Last Updated on October 25, 2023 by Toya
Don’t want to use Alfredo sauce from the jar? Then you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll find a great list of ways to replace Alfredo sauce with ingredients you may have in your kitchen right now!
In the US, most Alfredo Sauce recipes are made with heavy cream, butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt. However, traditional Alfredo sauce from Italy is made using butter, parmesan reggiano, and pasta water. The differences are quite stark and show you how you can make a tasty Alfredo sauce out of a plethora of different ingredients.
So, whether you just want to swap the type of cheese in your Alfredo sauce or overhaul the whole thing, there is an option listed below for you!
Replacing the cheese
If you want to make a traditional Alfredo sauce recipe without parmesan reggiano, then you can use the ideas below. The original Alfredo sauce, or Alfredo pasta, is made using three ingredients: parmesan reggiano, pasta water, and butter, but you can try replacing the parmesan with:
Pecorino Romano
Cook some 16-ounce pasta (or any pasta of your choice) and reserve about a cup of pasta water. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a pot, then gradually add the pasta water to combine. Lastly, add 2-3 cups of grated Pecorino Romano cheese to the pot and mix until a nice, creamy sauce is made. Pour your cooked pasta into the sauce and coat. Enjoy!
Grana Padano
Same with pecorino cheese. If you have some Grana Padano but not Parmesan, then you follow the same steps.
Use equal parts Grana Padano cheese, mixed with butter, and pasta water to make a sauce. Add your cooked pasta to this sauce, coat the pasta, and serve immediately.
Piave Cheese
Like Parmesan riggiano, you can also use Piave cheese to make Alfredo sauce. To do so, cook your pasta then reserve a cup of the pasta water. Then use equal parts Piave cheese with butter. Pour in some pasta water, about a cup, and mix until a creepy sauce is made.
Adding other dairy ingredients like heavy cream
Alfredo sauce with heavy cream
To make Alfredo sauce with heavy cream follow these simple instructions. It makes the perfect substitute for Alfredo sauce.
You will need ¼ cup butter, ¾ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, ⅛ teaspoon salt and black pepper each, ⅛ tsp thyme, and ⅛ tsp nutmeg.
Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet, and let the garlic cook for about 30 seconds. Then add the heavy cream to the skillet and simmer on low heat for 1–2 minutes. Next, whisk in all the seasonings and simmer for 2 more minutes. Lastly, add the grated Parmesan cheese and whisk until it all melts. Then serve.
A good substitute ratio is 1:1. Meaning, for every 1 cup of store-bought Alfredo sauce, replace it with 1 cup of homemade heavy cream Alfredo sauce.
Also, note that 1 ¾ cup of Alfredo sauce is enough for every pound of cooked pasta.
Alfredo sauce with half and half
Another great replacement for Alfredo sauce is a DIY Alfredo sauce made with half and half. It’s tangier and has fewer calories, but it’s just as good!
To make it, you will need 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 clove of garlic (peeled and minced), 1 ½ cups of half-half, 1 cup of cheese (cheddar or parmesan), salt and pepper to taste and a few sprigs of parsley/cilantro to garnish.
To make half-and-half Alfredo sauce, add the butter to a saucepan and melt. Then add the minced garlic to the melted butter and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Pour the half-and-half and cheese into the saucepan and simmer while stirring gently. After a few minutes, the cheese will have melted with the half-and-half. Add the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until you get a smooth pasta sauce.
This recipe makes about 2 ½ to 3 cups of Alfredo sauce and can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio with any other type of Alfredo sauce. You need 1 ¾ cups of Alfredo sauce for every pound of pasta.
