Whip up creamy half-and-half Alfredo sauce for your pasta in under 15 minutes with just 4 easy ingredients. We’ll cook it in melted butter and a bit of fried garlic to kick the flavor up a notch. Then, we’ll stir in shredded Parmesan and let the sauce mingle with the pasta right at the end for that perfect finish.
I’m a fan of this recipe because it’s lighter than the classic version but doesn’t skimp on that creamy, rich taste of melted butter, Parmesan, and fried garlic. Plus, you can whip it up in advance and stash it in the fridge for a bit.
When dinner time rolls around, just warm the Alfredo sauce gently, toss it with your pasta, and you’re good to go. It’s a lifesaver on busy weeknights when everyone’s hungry and you need something tasty, fast.
Even the kids will dig into this pasta and come back asking for more.
🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?
You can whip up the 4-ingredient Alfredo sauce in the time it takes for the pasta to boil—it’s that quick. Feel free to tweak the recipe with whatever’s in your fridge, like chicken, mushrooms, or any veggies you fancy.
All you need are a few straightforward, budget-friendly ingredients for this dish. And your kids? They’re going to devour it because it turns out so creamy.
🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes
- Butter and Parmesan cheese are my go-tos for this sauce. Originally, that’s all there was to it. If Parmesan’s not in your pantry, any hard cheese will do.
- Garlic. I toss in a large garlic clove for that unmatched aroma it gives off when sautéed in a bit of butter. Not a fan of garlic or find it too strong? It’s totally fine to skip it, use a smaller clove, or swap it out for some dried granulated garlic.
- Half and Half. I add half-and-half to make it super creamy without much fuss. The traditional way involves cooking the pasta like risotto—less cooking time, mixing it in the pan with butter, and adding water bit by bit. Honestly, it’s a longer process and hit or miss on getting it just right. If you prefer, mix a richer cream with some milk.
- Pasta. Pick whatever you like, but I lean towards ones with a hole or wider shapes like tagliatelle—they trap more sauce, making each bite perfectly saucy.
👩🍳 Step-by-step Directions
Start by putting butter and garlic in a cold pan. Turn the heat to low and let the butter melt. Once the garlic browns a bit, take it out. You can keep it for garnishing later, or if not, you’re done with it.
Pro Tip: spoon some of the melting butter over the garlic while it cooks. This way, the butter picks up more garlic flavor.
Then, set the heat to the lowest setting and add the half and half to the pan with the melted butter.
Keep stirring until it begins to boil, let it cook for about 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
Stir in the grated Parmesan until it melts, and you’ll end up with a creamy, aromatic Alfredo sauce using just half and half.
If you haven’t cooked the pasta yet, now’s the time.
Pro Tip: As I said, boil the pasta for one minute less than the package says because it’ll cook a bit more in the sauce.
Quick Note: Don’t dump the pasta water! You might need it to adjust the sauce’s consistency if it gets too thick.
Reheat the sauce on the lowest flame without letting it boil, stirring for about a minute. If the pasta soaks up all the sauce, add a bit of the pasta water until it’s just right.
Serve it hot for the creamiest experience. As you can see from the picture, waiting even 3-5 minutes means the pasta absorbs the sauce, losing some of that creamy goodness. So, dig in as soon as it’s ready for the best texture.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
If you’re into the rich flavor of fried garlic, definitely top your pasta with it—it adds an amazing crunch and depth. And throwing in some freshly chopped parsley at the end? It not only smells great but also adds a pop of color to your dish.
Consider cracking some fresh black pepper over it or drizzling a bit of olive oil for that authentic Italian vibe.
And hey, pairing this creamy 4-ingredient Alfredo sauce with a simple green salad dressed in olive oil and lime juice? That’s how you round it out with a fresh, nutritious twist.
🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?
- Make sure you don’t fry the garlic too long, or it’ll burn, turn bitter, smell bad, and could ruin your meal.
- If garlic’s smell or intensity isn’t your thing, swap it out for dried granulated garlic or just skip it.
- Don’t boil the cream on high or for too long; it can split.
- Toss the cheese in right after you’ve turned off the heat. The pan’s warmth is enough to melt it, keeping the sauce smooth.
- Cook your pasta a minute less than the package says, then finish it in the sauce. It makes the pasta tastier and creamier, cooking it just right.
- To get the sauce’s thickness just how you like it, use some of the pasta water.
♻️ Make Ahead, Storage and Heating:
Can I make it in advance?
Yep, you can whip up the sauce beforehand and stash it in the fridge in airtight containers.
How long does it keep?
You can keep the sauce on its own in the fridge for about 3-4 days. If you’ve already mixed it with pasta, though, you should probably eat it right away. It just doesn’t taste as good reheated, and that creamy Alfredo magic disappears.
How do I warm it up?
Just pour the sauce into a pan and warm it up on the lowest heat. Then, add your pasta and follow the same steps.
📋 Recipe Card:
4 Ingredients Half and Half Alfredo Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 Garlic Clove Large
- 1 cup Half and Half
- 1 cup Parmesan Shredded
- 11 oz Pasta
Instructions
- Melt the butter and fry the garlic until it browns for a little bit. Remove the fried garlic from the butter.2 tablespoons Butter, 1 Garlic Clove
- Set the low heat, add the half and half and mix continuously until it boils. Cook for about 30 seconds and stop the heat.1 cup Half and Half
- Add over sauce the shredded parmesan or other cheese that you decided to replace it with. Mix well until the cheese melts.1 cup Parmesan
- Boil the pasta for less than a minute that, is indicated on the package.11 oz Pasta
- Add the pasta to the pan with the alfredo sauce and turn on the lowest heat. Cook for another 1-2 min and mix the pasta well.
Quick Note
I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find more tips and notes about this recipe. Read Full Recipe ⇑
Notes
- Don’t fry the garlic for too long because it will give a bitter taste to the melted butter and may ruin your pasta.
- Don’t cook the half-and-half sauce at a higher heat because you may risk separating it.
- Cook the pasta for a minute less than is indicated on its package. We will cook this minute later together with the alfredo sauce.
- In the end, be careful not to boil the pasta with alfredo sauce because the sauce will separate.
- Consider sprinkling a little olive oil, black pepper, or freshly chopped parsley over the pasta before serving.
Chris
I am trying this sauce tomorrow .I like easy this recipe sounds wonderful. Thank you.