This quick alfredo sauce with half and half is ultra creamy and delish! If you're out of cream, this recipe will give you the same indulgent results. Toss with fettucine noodles for dinner in a flash.
Why you'll love it
More often than not, when I'm searching the fridge for heavy cream, I find half and half instead. Half and half is a mixture of equal parts milk and cream. It's thicker and richer than milk, but not as rich as cream.
This alfredo sauce with half and half is:
- Just as luscious, indulgent, and super quick! I actually prefer it to cream.
- It's ready to eat in 15 minutes which feels lightning fast compared to other pasta dishes.
- Kiddos love it!
I like to serve it with this super easy garlic bread! I'm all about working with what I've got on hand. Who wants to take an extra five trips to the store? Not this girl.
Key Ingredients
Unsalted butter - I always opt for unsalted butter and add my own salt. If you only have salted butter, that's fine too. Just be sure to taste the alfredo sauce before you add more salt. You don't want it to be too salty!
Half and half - Half and half is equal parts milk and cream. If you do have cream, you can certainly use it! Or if you only have whole milk, that works too. The flour in this recipe acts as a binder to keep the sauce from separating no matter how much fat you use. The more fat, the creamier the sauce. I prefer half and half!
Garlic - For the added depth of flavor!
Parmesan - For the best results, use freshly shredded/shaved parmesan right off the block! It melts nicely into a luscious sauce. Bagged parmesan works, but doesn't melt as nicely and the quality is inferior. I used my food processor with the grating attachment.
Seasoning - Salt is crucial in rich, heavy sauces! I added ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, but go ahead and salt to taste.
Parsley - For a subtle peppery bite and a pop of green!
How to make alfredo sauce with half and half
This alfredo sauce recipe with half and half is super simple! Because it comes together so quickly, I like to boil my fettucine noodles first and set them aside.
Melt butter
In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add flour, then half and half
Add the flour and salt to the butter mixture, and stir until it's no longer lumpy, about 30 seconds.
While whisking, slowly pour the half and half into the butter mixture. Don't dump it in all at once!
The mixture will look lumpy at first. That's okay! It will smooth out as you whisk and add more half & half.
Add parmesan cheese
Reduce the heat to low.
Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese to the mixture. Stir or whisk until melted into the sauce!
Stir in the minced parsley, Italian seasoning, and some freshly cracked black pepper.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the noodles into the skillet. Toss and serve!
Recipe Tips
- Use freshly grated parmesan! I tried this alfredo sauce recipe with freshly grated parmesan and pre-grated parmesan from the bag. I'm all about shortcuts if possible. The difference is huge! Freshly grated was a million times better.
- Don't skip the flour. You can swap it with gluten-free flour if needed. It keeps the sauce from separating since half and half has less fat than cream!
- Don't dump in the cream ALL at once. Gradually adding the cream creates a smooth and luscious sauce!
- Don't overheat the sauce. The heat should be no higher than medium! You don't want the sauce to boil or it can separate or thicken too much. Reduce the medium-low if needed.
Storage Tips
- To store: Pour the sauce into a clean mason jar or airtight container and seal with a lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Do not freeze! Technically you can, but cream-based sauces and soups don't freeze well. They tend to separate and taste grainy! Not worth it.
- To reheat: Reheat the sauce in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat, stirring continuously. Low and slow is the key here.
FAQs
Yes! Half and half is a worthy substitute in alfredo sauce if you don't have heavy cream. It does have less fat than heavy cream, so I've created this recipe with that in mind. It's just as indulgent and doesn't separate or get grainy!
Alfredo sauce is mainly thickened with parmesan cheese, but the cream does help. In this recipe, I used a little bit of flour to thicken the half and half and prevent the sauce from separating. A mixture of butter and flour is called a roux and it thickens sauces effortlessly.
I prefer half and half! It's rich and indulgent, but not too heavy. The sauce is ultra smooth and luscious, just like it should be.
More Pasta Recipes
Alfredo Sauce with Half and Half
Equipment
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 ounces)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups half & half
- 1 ¾ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese from the block
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- flat leaf parsley minced
- freshly ground black pepper
- cooked fettucine noodles
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or so. Don't let the garlic burn.
- Add the flour and salt to the butter and stir until the flour isn't lumpy anymore, about 30 seconds.
- While stirring, slowly pour the half in half into the butter mixture, about ½ cup at a time. At first it will look lumpy. Continue to stir until the mixture turns into a smooth white sauce.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Stir until smooth. Stir in minced parsley, Italian seasoning, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Add the cooked fettucine noodles directly into the skillet and toss until well combined. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of minced parsley and kosher salt.
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