Description
This creamy and luscious Cream Cheese Alfredo Sauce is a simple yet flavorful sauce perfect for elevating any pasta dish. Made by cooking garlic in butter, melting cream cheese, and then slowly incorporating heavy cream, chicken stock, and grated Parmesan cheese, this sauce offers a rich texture and delicious taste that pairs beautifully with your favorite pasta.
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat butter and garlic: Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and minced garlic; cook while stirring occasionally until the butter has fully melted and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Melt the cream cheese: Add the cream cheese to the skillet. Stir continuously until the cream cheese has melted completely and starts to blend smoothly with the butter and garlic, approximately 2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and chicken stock: Slowly pour in the heavy cream first, followed by the chicken stock, stirring constantly to combine the liquids smoothly into the cream cheese mixture to avoid lumps.
- Incorporate Parmesan cheese: Add the grated Parmesan cheese. Whisk the sauce briskly until it becomes smooth, creamy, and well-incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Toss with pasta (optional): If serving with pasta, drain freshly cooked pasta directly into the sauce, reserving some pasta water. Toss the pasta in the sauce to coat thoroughly, adding about ¼ cup of reserved pasta water as needed to adjust the sauce consistency.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and smoothest sauce.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, the reserved pasta water helps loosen it to the perfect consistency.
- This sauce pairs well with fettuccine, linguine, or your preferred pasta shape.
- Be careful not to overheat the sauce once the cheese is added to prevent it from curdling.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
