This Alfredo Sauce with half-and-half is a creamy and rich sauce that pairs perfectly with your choice of pasta, whether it's fettuccine, penne, or even spaghetti. It also makes a great pizza sauce or even a dipping sauce for Cheese Stuffed Breadsticks.
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This Alfredo sauce recipe has the perfect ratio of butter, cheese, and half-and-half which makes the sauce comes out creamy with a velvety texture every time.
Unlike some recipes, this version skips the roux but stays thick and luscious. Using freshly grated Parmesan makes it taste like an Italian bistro classic. Ready in just 20 minutes with a handful of ingredients!
Easy Alfredo sauce with half & half recipe
Alfredo Sauce with Half and Half
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves about 2 teaspoons minced
- 4 oz Cream cheese 110g room temperature
- 2 ½ cups half and half
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- In a skillet or saucepan over medium heat, melt butter then saute garlic for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the half and half and bring it to a simmer.
- Add in the cream cheese, try to break it up into little pieces until fully melted.
- Mix in the parmesan cheese, stir in pepper, Italian seasoning and mix well.
- Taste to adjust seasoning and add salt to your liking.
- Reduce heat to low and let it simmer and thicken for 3-5 minutes, or until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Toss with pasta immediately or spread over pizza.
Notes
- If you can splurge use Parmigiano Reggiano as it will give you a deeper flavor for the sauce, otherwise regular parmesan will work too for this recipe.
- Do not buy pre grated parmesan cheese as this will give you a grainy sauce.
- Please grate your cheese finely, I like to use my microplane for this job.
- If your sauce is lumpy then you probably did not wait for the cream cheese to fully melt. But no problem, use your immersion blender and blend to fully incorporate the cream cheese and get the sauce into silky texture.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Reheat: The sauce will thicken as it sets, so to reheat pour into a sauce pan and reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk or half and half. Whisk continuously until heated.
Nutrition
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How to make Alfredo sauce with half and half
Step 1: Melt the butter in a large pot or skillet. Once the butter is melted, saute the garlic for 30 seconds.
Step 2: Pour in the half-and-half and bring it to a simmer. Add the cream cheese and break it into pieces.
Step 3: Once the cream cheese is fully melted, add in the parmesan cheese.
Step 4: Add the seasonings and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until your desired thickness is reached.
FAQs
For this recipe, the parmesan cheese will melt and help to thicken the sauce. If it is still a little thin, just allow it to simmer for a few additional minutes.
Half-and-half is a mixture of equal parts milk and light cream, which makes it lighter and less rich than heavy cream. Heavy cream, on the other hand, has a higher fat content, resulting in a thicker, creamier texture that is ideal for whipping.
Probably the cream cheese did not fully melt into the sauce. Fix this by pouring the sauce into a blender or a food processor and give it a couple of pulses until there are no clumps.
Yes! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of half and half or milk.
Sprinkle in a pinch of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, perfect for those who like a kick in their dishes. Mix in different cheeses, such as Asiago, Pecorino Romano, or Gruyère, to enhance the flavor and make the sauce even richer. You can add a bit of extra garlic if your family loves the flavor. Love to make a roux instead? Try this recipe for Alfredo Sauce without Cream, it is a fan's favorite.
How to Store and Reheat
Storage - If you have any leftovers, make sure to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will store for up to three days.
Reheating - To reheat this Alfredo sauce, gently warm it up on the stove over low heat. You can also microwave it for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until heated through. Make sure not to overheat the sauce or it may separate.
Serving suggestions
You can use this creamy sauce to make all your favorite Alfredo recipes. We like to use it in this Panera Chicken Tortellini Alfredo, Chicken Alfredo Lasagna, or this Alfredo Tortellini Bake.
For more checkout these recipes that use Alfredo sauce.
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