You can make this Garlic Alfredo Sauce with Romano and Parmesan in 30 minutes! You'll love its creamy, velvety texture and bold flavors. This low-carb Alfredo sauce is keto friendly and gluten free! Use it for fettuccine Alfredo, chicken or pizza.
I first developed this Alfredo recipe when my son told me he was buying the jarred stuff.
GASP!
I lectured him about all the sodium and Lord-knows-what-else in there.
And of course, I went to work in my kitchen to come up with this delicious, Garlic Alfredo Sauce with Romano cheese. I texted him my recipe as soon as it was ready so he could make Alfredo sauce from scratch.
And, now, I'm sharing that motherly love with you. My homemade Alfredo sauce is so much better than store-bought!
It's definitely rich, but there are just five simple ingredients, plus salt and pepper. The best part is its creamy, velvety texture.
That texture.is.everything. And this low-carb Alfredo sauce is keto friendly and gluten free.
Let's take a closer look, and don't miss my Alfredo Pumpkin Pasta Sauce!
Recipe ingredients
Cheese: Cheese helps create a velvety texture, and we're using equal parts Parmesan and Romano for the best flavor. Romano brings a salty, bold accent, and the Parmesan-Romano sauce really sets this Alfredo recipe apart. Feel free to use regular Romano or Pecorino Romano, which is made from sheep's milk.
Just be sure to grate the cheeses yourself instead of buying the stuff in a can. The canned cheese will make your fettuccine Alfredo sauce grainy.
Cream - You might be tempted to substitute half and half here, but trust me, this Alfredo pasta sauce is best with cream. I tried many times using half and half, and while the flavor was good, the texture was lacking.
Making homemade Alfredo sauce with heavy cream is the way to achieve a thick, creamy, texture. It's not diet food, but we'll just eat salad for the rest of the day!
Garlic - I'm Italian, so I can't help but add garlic to most savory dishes! Once you taste this delicious Alfredo sauce with garlic, you’ll never want to go back. I use a garlic press (affiliate link) so there won't be any chunks.
How to make garlic Alfredo sauce
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full instructions, but here's an overview.
- Melt the butter and cook the garlic in the pan about 30 seconds, stirring a bit. Don't let the garlic burn.
- Add the cream into the garlic, add salt and pepper, then give it a stir.
- Bring the cream to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Move the pan to a cool burner and stir in the cheese.
- Return the pan to the cooking burner over low heat and allow the garlicky Alfredo sauce to thicken before serving.
Recipe tips
- For a smooth, creamy Alfredo sauce, buy triangles of fresh cheese and grate them yourself. The sauce will be grainy if you use cheese from a can.
- For the best Alfredo sauce, use a combination of Parmesan and Romano cheeses. It produces a bolder flavor that's delicious.
- When making the sauce, you'll know it's thick enough when you push the spoon through it and can see the bottom of the pan.
What to serve with Alfredo sauce
There are many ways to use garlic Alfredo sauce. Of course, it's traditionally used with fettuccine, but you also can make spaghetti Alfredo or use linguine, rigatoni, farfalle, etc.
For a healthier option, stir the Alfredo into zucchini noodles (zoodles). You can even add spinach.
You also could use the Alfredo sauce on pizza (yum!!) or serve it over chicken. Use your imagination!
Frequently asked questions
It's best to make this and serve it immediately. Alfredo sauce doesn't reheat well. It separates and curdles.
If you want to try anyway, here is an article on steps you can use to reheat Alfredo sauce.
Once the Alfredo is mixed into the pasta, you can store leftover fettuccine Alfredo in the refrigerator and reheat it in the microwave. The texture won't be as good as when you first made it, however. It will be a bit dry, so drizzle on some olive oil before serving.
More creamy pasta recipes
- Creamy Walnut Sauce for Pasta
- Italian Mac and Cheese (Stovetop)
- Pasta with Pecorino and Pepper (Cacio e Pepe)
- Penne alla Vodka with Bacon
Enjoy!
