What is Alfredo Sauce?
Alfredo sauce is a type of pasta sauce that originated in Rome, Italy. Don’t be intimidated by its roots; anyone can make alfredo from scratch. In most cases, homemade alfredo mainly consists of butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Since most people don’t stock their fridges with heavy cream (or they simply want to avoid dairy altogether), we have compiled a list of alfredo sauce recipes without heavy cream.
We’ve compiled 2 sections: the first is with dairy, or scroll to the end to find the dairy-free versions of alfredo sauce that are also satisfying in their own right.
With Dairy
1. Alfredo Sauce with Milk
If you only have about 30 minutes to make dinner, this alfredo sauce recipe is a simple yet delicious one to try. You will need a whisk, saucepan, wooden spoon, and sieve to make your alfredo. The following recipe uses mozzarella cheese, butter, wheat flour (may also use all-purpose flour), whole milk, grated parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper, and dried oregano.
Be sure to put the stove on low heat to avoid scorching the milk or cheese as it cooks. Begin by melting some butter and use a sieve to sift the flour and stir it into the butter. Don’t pour the milk in all at once so that it can thicken up quicker. Lastly, you will add mozzarella cheese and parmesan to thicken up the sauce even more so that it’s ready to serve.
Get the full recipe and directions here
2. Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese
This alfredo will not disappoint if you are craving a decadent pasta sauce. With only five ingredients, this showstopping alfredo is sure to become a new favorite in your house. The author suggests boiling four servings of pasta as you are preparing the sauce; that way, everything can be hot and ready to serve simultaneously. This recipe calls for salted butter; however, if you only have unsalted butter on hand, you can add some salt to the sauce at the end.
First, melt some butter in a skillet and add minced garlic. Sauté the garlic until it turns brown (but not burned), and then add the cream cheese. Use a whisk to break up the cream cheese as it melts; it tends to be lumpy at first. You will also be adding milk to help the sauce have a smooth consistency. The author doesn’t specify what kind of milk to use. Keep in mind that when it comes to milk, the heavier the fat content, the more luxurious the sauce will end up being. To finish off the sauce, add parmesan cheese and maybe some frozen peas or another frozen vegetable such as broccoli and allow them to heat through in the pan before serving.
Get the full recipe and directions from The Kitchen Magpie.
3. Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce
We found this recipe intriguing and unique. If you’re running low on food in your fridge, this recipe could certainly be a lifesaver. Best of all, this is a Weight Watchers-friendly sauce that uses low-fat milk and low-fat cottage cheese to cut down on calories. Some corn starch is required to help thicken the sauce, but other than that, this is a pretty solid alfredo sauce recipe.
Begin by blending the ingredients in a food processor. This step saves time and energy, so you won’t have to whisk constantly to get all the clumps out. Next, season your prepared sauce with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and basil to your liking. Finally, let the alfredo cook on low heat for about 5 minutes before stirring in your preferred pasta. You could even use zoodles to reduce your calorie intake for the day.
Get the full recipe and directions from 40 Aprons.
4. No-Cream Alfredo Sauce
The Food Network has an alfredo sauce that is so simple you don’t even need to have milk or cream to pull it off. All you need is one and a half sticks of unsalted butter (softened and cut into cubes), grated parmesan cheese, ground black pepper, and some Kosher salt. Cook up a pound of fettuccine noodles and reserve some of the pasta water before draining it. Have your ingredients ready in a large bowl, and add the pasta while it’s still hot to melt the butter and cheese.
Use tongs to mix everything gently. Feel free to add some pasta water if necessary so that your sauce sticks to the noodles and creates a smooth texture. This foolproof recipe is perfect for those lazy weeknights when you don’t want to wash dishes.
Get the full recipe and directions from Food Network.
Dairy-Free (Vegan)
5. Alfredo Sauce with Cashews
Isn’t it great that we live in a time when we can create dishes in so many ways? This recipe is vegan-friendly and gluten-free, making it an ideal sauce that can easily feed a crowd. You will need two and a half cups of cashews and two cups of unsweetened cashew or oat milk to make eight servings of this sauce. Other ingredients you will need include dairy-free parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to finish off the alfredo. Using a high-powered blender will crush the nuts efficiently. However, with a food processor, soaking the cashews overnight is the preferred method in this recipe. Alternatively, you can boil the cashews for 30 minutes to soften them up.
You may choose to serve it with some noodles, but consider making a batch of stuffed mushrooms instead if you want to use this vegan-friendly alfredo sauce in a more inventive way. At any rate, this sauce can last in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Get the full recipe and directions from Make it Dairy Free.
6. Alfredo Sauce with Potatoes
You may have heard of cauliflower alfredo sauce, but this vegan alfredo sauce uses potatoes instead. With just over 200 calories per serving (½ cup), it is surprisingly creamy. Be sure to use baby white potatoes because regular russet potatoes have a grainy texture and won’t work well in this recipe. If you can’t find baby white potatoes, red potatoes can also work since they are more moist and waxy than russets.
First, wash and cut one pound of potatoes. Put them in a medium saucepan and add just enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil them until they are tender enough for a fork to go through cleanly, then drain the potatoes. In a separate pan, sauté some chopped onion and minced garlic in olive oil. Put the sauteed onions and boiled potatoes in a blender, then add vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, and sea salt to your mix. Pulse it on high until smooth, then pour your sauce back into a pan on medium-low heat. For the finishing touch, add some dairy-free butter and stir well to incorporate it into your sauce. Even though this recipe is a bit unconventional, this could be a good alternative for people who don’t like cauliflower.
Get the full recipe and directions from Veggie Balance.
7. Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo (Also Nut-Free)
We’re ending today’s list with a paleo-friendly sauce that takes just 30 minutes to make. Begin by heating extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add two cloves of minced garlic. Cook on low heat, being careful not to burn the garlic. Next, add three cups of chopped cauliflower and one cup of water. Let it come to a boil and turn the heat down to let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
Carefully transfer everything from the saucepan into a blender. Ensure you do not completely seal the lid because excess heat can cause a buildup of pressure and make it fly off. Instead, the author suggests covering the inner vent with a thin towel to allow air ventilation as you blend your sauce. Season your alfredo sauce with salt and pepper and serve it warm over your desired pasta. Some add-ins that will enhance the flavor of this sauce include sun-dried tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, or nutritional yeast.
Get the full recipe and directions from Detoxinista.
Alfredo sauce is a creamy and satisfying sauce that you can use in several different ways. Homemade alfredo always beats the store-bought kind, no question. We hope you enjoy making this sauce and learn to use it in various recipes for years to come.
If you like this post, we think you’ll really like our Alfredo Sauce Recipe post.
