ALFREDO SAUCE WITH CREAM CHEESE
Alfredo sauce with cream cheese, an easy homemade alfredo sauce recipe that is quick enough for weeknight dinners. Learn how to make alfredo sauce with cream cheese with lowfat ingredients and perfect with fettuccine, chicken, shrimp, and more!
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Quick and easy homemade alfredo sauce with cream cheese recipe for you! You may remember my recent alfredo sauce so today I thought I’d change it up a little and try making it with cream cheese. It’s delicious, and quick enough for a weeknight dinner!
Can you make alfredo sauce with cream cheese? YES, you can!
So apparently, a lot of people love making alfredo sauce with cream cheese. I used to make it years ago and for whatever reason, just hadn’t made it in a while so thought I’d give it another try.
So why would you, you might be wondering?
You can use lower fat ingredients with good success. The nice thing about making it this way with is that you can use lowfat cream cheese and skim milk, compared to regular alfredo sauce that uses a lot of heavy cream.
Personally, I think the alfredo sauce with heavy cream tastes better especially if you’re going for that Olive Garden alfredo sauce type taste, BUT if you’re looking to cut the fat or want to try something different, give this one a try. It’s still really good.
How to Make Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese
I like to make alfredo sauces in a large skillet. Makes it a lot easier to mix other things into the sauce like pasta, chicken, shrimp, etc.So start with a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and then add the minced garlic. Stir and cook just slightly. Don’t worry if it turns a little brown, although try to keep stirring or lower the heat if the butter and garlic get too brown.
Cut up the cream cheese into little cubes then add it to the pan. The cream cheese will take a little while to melt but it does help if you cut it up into smaller pieces. Just keep stirring until it starts to melt. Full fat cream cheese works best BUT low fat cream cheeses will also work.
Add the milk a little at a time and whisk to smooth out any lumps. You can use skim milk but you can also use a higher fat milk such as 2% or whole milk, or even half and half or heavy cream for a richer sauce. Any of them will work!
Once the milk is all incorporated and the alfredo sauce is smooth, stir in the parmesan cheese, pepper, and nutmeg if you’d like.
For best results use a GOOD quality freshly grated parmesan cheese. The cheap stuff doesn’t melt or mix-in as well. It will work, but just not as good in my opinion.
You don’t HAVE to add nutmeg. I like to just grate a little nutmeg on top when it’s all done. Just a little though because it can be a strong flavor if you add too much.
When your sauce is ready, stir in your cooked pasta or anything else you’d like such as precooked chicken or shrimp right in the pan. It’s great to add pasta that’s just about done but not thoroughly cooked so it can finish cooking in the sauce and soak in some of it. Delicious!
Serve immediately. Like I said above, I like to add a little grated nutmeg as well as some freshly ground black pepper on top. You could also add a little more parmesan cheese if you’d like.
You could keep the cream cheese alfredo sauce in the fridge for a few days BUT I personally don’t think it reheats very well. I definitely wouldn’t suggest freezing it. I think the consistency will break down.
What to do with Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese
Here are a few quick recipe ideas for some easy uses for this homemade alfredo sauce:- Toss with cooked pasta such as penne or fettuccine
- Mix into casseroles
- Serve over chicken or shrimp
- Use as a fun sandwich spread
- Add a little cajun seasoning and mix with andouille sausage, pepprs, onions, and pasta
- Serve as a cheese sauce over baked potatoes
- Serve with pita chips as a creative dip
- Toss with pasta alternatives such as zoodles (zucchini noodles) or even cauliflower rice
- Drizzle over steamed vegetables such as cauliflower or broccoli
The recipe makes about 3 cups of alfredo sauce which should be more than enough to toss with pasta or any of the other ideas above.
If you want less than 3 cups, you could easily cut the recipe in half. And likewise, you could easily double the ingredients to make even more sauce.
Would love to hear how you like to use this alfredo sauce recipe with cream cheese! Let me know in the comments!
Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese
Quick and easy homemade alfredo sauce with cream cheese. Can use lowfat milk and lowfat cream cheese for a lighter sauce.
Yield 3 cups
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese cut into small cubes
- 1 1/2 cups milk (skim, 2%, whole, or half & half or heavy cream)
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese (good quality)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter then minced garlic. Stir and cook slightly until garlic starts to soften.
- Add the cubed cream cheese to the pan. Stir until it starts to melt. Add a little milk at a time and keep whisking. Continue adding milk and whisk until cream cheese is all melted and all of the milk has been incorporated.
- When the sauce is smooth, stir in the parmesan cheese as well as the salt, pepper, and nutmeg if desired. Continue whisking until well combined. Use immediately.
Notes
SNAPPY TIPS: Use the sauce immediately for best results. A little grated nutmeg and black pepper on top is a great addition as well as parmesan cheese.
SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS: You can use fat-free milk or 2%, whole, or half & half, or heavy cream
Source
SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS: You can use fat-free milk or 2%, whole, or half & half, or heavy cream
Source
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