Real Alfredo is an emulsion of butter, parmesan, and starchy pasta water — the cream is the American amendment, included here because it's delicious and forgiving.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
Before you start
Mise en place
Yield: Enough for 400 g of pasta
Equipment
Small saucepan
Whisk
Prep checklist
Parmesan — finely grated
Garlic — grated
Chicken Stock — or reserved pasta water
3 steps
Method
1
Melt butter with garlic over medium-low 1 minute — fragrant, never browned. Add cream and warm to a bare simmer.
2 min — timer available in cooking mode
2
OFF the heat, whisk in the parmesan a handful at a time until glossy. Loosen with pasta water or stock to a silky, pourable ribbon.
Why this works
Boiling + cheese = grainy sauce, every time. Off-heat melting is the entire secret.
3
Season with nutmeg and pepper (the cheese carries the salt), and toss immediately with hot pasta.
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
When it goes sideways
Common mistakes
Grainy or ropey
The cheese overheated. Off the heat, whisk in a splash of warm pasta water — the starch re-emulsifies it more often than you'd expect.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Airtight jar in the fridge, 3–5 days. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of starch-thickened sauces to stop a skin forming.
Freezing
Most sauces freeze 2–3 months; freeze in ice-cube trays for single portions. Emulsified butter/egg sauces don't freeze — they break on thawing.
Reheating
Reheat gently over low heat, whisking; butter- and egg-based sauces split when boiled. Loosen with a spoonful of warm water or stock.
Make ahead
Most sauces keep 3–5 days refrigerated and freeze in ice-cube trays for instant single portions. Emulsified butter sauces are best made within the hour.