Alfredo sauce with cream cheese
Have some cream cheese handy? If so, you can also use it to make a delicious Alfredo sauce substitute. To make it, you’ll need ½ cup (or 120 g) of cream cheese, 1 clove of garlic (peeled and minced), ¾ cup (or 180 ml) of milk or water, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then cook the minced garlic on low heat until fragrant. Next, add the cream cheese to the mixture and stir it a little until it is integrated. Be careful with the temperature; the cream cheese mustn’t reach boiling point. Add the milk, and cook until all the ingredients have been integrated into a homogeneous mixture. Then season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Alfredo sauce with milk
Have access to cheese, milk, butter, and cornstarch? If so, you have the makings of a simple yet delicious Alfredo sauce. For this Alfredo sauce, you need 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese, 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 clove of minced garlic, ¼ cup of water, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, salt, and pepper to taste.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the minced garlic and cook on low heat until it starts to brown. Add the milk; it is preferable to use warm or room-temperature milk. Dilute the cornstarch in some water and then add it to the saucepan. Add the grated cheese, stirring gently for a few minutes until the cheese has melted and the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Alfredo sauce mix
Another great substitute for Alfredo sauce is Alfredo sauce mix. It’s a dry mix that can be mixed with water, milk, and butter to make a quick, creamy pasta sauce in no time. I’ve used it a lot a quite like it. To use it, you can empty the contents of the Alfredo sauce mix into a saucepan. The. Add 1 ¾ cups of milk and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter to the saucepan and mix well. Simmer on low heat so the Alfredo sauce comes together. Season to your liking and use to coat your cooked pasta.
I enjoy using knorr Alfredo sauce mix, which I sometimes find locally. I also sometimes get it from Amazon at a very reasonable price.
Ricotta and cheddar cheese sauce
You can also make an excellent alternative for Alfredo sauce with ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, heavy cream, and butter.
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Himalayan salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons water, if needed, to thin down
- Fresh thyme, chopped, leaves only
To start this recipe, first gather all of your ingredients in one place.
Then, in a saucepan, combine the heavy cream and butter. Make sure you set the heavy cream and butter over medium heat and let them melt.
Once the butter is melted, stir in the ricotta cheese, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
Set this over medium heat and cook until the ricotta cheese is melted. Once you start to see the bubbles, remove the mixture from the heat.
Next, you will stir in the grated cheese and thyme and mix this until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If needed, add a bit of water to thin down the sauce.
When done, it should look like this, and it is ready to serve.
Homemade vegan Alfredo sauce
A good alfredo sauce substitute for vegan eaters will be a simple homemade vegan Alfredo sauce. These are usually made with ingredients like raw cashews, nutritional yeast, olive oil, onions and garlic, plant-based milk, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
For this, you will need a high-powered blender as well. You can find a simple recipe for homemade vegan Alfredo sauce here.
Other creamy homemade sauces
Béchamel Sauce
Béchamel sauce, also known as white sauce, is a classic base for Alfredo sauce. It’s made with butter, flour, and milk. Add Parmesan cheese and seasonings for an Alfredo-like flavor.
Carbonara Sauce
Carbonara sauce is a creamy Italian sauce made with eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, pancetta, and black pepper. It’s a delicious alternative to Alfredo sauce
Cauliflower Sauce
A cauliflower-based sauce is a healthier, lower-calorie alternative to Alfredo sauce. Boil cauliflower until tender, then blend it with garlic, milk, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings for a creamy consistency.
Cashew Cream Sauce
Soak cashews, then blend them with water or broth to create a rich and creamy cashew cream. Add garlic, nutritional yeast, and seasonings for an Alfredo-like flavor.
Greek Yogurt Sauce
Greek yogurt can be used as a base for a lighter, tangy sauce. Mix it with garlic, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice for a tangy Alfredo alternative.
Silken Tofu Sauce
Silken tofu can be blended into a creamy sauce. Combine it with garlic, nutritional yeast, and seasonings to mimic the flavor of Alfredo sauce.
Coconut Milk Sauce
Coconut milk can be used to create a dairy-free Alfredo alternative. Mix it with garlic, nutritional yeast, and seasonings for a slightly different flavor profile.
Creamy Pesto Sauce
Combine basil pesto with heavy cream or a non-dairy creamer for a creamy, flavorful sauce that can replace Alfredo sauce.
Ricotta Cheese Sauce
Ricotta cheese mixed with milk or cream, along with garlic, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings, can create a rich and creamy sauce similar to Alfredo.
This list is all you’ll ever need if you want to substitute Alfredo sauce in a recipe!