As any pasta fan can tell you, there is practically nothing worse than a watery, runny sauce. Most store-bought or restaurant alfredo sauces do not have this problem, but anybody who has attempted to create their own sauce at home knows that it is quite possible.

Homemade alfredo sauce is usually the better choice, so watching your hard work turn into a messy mess might be disappointing. Fortunately, there are various methods for thickening that sauce and completely enjoying the results of your effort.

You’ve come to the correct site if you’re wondering how to thicken alfredo sauce.

How To Thicken Alfredo Sauce Using Ingredients

There are a surprising number of items that may readily thicken your sauce without sacrificing taste. Many of these components are likely to be available in your kitchen, so a trip to the grocery store may not be required.

Cheeses

Cheese improves almost everything, and alfredo sauce is no exception. There are numerous varieties of cheese that may help thicken and even flavor your sauce.

1. Parmesan Cheese

One of the better alternatives for thickening your sauce is parmesan. Hand grating is preferred, although store-bought grated parmesan will suffice. Simply toss the parmesan into the sauce while it is still hot enough to melt the cheese.

2. Shredded White Cheese

While you may use any kind of cheese in your sauce, the taste of white cheeses mixed with alfredo sauce is the greatest. Similarly to parmesan, grating the cheese yourself makes it simpler to blend in and melt than using pre-shredded cheese.

Other cheeses that perform well besides parmesan include white cheddar, mozzarella, and provolone. The pre-shredded alternatives at the supermarket will work, but grating or shredding them yourself will always result in quicker melting and a nicer flavor.

3. Cream Cheese

If your cream cheese has been softened and chopped into cubes, it may be used to thicken your sauce. If you pick cream cheese, be patient as it takes some time to become smooth and blend thoroughly. The taste may also be rather strong, so start with little quantities and work your way up until your sauce is thick.

Powders

It may seem unusual to learn how to thicken alfredo sauce using a powder, but the final results are hard to disagree with. You won’t blend them straight into the sauce, but the sauce will be considerably thicker as a result.

1. Flour

You must combine a little amount of flour with cold water and whisk until totally smooth. If there are any lumps left, the flavor of your alfredo sauce may suffer. Once you’ve created your mixture, gently whisk it into your boiling sauce until it thickens.

2. Cornstarch

In terms of how fast it thickens your sauce, cornstarch is almost equivalent to flour. You must repeat the process by combining a little amount of cornstarch with cold water until totally smooth. Slowly incorporate while simmering until the appropriate thickness is reached.

Liquids

While cheese is the most flavorful additive, liquid is the simplest to include. Understanding how to thicken alfredo sauce with any of these liquids can benefit you and your future meals.

1. Heavy Cream

Heavy cream is probably the final choice you’d want to utilize out of all the liquid possibilities. While it is simple to incorporate the cream with the sauce while it is simmering, cream falls short in that it needs huge volumes of it to adequately thicken the alfredo sauce.

2. Egg Yolks

Using egg yolks may seem to spoil your sauce, but if done correctly, your sauce will be thicker and have no weird flavor. Egg yolks need a little more effort to incorporate with your alfredo sauce, and if you do it wrong, you’ll end up with a bizarre combination of scrambled eggs and alfredo.

In a small dish, whisk the egg yolks until liquefied, then gently add part of the heated alfredo sauce to the bowl. Continue to add and whisk the mixture until the eggs are heated and extremely diluted. After that, just return the mixture to the pot and you’re ready to go!

3. Vegetables

As strange as it may seem, pureed veggies may be an excellent approach for thickening alfredo sauce. The use of cooked cauliflower is a fantastic alternative, but the primary disadvantage of utilizing a liquefied vegetable is that the flavor of the alfredo sauce will be substantially impacted.

4. Roux

Roux is a fat combination that you are unlikely to have on hand. It also necessitates the mixing of butter and flour, so roux isn’t always the ideal choice for thickening your alfredo. When your butter and flour mixture is smooth, add some roux before adding it to your alfredo sauce.

5. Butter

Out of all the liquids, butter is the greatest and most adaptable. If you notice that the sauce is overly runny, add butter to the sauce and whisk while cooking. As the butter interacts with the fat already in the sauce, the mixture will thicken.

The alternative method of mixing butter is comparable to making a roux. Simply combine the butter and flour until smooth, then gently whisk the mixture into your sauce until it thickens properly.

Conclusion

To thicken your alfredo sauce, you may use a variety of components, but it all comes down to a cheese, a liquid, or a powder. Each has pros and downsides that you should consider depending on how you want the ultimate outcome to turn out.

Freshly grated parmesan cheese and butter added immediately to your sauce mixture are the very finest possibilities. The parmesan lends a lovely consistency and cheesy flavor to the sauce, while the butter thickens it without changing the flavor.