Easy Creamy Alfredo with Bacon and Peas - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to thick Alfredo sauce? ›

Add Cheese

The key ingredient in Alfredo sauce is cheese—generally Parmigiano Reggiano—and lots of it. To thicken Alfredo sauce, simply add more cheese than the amount called for in a recipe until you achieve the consistency you want.

Try a simple mix of chopped chicken, carrots, and sliced Cayenne pepper, or add ground beef browned with onions. Some people also add fresh broccoli, but that's not among my personal favorites. Seasonings, spices, and fresh herbs: this is definitely a great way to give your Alfredo sauce a more personal flavor.

Slowly let the cheese disolve on low heat into the cream mixture. And remove it before it is completely melted but keep stirring this allows the finishing blending to happen without over heatting the cheese which causes that grainy texture. Try this and you'll never go out to a resturant for alfredo again.

Alfredo should never have anything but pasta water, butter, and cheese in it. Make sure the cooking water has salt in it but remember part is salty.

Bring the butter-cream mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered about 3 to 5 minutes. Cook the sauce gently until it begins to thicken, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. You'll know the Alfredo sauce recipe is thick enough when it coats the back of your spoon.

Heartier herbs like thyme or oregano can be added in to simmer with the sauce. Add delicate herbs like parsley, basil, or chervil at the end to maintain their delicate, aromatic flavor. Quick tip: Swirl in a bit of leftover pesto to add another herbaceous twist to your Alfredo sauce.

Extra seasonings and spices will go a long way in adding flavor to a boring jar of sauce. Some of my personal favorites include salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, dried basil, oregano, onion powder or seasoned salt. Start with small amounts (1/2 teaspoon at a time) and add as needed, in order to avoid over-spicing.

Swirl and toss the pasta over low heat until you get a creamy sauce. If the butter looks oily, add a little more pasta water. Turn the heat off and add the cheese. Swirl and toss the pasta again and you will get a creamy sauce.

Add more cheese

If you're trying to keep your Alfredo sauce simple but want to obtain an extra-creamy consistency, you can add more cheese than the recipe dictates. Typically, you'll want to find quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to get the thickness you want while adding complex flavors to your sauce.

Why is my Parmesan not melting in Alfredo sauce? ›

There might be several reasons. Using the wrong kind of cheese. Not applying a correct amount of heat. Using the right kind of cheese, but not grading it small enough.

Usually a grainy sauce is because it has broken - that happens when the protiens bind into little balls. If you are using milk and it's not whole milk that would be the reason why. Low fat milk breaks exceedingly easily and isn't worth trying to make a sauce from.

The Fix Is Simple—Add Water Back.

A generous splash of water is all it takes. Here's how fix a broken sauce: Add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and reheat the sauce to a vigorous simmer, whisking constantly. The bubbling action will help re-emulsify the butter and bring back that thick, glossy sauce.

(In my quest to eat healthier, I now make it with light butter, light cream and reduced fat Parmesan cheese. It still tastes wonderful, but there isn't any guilt!)

Alfredo sauce is made by melting butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese together. Unlike other pasta sauces that use tomatoes as a base, alfredo omits vegetables altogether and uses dairy products to achieve its mouth-watering flavor.

The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

The Fix Is Simple—Add Water Back.

Here's how fix a broken sauce: Add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and reheat the sauce to a vigorous simmer, whisking constantly. The bubbling action will help re-emulsify the butter and bring back that thick, glossy sauce.