There are few things as comforting in terms of food for me than a big bowl of pasta swimming in alfredo sauce.
The delicate, creamy sauce is so versatile it can be topped with pretty much any protein like in chicken alfredo or sausage alfredo pasta. I even use it to make french bread pizza and sausage stuffed mushrooms.
While it’s easy enough to pop open a jar of store bought alfredo sauce, I prefer to make my own. It’s fairly inexpensive and using fresh ingredients results in a far more satisfying sauce.
This alfredo sauce recipe has heavy cream – make sure to use that and avoid substitutions so that you can create a rich, creamy sauce. While you can use packaged shredded parmesan, your sauce will be far more flavorful if you grate a block of the cheese just prior to cooking.
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What is Alfredo Sauce?
You may have already figured out that alfredo sauce has Italian roots. It was first served in Rome in the early 1900’s when chef and restaurant owner Alfredo di Lelio featured his fettuccine alfredo on his menu. Legend has it, however, that his real reason for first making the sauce was his wife, Ines.
Suffering from unbearable nausea as a result of her pregnancy, she was struggling to eat. Alfredo whipped up his now-famous sauce for her and she made it a regular meal from then on. I can agree with Ines that alfredo does certainly seem to have some healing properties.
If you’re looking to try the original alfredo sauce, you can still get a taste of it in Italy. While di Lelio sold his original restaurant, Alfredo alla Scrofa, in 1943, it is still open under its original name and reportedly continues to serve the dish.
However, Alfredo and his son Armando opened another restaurant just a few years later. This one they named Il Vero Alfredo, meaning The True Alfredo. It remains open and managed by Alfredo’s grandsons.
So what’s the big deal about alfredo sauce? In reality, many Italians might tell you there’s nothing special about it since it’s really rarely served in Italy, outside of Alfredo alla Scrofa and Il Vero Alfredo. Many Americans adore the sauce made popular by its namesake. A rich creamy concoction consisting primarily of butter, cream, and parmesan cheese, the silky sauce coats noodles beautifully.
Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
- Garlic– be sure to crush the cloves entirely so that they incorporate well in the sauce.
- Butter– use unsalted butter in this recipe. The parmesan cheese will provide plenty of salty flavor.
- Heavy cream– using heavy cream will ensure that your sauce is as silky as it should be.
- Light cream– ensure that you grab light cream and not half-and-half. Light cream has more fat which is crucial for a successful alfredo sauce.
- Parmesan cheese– whether you grate it or buy it already shredded, ensure that it is a fine shred. This will help with incorporating it into the sauce while cooking.
- Sea Salt– the texture on the sea salt should also be fine so that it dissolves more quickly.
- Pepper– any pepper that you have on hand will do. Of course, freshly ground is better, but your regular table pepper will do the trick, too.
How To Use Alfredo Sauce
Of course you can use this sauce on any pasta. Because of its creamy consistency, nearly any shape of pasta will hold onto the sauce from fettuccine and spaghetti to ziti or macaroni. It’s also fantastic for filled pastas like ravioli, tortellini, or manicotti. You can use it in a lasagna to add creaminess and more parmesan flavor
But don’t reserve it just for pasta! You can use alfredo sauce on nearly anything to elevate your meal from smothering your chicken or turkey with it to tossing it with veggies like broccoli and cauliflower. You can even use it in scalloped potatoes, over top of pierogies, or on pizza.
If you’re really looking to experiment with your alfredo sauce, you can also use it as a foundation for a soup, or for making creamed vegetables like spinach or corn.
Finally, while alfredo sauce can steal the show in many dishes, it can play a supporting role as well. Try dipping vegetables like fried zucchini blossoms, fried artichoke hearts, or onion rings in the creamy sauce. And if you want to take a hot sandwich like a burger, cheesesteak, or panini up a notch, you can spread some of this versatile sauce on those, too.
Variations
You can also use any of our 40+ ways to make jarred alfredo sauce better in this homemade version.
- Pesto- add a few tablespoons of pesto, to taste, to add some color and bright flavor.
- Crushed red pepper, Aleppo or cayenne- a few dashes of either (or both) of these will spice up your sauce.
- Basil- some minced basil leaves will freshen up the taste of your alfredo.
- Capers– include some capers in your alfredo for a briny, tangy twist.
- Veggies– My favorites are sun dried tomatoes and peas, but any veggies transforms this into a veggie-packed meal.
- Cajun Seasoning– Cajun alfredo is all the rage right now! Add 2-3 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning.
Storage
Store your homemade alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Pasta Sauces
Easy Garlic Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup light cream
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese finely shredded
- Fine sea salt and pepper
- Pasta of Choice cooked
- crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic. Sauté over medium heat until garlic starts to disintegrate (about 5 minutes). Continue to stir to cook evenly.
- Pour in cream and shredded Parmesan cheese. Whisk until blended and smooth, approximately 4 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, continue to whisk.
