This Keto Alfredo Sauce has the rich flavors of butter, cream, garlic, and cheese.
When you’re making keto alfredo sauce it’s hard to believe it can be healthy and GOOD for you!! After a lot of trial and error, I have come up with a pretty full-proof, easy recipe, that you’re sure to love as much as I do! I’ve found you have to do a lot of experimenting when you are trying to stay low-carb but keep all the flavor!
If there is one place my husband and I can not share a meal, it’s when we go out for Italian. He is a red sauce guy through and through and I am 100% all about the creamy white sauces! Together, Brandon and I have mastered this keto alfredo sauce though and it’s become one of his favorites too. Maybe that’s why I think its the best Alfredo sauce ever!! My evil plan to bring my husband over to the Alfredo side is working! Haha! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
How do you make homemade Alfredo sauce?
- Melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium high heat in a heavy bottomed medium sized saucepan
- Add 6 cloves of garlic (or less if you’re not a huge garlic fan like me) but if you don’t love garlic, I’m not sure we can be friends… just sayin 😉
- Pour in 1 ½ cup of heavy whipping cream and bring to a simmer
- Sprinkle in 1.5 cups of Parmesan cheese, stir and let it melt (you can add another 1/2 cup if you like your alfredo super cheesy)
- Cut 3oz of cream cheese into small chunks and stir it in until melted and smooth
- Add a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- Taste your sauce and add a dash of salt and pepper if needed.
Making the best Alfredo sauce is easy! First I melt the butter and saute the garlic until the garlic is fragrant. I pour in 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream and bring that to a simmer. I sprinkle in 1.5 cups of freshly grated Parmesan and whisk until melted. Then, cut 3oz of cream cheese into chunks and add it to the sauce, stir until smooth. Taste the sauce at this point, it may need a little seasoning of nutmeg, salt and/or pepper. If I need the sauce to be thicker, I add more cream cheese. If it needs to be thinner, I add more heavy whipping cream or 2% milk.
Here’s another twist that I often add to my Alfredo. Once the sauce is all creamy, gooey and bubbly, I add in a nice big handful of spinach. I am not a huge fan of wilted spinach but added to this sauce, it’s so good!
How do you make Alfredo sauce without heavy cream?
I personally don’t use this method to make the best Alfredo sauce, because flour adds carbs and I try to keep my Alfredo sauce as low carb as possible. But if you want to omit the heavy cream, here’s one way to do so:
- Melt 4 tbsp butter over medium high heat in a heavy bottomed medium sized saucepan.
- Add 1tsp of salt, ½ tsp of pepper and 3 tsp flour to the pan (flour will be your thickener here since you are not using heavy cream or cream cheese)
- Slowly pour 2 cups of milk and whisk until combined.
- Add ½ to ¾ cup of Parmesan cheese, continue to whisk until cheese melts and the consistency of the Alfredo becomes smooth.
Can you use milk instead of cream to make Alfredo sauce?
You most certainly can. Your Keto Alfredo Sauce will be thinner if you do, but you can make a slurry with flour or cornstarch to thicken your sauce. To do this, take a small bowl or jar and add 1 tbsp flour (or cornstarch) and 1 tbsp water. Mix well until all clumps are gone. Add this slurry slowly to your sauce as you whisk consistently over low heat. Give it a few minutes to thicken. If needed, you can do this one or two more times until you get the consistency you like.
How do you thicken your Keto Alfredo sauce?
Since I do not use flour or cornstarch with my low carb eating plan, I add cream cheese to my sauce to thicken it. I start off with 3 oz and if that isn’t enough I slowly add more as needed. Plus I add more cheese, because mmmm cheese!
Is fettuccine Alfredo really Italian?
According to historical events, the story goes that in 1914, a man named Alfredo di Lelio was trying to cook something that would please his wife who was pregnant. He created this sauce made from Parmesan cheese and butter and poured it over some fettuccine noodles. Di Lelio opened up a restaurant in Italy and served his fettuccine dish after it was so hugely popular with his family.
What can I add to jarred Alfredo sauce?
Ok, if you do not have time to make the best Alfredo sauce ever and you want to do something even easier, give this a try.
To your jar of Alfredo:
- Sprinkle in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- Pour 1 cup of either milk, heavy whipping cream or chicken stock
- 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese, a finer shredded version is best
- 1 tbsp of minced garlic
- Seasoning to taste
Now in my opinion… if you are going to go to all that trouble to “doctor up” a bought version of Alfredo (that is probably packed full of chemicals, to begin with) you might as well just make the best Alfredo sauce that I have below. Think of how proud you’ll be when you serve it and can say “I know every ingredient in this because it’s made from scratch!” I believe in you, you can do it, trust me!!
All in all, I make this Keto Alfredo Sauce at least once a week for my husband and I.
My secret weapon really is the cream cheese. It almost has a superpower in making the sauce richer and thicker all at once. We pore our Keto Alfredo Sauce over spaghetti squash, veggies and even use it as a dip. If you like cheesy goodness, your family is sure to love it.
Enjoy!!!
Click here for a full dinner that I LOVE to use my Alfredo Sauce with Baked Spaghetti Squash with Alfredo and Shrimp Scampi
Keto Alfredo Sauce
This creamy Keto Alfredo Sauce can pair well with baked spaghetti squash for an easy, low carb, meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter (use good quality butter, such as Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter)
- 6 cloves minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups shredded or freshly grated parmesan cheese (feel free to use another 1/2 cup if you like your alfredo super cheesy)
- 3 oz cream cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- pinch nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
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Add butter and minced garlic to the pan saute until the garlic is fragrant
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Add the heavy whipping cream, and bring to a simmer.
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Slowly sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, whisk until melted.
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Cut the cream cheese into chunks and add to the pot. Whisk until melted and smooth.
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If it needs to be thicker, add more cream cheese.
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If it needs to be thinner, add more heavy whipping cream or 2% milk.
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Sprinkle in a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
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Taste your sauce, if it needs it, add salt and pepper.