If you try this Garlic Alfredo Sauce with Romano Cheese, be sure to leave a comment and a rating!
E-Cookbook!
With my Pasta & Sauces collection, even a beginner can cook like an Italian nonna!
Garlic Alfredo Sauce with Romano Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- ½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a 2-quart sauce pan over medium-high heat. Press the garlic and add it to the melted butter, stirring a bit. Let it cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Lower the heat to medium and stir the cream into the garlic mixture. Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Let the cream come to a low boil, while stirring frequently.
- Then lower the heat and let the pot simmer, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes, or until the cream thickens. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Turn off the heat and move your Alfredo pot to a cool burner. Gradually stir in the freshly grated Parmesan and Romano.
- Place the pot over low heat and stir until the sauce is thickened further. It is done when you push your spoon along the bottom of the pan and can see the bottom of the pan. It will take a few minutes.
- The sauce will thicken even more as it sits. It's best to make the sauce and use it immediately, because Alfredo sauce doesn't reheat well. It separates and curdles.
- Serve the garlic Alfredo sauce with fettuccine, zoodles, or on pizza or chicken, etc. Once mixed with pasta, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat fettuccine Alfredo, drizzle on a little olive oil before microwaving it, so the pasta isn't dry.
Notes
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C. Originally published on March 22, 2018 and updated now with additional photos and information.)
Sara
I followed this recipe to almost a t, just added a little more garlic and added some extra seasonings like oregano and italian. It turned out fantastic! I will say, I like my pasta super saucey, so if making this again, I would double for the 1 lb of pasta this says it could cover. But all in all, a great recipe and definitely one I will make again!
Mamma C
Hi Sara - That's great to hear! I'm so glad you enjoyed the Alfredo. Thanks for letting me know!
Nick
You cringe at your son eating processed Alfredo sauce and at the bottom of this page is an ad to buy processed Alfredo sauce. HA!
Mamma C
Hi Nick - Thanks for pointing that out! I allow food ads but can't control which ones show up, and what you see may different than what I see. However, I did remove that ad unit area.
deb
I use all your ingredients PLUS half and half and cream cheese...we call it "heart attack on a plate" but eating it a few times a year it's a treat!
Mamma C
I just gained a pound reading your comment, Deb!
Mimi
Wonderful. I just can't even force myself to buy products like Ragu or BBQ sauces. Ugh. I don't care about the extra work - it's so worth it. A lovely recipe. The first alfredo sauce I made was from Foods of the World series and it was simply 1 part butter, 1 part cream, and 1 part Parmesan. Delicious. Yours is a bit lighter!
Mamma C
I promised myself I wouldn't use more than two tablespoons of butter in this, since I was going with the cream. I'm glad you like this recipe, Mimi!
Jeanette
Perfect dish for a pasta lover as me 🙂
Mamma C
Pasta is my life! Thanks for stopping by, Jeanette.
Roxana
I love fettucini alfredo and this looks so yum, authentic and easy.
Mamma C
There's so much flavor here. Thanks, Roxana!
Linda
I absolutely adore alfredo sauce and when I go to a nice Italian restaurant it is usually what I order. I've never tried making it at home but now you've got me drooling after reading your recipe. I love that you didn't stint on the ingredients and used real cream and butter. And, of course, I love the addition of garlic.
Do you think if I served it over zoodles and ate salads for the rest of the week, I could have seconds? lol
Mamma C
You can definitely have seconds, in that case! You should try making this, Linda.
Danielle
I sure do love a good homemade alfredo sauce. This sounds delicious!
Mamma C
It really is! Thanks, Danielle.
Sharon
Thank you for sharing this delicious Alfredo sauce with us too! Nothing like a big bowl of pasta with this classic creamy sauce.
Mamma C
It's so good! Thanks, Sharon.
Veena Azmanov
This recipe looks incredible! I want to try it for dinner! This sauce is perfect for me and my family. Thanks for the great recipe!
Mamma C
I hope your family loves this! Thanks, Veena!