Alfredo Sauce
Creamy homemade Alfredo Sauce is flavorful and very easy to make. With hints of garlic, nutmeg and lemon, this from-scratch sauce is a simple recipe that has big impact. Elegant enough for romantic dinners or when hosting a dinner party and yet easy enough for cozy nights on the couch.
Equipment
- microplane *See Note #1 below
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter *1 stick of butter
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 medium lemons zested
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream *See Note #2 below
- 3 cups finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano *See Note #3 below
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice *room temperature lemon juice
- 1 pound pasta of choice *See Note #4 below
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Note: To have the sauce and pasta done at the same time, add the pasta to the boiling water just before cooking the Alfredo Sauce.
- Meanwhile, using a microplane grate the Parmigiano Reggiano and set aside. See Note #1 below. Measure and prepare the other ingredients.
- In a large shallow pan melt the butter over medium/low heat.
- To the melted butter add the salt, black pepper, nutmeg, lemon zest and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in heavy cream. Bring to a simmer over the same medium/low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add in grated parmesan and continue simmering for another 2-3 minutes over the same heat.
- Take off heat and whisk in lemon juice.
- Add freshly cooked hot al dente pasta to the sauce. Stir Well. See Note #5 below.
- Serve immediately and garnish with more freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
Recipe Notes
Note #1- Using a microplane to grate the parmesan creates an ideal fine shred that aids in creating a creamy sauce. However, using a microplane does take a bit of time and effort. The XOXO rotary grater is the next best option and makes grating the cheese much easier.
Note #2- Heavy whipping cream will create the creamiest Alfredo Sauce. However, half and half, whole milk or any percentage of milk you prefer may be substituted in equal portions.
Note #3- Parmigiano Reggiano is a true authentic Italian parmesan. It is an aged hard cheese that has a granular and crumbly texture. Additionally, this version of parmesan has a salty and nutty flavor that makes a world of difference when making Alfredo Sauce. Costco has the best price on authentic Parmigiano Reggiano.
Note #4- The photos and video show the Alfredo Sauce with 1 pound of pasta. However, for extra saucy Alfredo Pasta lower the pasta down to 8-12 ounces.
Another option for extra saucy Alfredo Pasta is to add 1/2- 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce after the noodles have been added. The starchy water helps to expand the sauce and does a wonderful job of emulsifying with the fat and cheese.
Note #5- Mixing the pasta with the sauce for about 2 minutes off heat will help the sauce to thicken and cling to the pasta.