Alfredo Sauce with Half-and-Half

Homemade alfredo sauce in a white bowl garnished with chopped parsley.

5 from 2 votes

This homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe with Half-and-Half is a lighter twist on the traditional sauce. It's smooth, creamy, and so easy to make! This restaurant-quality sauce is perfect for any pasta dish - and will quickly become a family favorite!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Jeri Walker

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 cups half and half
4 ounces cream cheese (half a block)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

First, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the melted butter and sauté for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.
Cut half a block of cream cheese into small cubes and add them to the saucepan. Stir continuously until the cream cheese has melted and is very soft. It's okay if it is still lumpy; it will blend in later.
Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the half and half. Add the Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Finally, add the grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce, stirring constantly until it melts and blends smoothly into the mixture.
Continue cooking over low heat for another few minutes, stirring frequently until thickened. Once you have the perfect consistency, remove the sauce from the heat.
Serve immediately over your favorite pasta and enjoy!

Notes

Grate your own Parmesan cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese from a block is preferable over pre-grated varieties as it melts smoothly into the sauce without any clumps and contains no fillers.
Do not boil: Avoid boiling the sauce after adding the half and half to prevent burning. Keep the heat on low throughout the cooking process.
Adjust consistency: If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more half and half gradually until the desired consistency is reached. If you like a thicker sauce, simmer it for a few extra minutes while stirring frequently.
Be patient while melting cream cheese: Cubing cream cheese helps it melt faster, but ensure that each cube fully melts before adding the parmesan cheese.

Nutrition