are all great ideas.
Can you freeze alfredo sauce?
Yes, you can! To do this allow the sauce to cool completely before storing it in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Then take the sauce and let it thaw before slowly warming it back up over med-low heat. Then serve or use as desired.
Reheating Alfredo Sauce
When reheating the sauce, do so over low heat in a saucepan.
If re-heating pasta with this sauce on it, microwave until the chill has just been taken off, add a splash of cream, stir, and microwave until warmed through.
If you’re looking for another easy, delicious pasta recipe, check out this recipe for Bucatini Cacio e Pepe from my friend Alexandria at The Foreign Fork!
Quick Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese see note
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- Fresh parsley optional, for serving
Instructions
- Heat cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering.
- Reduce heat to low and add parmesan cheese, stirring frequently.
- Continue to simmer and stir until the cheese is totally melted and the sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Add nutmeg and stir to combine.
- Serve over your favorite pasta topped with fresh parsley.
Diane Pankratz says
FINALLY!
I remember making FRESH Alfredo for happy hour at a 4 Seasons 30 years ago. I don’t ever remember adding BUTTER or Oil. Yet EVERY recipe online adds a lot of butter (or oil). I just could not understand the need to add oil to heavy cream and fresh parmesan cheese which both already contains oil. Any thoughts on why everyone else adds oils or butter?
Alli says
I’m not sure! I find that makes it a little greasy, especially when trying to reheat it. I’m glad you like this recipe!!
Ali Hotmar says
is this something that can be made ahead of time and stored somewhere for later use? Fridge or pantry and how long do you think?
So many questions! haha
Alli says
Hi Ali! Yes! It totally can be. I store it in a jar in the fridge with no problems, as long as your cream and cheese are good for. I haven’t tried freezing it, but I imagine it would be fine. I hope you like it!
Sammi Windley says
This is such a great way to make and store it!