Alfredo Sauce With Cream Cheese is a thick and creamy tasting alfredo sauce made with real cream cheese, giving us a great texture and richness in every bite.
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Making sauces from scratch is always fun because there are so many ways to make it unique and delicious. I love making my own homemade alfredo sauce here and there, but my favorite version includes cream cheese. I always have a block or more in the fridge for baking purposes, so adding it to my sauce is easy.
With its luxurious texture and mild tang, cream cheese blends seamlessly with the traditional Alfredo ingredients, taking the creaminess to a whole new level.
This sauce is the epitome of comfort, and the addition of cream cheese brings a delightful richness that's hard to resist. See it in action with my Blackened Chicken Alfredo.
If you enjoy making sauces, don't forget to check out my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Ragu Spaghetti Sauce Recipe too!
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It clings to the noodles. This Alfredo Sauce With Cream Cheese is thick, rich, and creamy, making it perfect for coating pasta or using in baked alfredo dishes.
- So versatile. Use this cream cheese alfredo on chicken, pizza, or lasagna for an easy flavor upgrade. It's also delicious with Pizza Dough In a Bag or French Bread Pepperoni Pizza.
- Easy to customize. Add a pinch of nutmeg, adjust the pepper, swap seasonings, or add a little Creole spice. You can tailor the flavor to your own taste.
🛒 Ingredients
Butter. Adds richness to the sauce. Use unsalted butter, or omit added salt if using salted.
Milk or heavy cream. Unsweetened almond milk, whole milk, evaporated milk, or heavy cream all work. Higher fat options create a richer, more velvety sauce.
Cream cheese. Thickens the sauce and adds a slight tang. Soften and cube it first so it blends smoothly.
Parmesan cheese. Freshly shredded parmesan is best. The shelf stable grated kind works in a pinch, but the texture will be different.
If you have extra Parmesan, try our Tilapia with Spinach and Tomatoes or Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use store-brand dairy. Generic milk, cream cheese, and Parmesan are significantly cheaper and melt just as well.
Grate your own cheese. Buying a block of Parmesan and shredding it yourself costs less than pre-shredded and melts smoother.
Stretch the sauce with pasta water. Reserved pasta water helps thin the sauce without adding extra dairy.
Make it multipurpose. This sauce works for pasta, casseroles, veggies, or chicken, helping you get multiple meals from one batch.
🥄 Instructions for Alfredo Sauce With Cream Cheese
Step 1: Melt your butter in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Whisk in the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 2: Whisk in flour, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Step 3: Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth.
Step 4: Add in the cream cheese and occasionally stir until melted and the sauce begins to thicken.
Step 5: Add parmesan cheese and whisk until blended.
Step 6: Once the sauce is smooth you can serve it as-is or you can add in up to ½ cup of reserved pasta water from your cooked pasta to help thin it down a little bit.
Serve and use as desired.
Enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Soften the cream cheese. Cold cream cheese won't fully melt and can leave small white pieces in the sauce. Always start with softened cream cheese for a smooth finish.
- Thin the sauce. Reserve some pasta water and whisk it into the alfredo a half cup at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Warm milk or water also works well.
- Thicken the sauce. Whisk one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water to make a slurry. Stir it into the sauce and repeat as needed until thickened.
❄️ Storage, Freezing & Reheating
Storage: Refrigerate leftover Alfredo Sauce With Cream Cheese in a sealed container for up to 1 week. For best taste, use within 3-4 days and avoid leaving it out for more than 2 hours.
Freezing: Freezing is not recommended unless using the sauce in a baked dish like lasagna, casseroles, or baked chicken, since freezing can cause separation.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often. Add a splash of milk to smooth the texture if it separates.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve this Alfredo Sauce With Cream Cheese over pasta, gnocchi, or rice. It also pairs well with grilled or baked chicken, roasted broccoli or cauliflower, and makes a great dip for breadsticks or garlic bread.
- Homemade Spaghetti SauceRecipe $1.59 / Serving $0.40
- Blackened Chicken AlfredoRecipe $8.11 / Serving $1.35
- Ragu Spaghetti Sauce RecipeRecipe $9.14 / Serving $1.14
- Air Fryer Frozen Garlic BreadRecipe $2.24 / Serving $0.28
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can choose to use regular milk, heavy cream, or even half and half to give this sauce the liquid needed for that flavorful creamy end result.
Try making the sauce using Light Cream Cheese and Skim Milk for a reduced fat content. The sauce should still taste incredible!
This sauce yields about 3 ½ cups of homemade sauce when finished. This should be plenty for a family pasta night, a few pizzas, a casserole, or whatever plans you may have in store for it!
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Mac and Cheese QuesadillaRecipe $0.40
- Instant Pot Chicken SpaghettiRecipe $10.38 / Serving $1.74
- One Pot Cheeseburger PastaRecipe $10.25 / Serving $1.28
- Southern Baked SpaghettiRecipe $6.70 / Serving $0.55
🐝 If you tried this Alfredo Sauce With Cream Cheese, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Alfredo Sauce With Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - ($0.37)
- ½ teaspoons garlic, minced - ($0.03)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour - ($0.02)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper - ($0.02)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - ($0.08)
- 2 cups whole milk - ($0.40)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed - ($0.93)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded - ($1.48)
- salt, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Build the roux. Whisk in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Whisk in the flour, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until smooth.
- Add the milk and cream cheese. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the cream cheese and stir occasionally until melted and the sauce begins to thicken.
- Finish with cheese. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese until fully blended and smooth.
- Adjust and serve. Serve as is, or whisk in hot reserved pasta water, ½ cup at a time, to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
Notes
- Milk options. Whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream can be used.
- Consistency control. Reserved pasta water is ideal for thinning the sauce.
- Cream cheese tip. Use softened cream cheese to prevent small white lumps.
- Freezing. Freezing is not recommended, but the sauce works well in baked dishes.
- Storage. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutritional Information
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