When you’re struggling for a last-minute quick and simple meal, one of my go-to’s is pasta. I often have some homemade pesto or homemade tomato sauce to hand in the fridge/freezer and often turn to practically effortless dishes like Italian-inspired pasta aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil) and pasta al Limone (garlic-lemon). However, when you crave comfort, this ultra-creamy garlic cream sauce (aka garlic alfredo sauce) is my go-to for super comforting creamy garlic pasta or even to use over proteins and veggies!
What is Alfredo sauce?
Traditionally, alfredo sauce is a simple white/parmesan cream sauce made with a combination of butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese – using the latter as a natural thickener. For this version, though, I also added sauteed garlic and thickened the sauce with a flour roux (gluten-free option available), as I love to dilute the sauce with pasta water for a lighter (yet still decadent and creamy) garlic alfredo sauce. This creamy garlic butter sauce is ready in just 10 minutes, made with kitchen/pantry staples (with the option of cream or milk depending on what’s available), and is super versatile – both with optional mix-ins and the way you serve it. Not to mention it’s freezer-friendly for up to 3 months! Want more simple sauce inspiration? You might also enjoy creamy roasted red pepper sauce, bechamel sauce, and/or avocado pasta sauce!
The ingredients
This creamy garlic sauce requires just 5 base ingredients plus salt and pepper!
Optional add-ins
The simplicity of the creamy garlic butter sauce means there are several ways that it can be adapted. Here are just a few of my favorite options:
Lemon: a creamy lemon garlic sauce is one of my favorite go-to’s. Add some lemon zest at the same time as the parmesan. Finish it with lemon juice to taste (or serve the dish with lemon slices/wedges). White wine: use a generous splash of white wine (2-3 Tbsp) to create a white wine garlic cream sauce. Add it at the same time as the cream. Mushrooms: easily adapt this to garlic mushroom cream sauce with plenty of chopped mushrooms. Sauté them in the pan until browned before adding the garlic and then continue with the recipe as written. Fresh Herbs: several herbs pair with this garlic butter cream sauce, including finely chopped fresh parsley, dill, chives, thyme, etc. Add towards the end. Dried herbs: alternatively, you can rely on dried herbs and seasonings like Italian seasoning, oregano, thyme, etc., for additional flavor. Broth: instead of diluting the sauce with pasta water, you could use vegetable stock or chicken broth. Bouillon/stock powder: instead of salt, you can add a pinch of chicken/veg stock powder for tons of added depth. Spice: a pinch of red pepper flakes or chili/cayenne pepper will add some heat to the creamy garlic butter sauce. Mustard powder: adding a large pinch of mustard powder will add wonderful depth to the sauce. Alternatively, a small amount of Dijon mustard (½-1 tsp) could work. Pesto: a spoonful or two of pesto is a must-try addition. Like this traditional Italian pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, or vegan pistachio pesto. Spinach: for extra nutrients, stir a handful (or two) of baby spinach into the creamy garlic sauce right at the end (the residual heat will cauce it to wilt).
How to make garlic cream sauce
First, grate/mince the garlic and grate the parmesan (using the small holes on a grater/microplane). Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring often, so the garlic doesn’t burn. Then, add the flour, stirring constantly for about a minute until golden. To use cornstarch, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing it with a few spoonfuls of milk instead of making a roux. Then add it to the sauce after all the cream is incorporated. Note that the amount needed will differ from flour. Slowly start incorporating the cream, little by little, stirring constantly. Then, season it with salt and pepper. Allow the creamy garlic butter sauce to simmer and thicken (usually 2-3 minutes). Finally, add the parmesan, stir well, and remove the sauce from the heat. You can now either use the sauce as is. However, when using this for creamy garlic pasta, I always dilute it with some starchy pasta water, allowing it to simmer and thicken slightly to my desired consistency.
How to serve
Along with being a delicious creamy garlic pasta sauce (which is enough of a reason to make it!), there are several ways to enjoy this garlic cream sauce!
Pasta: I use this primarily as a creamy garlic pasta sauce. Whether to make a garlic shrimp alfredo, fettuccine, or turn to any other type of pasta: general pasta, noodles, spinach ravioli, homemade gnocchi, and more. Pair the pasta with chicken, mushrooms, or seafood (shrimp, baked salmon, lobster, etc.).
You can also use this sauce as the white sauce in a lasagna!
Seafood: this creamy garlic butter sauce makes for a delicious all-purpose fish sauce, as well as for shrimp, lobster, etc. Meat: enjoy this sauce to make creamy garlic parmesan chicken, steak, etc. Vegetables: pour over roasted/grilled veggies for a creamy, dreamy treat! I particularly like it with roasted broccoli and air-fried asparagus. Pizza: drizzle the garlic sauce over your pizza of choice. i.e., this Neapolitan pizza or sweet potato crust pizza.
If you enjoy it another way, let me know in the comments!
How to store and reheat
Store: store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. It can become thick/gummy but will loosen up upon reheating and whisking. Freeze: allow the garlic alfredo sauce to cool and then transfer to airtight container/s (jars or containers) with a little headspace OR reusable Ziplock bags (I like to portion mine). Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Upon thawing, the consistency can seem a little odd, but whisk it well when reheating, and it should sort itself out. Reheat: you can reheat the garlic cream sauce gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot (or at least 165ºF/74ºC). You may need an extra splash of cream or milk to bring it back to your desired consistency.
Recipe tips
Adjust the garlic to taste: in fact, you can adjust the amount of garlic and parmesan to taste. Don’t burn the garlic: when sautéing it, it can turn lightly golden but shouldn’t brown, or it can make the whole sauce have a burned taste. Whisk constantly: when adding the flour and slowly pouring in the cream, it’s important to whisk constantly. Not only to avoid burn but also for a super-smooth, lump-free sauce. To thicken without flour/starch: you can rely on the parmesan cheese (adding more if preferred) and starches in the pasta water to thicken the sauce. Allowing it to simmer for longer to thicken and reduce will also work. To use roasted garlic: the flavor is far more mellow, so you may want to use up to an entire head for roasted garlic cream sauce.
More simple garlic recipes
Garlic lemon pasta (Pasta al Limone) Creamy roasted garlic dressing Lemon garlic butter sauce Roasted garlic butter Simple roasted garlic bread Easy garlic chili oil noodles (10 minutes) Alabama White BBQ Sauce
If you try this simple garlic cream sauce (garlic alfredo sauce) recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