- Toss with cooked pasta.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
With reference to your article I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “Fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”) in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). This “trattoria” of Piazza Rosa has become the “birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo”, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo Di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome and in 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1948 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me, with the famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See the website of “Il Vero Alfredo”.
I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong and are out of my brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma”.
The brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma” is present in Mexico with a restaurant in Mexico City and a trattoria in Cozumel on the basis of franchising relationships with the Group Hotel Presidente Intercontinental Mexico.
The restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” is in the Registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence – section on Historical Activities of Excellence” of the Municipality of Roma Capitale.
Best regards Ines Di Lelio
IN ITALIANO
STORIA DI ALFREDO DI LELIO, CREATORE DELLE “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), E DELLA SUA TRADIZIONE FAMILIARE PRESSO IL RISTORANTE “IL VERO ALFREDO” (“ALFREDO DI ROMA”) IN PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE A ROMA
Con riferimento al Vostro articolo ho il piacere di raccontarVi la storia di mio nonno Alfredo Di Lelio, inventore delle note “fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”).
Alfredo Di Lelio, nato nel settembre del 1883 a Roma in Vicolo di Santa Maria in Trastevere, cominciò a lavorare fin da ragazzo nella piccola trattoria aperta da sua madre Angelina in Piazza Rosa, un piccolo slargo (scomparso intorno al 1910) che esisteva prima della costruzione della Galleria Colonna (ora Galleria Sordi).
Il 1908 fu un anno indimenticabile per Alfredo Di Lelio: nacque, infatti, suo figlio Armando e videro contemporaneamente la luce in tale trattoria di Piazza Rosa le sue “fettuccine”, divenute poi famose in tutto il mondo. Questa trattoria è “the birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
Alfredo Di Lelio inventò le sue “fettuccine” per dare un ricostituente naturale, a base di burro e parmigiano, a sua moglie (e mia nonna) Ines, prostrata in seguito al parto del suo primogenito (mio padre Armando). Il piatto delle “fettuccine” fu un successo familiare prima ancora di diventare il piatto che rese noto e popolare Alfredo Di Lelio, personaggio con “i baffi all’Umberto” ed i calli alle mani a forza di mischiare le sue “fettuccine” davanti ai clienti sempre più numerosi.
Nel 1914, a seguito della chiusura di detta trattoria per la scomparsa di Piazza Rosa dovuta alla costruzione della Galleria Colonna, Alfredo Di Lelio decise di aprire a Roma il suo ristorante “Alfredo” che gestì fino al 1943, per poi cedere l’attività a terzi estranei alla sua famiglia.
Ma l’assenza dalla scena gastronomica di Alfredo Di Lelio fu del tutto transitoria. Infatti nel 1948 riprese il controllo della sua tradizione familiare ed aprì, insieme al figlio Armando, il ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” (noto all’estero anche come “Alfredo di Roma”) in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 (cfr. il sito web di Il Vero Alfredo).
Con l’avvio del nuovo ristorante Alfredo Di Lelio ottenne un forte successo di pubblico e di clienti negli anni della “dolce vita”. Successo, che, tuttora, richiama nel ristorante un flusso continuo di turisti da ogni parte del mondo per assaggiare le famose “fettuccine all’Alfredo” al doppio burro da me servite, con
l’impegno di continuare nel tempo la tradizione familiare dei miei cari maestri, nonno Alfredo, mio padre Armando e mio fratello Alfredo. In particolare le fettuccine sono servite ai clienti con 2 “posate d’oro”: una forchetta ed un cucchiaio d’oro regalati nel 1927 ad Alfredo dai due noti attori americani M. Pickford e D. Fairbanks (in segno di gratitudine per l’ospitalità).
Desidero precisare che altri ristoranti “Alfredo” a Roma non appartengono e sono fuori dal mio brand di famiglia.
Il brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma” è presente in Messico con un ristorante a Città del Messico e una trattoria a Cozumel sulla base di rapporti di franchising con il Group Hotel Presidente Intercontinental Mexico.
Vi informo che il Ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” è presente nell’Albo dei “Negozi Storici di Eccellenza – sezione Attività Storiche di Eccellenza” del Comune di Roma Capitale.
Grata per la Vostra attenzione ed ospitalità nel Vostro interessante blog, cordiali saluti
Ines Di Lelio
I love to make my own sauces rather than simply buying jarred sauces. This is a flavorsome, creamy Alfredo sauce that’s was just perfect for my family.
It was delicious! I’m not a fan of the recipes that have cream cheese in their Alfredo. Thanks!
This was so delicious for our pasta dinner! It came together easily and was so flavorul!
This has the perfect garlic flavor! It worked great for our pasta night -thank you!
I love making my own sauces, and this was no exception! Turned out perfectly creamy and delicious; way better than any store bought version, indeed!