This rich and creamy Alfredo Sauce is so easy to make using everyday ingredients. The best part is that it’s prepared in just 20 minutes… homemade Alfredo sauce has never been easier!
This recipe is prepared with cream cheese, milk (no heavy cream!) and a few other simple ingredients. If you’ve never tried it, now is the time! It’s classic comfort food made simple.
Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce
- Cream cheese
- Milk – whole milk.
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated is best!
- Butter
- Garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Black pepper
I do not use salt in this recipe because it is plenty salty enough for my taste. As always, feel free to add salt if you desire.
How to Prepare
Watch the video below to see just how EASY this sauce is to make!
Step 1: Melt butter in a medium saucepan (or large sauté pan) over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Step 2: Add cream cheese cubes, Italian seasoning and pepper. Whisk to smooth out large lumps. Slowly pour in milk while continuing to whisk.
Step 3: Add Parmesan cheese while continuing to stir with whisk until smooth. Continue to cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes (or until desired thickness). Please note that sauce will continue to thicken as it sits once it’s removed from heat.
Number of Servings
This recipe yields approximately 4 cups of Alfredo sauce, so it’s plenty for a 16-ounce package of your favorite cooked pasta (I love this sauce with fettucine!). I’d say this yields approximately 6 to 8 servings.
Storing Instructions
Allow the sauce to cool and pour in an airtight container (or jar). Store in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. The sauce will thicken after storing, so I normally add a few tablespoons of milk when reheating.
Enjoy!
More Homemade Sauces
Easy Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese cubed
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese 6 ounces
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan (or large saute pan) over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add cream cheese cubes, Italian seasoning and pepper. Whisk to smooth out large lumps. Slowly pour in milk, about ¼ cup at a time, while continuing to whisk.
- Add Parmesan cheese while continuing to whisk until smooth. Continue to cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce reaches desired thickness. Please note that sauce will continue to thicken as it cools once removed from heat.
- Toss with your favorite cooked and drained pasta.
Notes
- Yields approximately 4 cups of sauce.
- Nutritional info does not include pasta.
- To store, allow sauce to cool and store in the fridge in an airtight container (or jar) for 3 to 4 days.
- Sauce will thicken when refrigerated – add 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk when reheating.
Nutrition
If provided, nutritional info is a courtesy, is not guaranteed and should only be considered as a guideline.
Originally published November 2016. Updated with new photos, new text, video and recipe slightly revised May 2022.
Adapted from AllRecipes.com
Saundra says
I Didn’t have heavy cream on hand, and I didn’t want to go to the store. I googled Alfredo Sauce using milk and found this recipe. Luckily I had everything including the cream cheese surprisingly so I tried this recipe instead. My husband and we’re very pleased with the over all taste. i did add truffle oil in right before serving. Next time, and there will be many next times, I may try it without the Italian seasoning, just salt and pepper.
Daja Clayton says
Loved this recipe!! I had nothing to make Alfredo in my house, except these ingredients. I loved the taste and I added shrimp as Well. One thing I would say is that the sauce was a little thick but I think it was because I had more noodles than sauce. All in all it was a great meal.
Sasha says
I followed directions exactly..was flavorful but a bit runny and really grainy..I added a little flour to thicken but the grainy stayed
Giana Gordon says
I love the taste of the recipe but I had issues with how oily and clumpy my came out theres no Large clumps but it had no sauce likeness. I don’t know what I did wrong or if the cream cheese I used wasn’t The right kind but either way it came out pretty good.
Janet says
Red alert! The pasta water is already boiling and now I discover that the refrigerated Alfredo sauce I purchased is bad. Oh my! I search google for a fast, easy answer to my dilemma that A. I have the ingredients for and B. My limited cooking skills can master. Thank goodness there is cream cheese in the fridge (with only 1 bagels worth missing). This sauce came together beautifully. I used chunky garlic in a tube (found in produce section of the market so it counts) Kraft parm from the green canister with some shredded parm left over from making a Caesar salad the day before. This was seriously a Hail Mary and it was awesome. Next time I make this sauce, and there will be many future times, I’ll have the actual, full ingredient list purchased with the sauce in mind. Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving dinner.
Staci says
This was so great! Thanks for the inspiration for our family’s dinner tonight.
Mayda Russell says
Had a crave! Big time! And this was absolutely perfect. Added chunks of chicken, smothered it with mozzarella and baked it until golden and bubbly…Thank you
Robyn M says
I made this tonight after googling Alfredo recipe using milk. I had all ingredients on hand including cream cheese. It turned out so good! I highly recommend using good cheese. I used shredded locatelli pecorino Romano. It gives the recipe the extra salty flavor it needs. My kids loved it with cheese tortellini! Very filling!!
Christy says
Super delicious!! This is a definite keeper! Didn’t change anything.
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Thanks, Christy… so glad you loved it! 🙂
Jacy says
So easy, so delicious! Will make it again! Thanks
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Thanks so much, Jacy! 🙂
Ashley says
I am making this again tonight with both chicken and shrimp. Made it once before with just chicken and it was amazing! The change I made was I had a packet of Italian dressing seasoning mix on hand and used that instead of the italian seasoning. And I also added maybe an extra half of cup of milk. It wasn’t too salt for us and my hole family loved it, even my 3 kids! I always have this stuff on hand, never buying jar sauce again! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe !
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Thanks so much, Ashley! Chicken and shrimp with this sounds amazing! 🙂
Helen says
Thanks so much for posting this recipe. The original recipe I was going to follow called for heavy whipping cream and I forgot to buy it but I also didn’t wanna have that in my recipe. Upon coming home I needed to find a better recipe and stumbled across yours! Luckily I had bought everything else in your recipe. Going to make a broccoli chicken Alfredo lasagna with this awesome sauce tonight. 🙂
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
That sounds delicious, Helen! So happy it worked out you had all of the ingredients to make it. Thank you! 🙂
Virginia Carter says
THIS IS AMAZING!! the best balance of creaminess and flavor! Thank you thank you thank you
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Thank you, Virginia – So happy to hear you loved it! 🙂
Courtney says
I made this tonight and it was great! I only had salted butter, so I cut out about 1/4-1/3 c of the Parmesan. I also used 2% milk. It was absolutely delicious!! Will be our go-to. Definitely not lacking in flavor.
Kathy says
First attempt at home made Alfredo! So easy and delicious! I don’t know why I waited so long! Thanks….
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Awesome, Kathy! So happy to hear you loved it! 🙂