Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Thick and creamy without any flour or thickeners.
Taste: Rich, parmesan flavor with a touch of garlic.
Ease: Under 15 minutes to make. Start to finish in the same time it takes to cook the pasta!
Top Tips: This sauce goes with more than just pasta! Try it as a dip for gluten-free bread or as a sauce for gluten-free pizza.
Would I make these again? Yes, my family absolutely loves this recipe! We make it at least once a month.
xoxo erin
This gluten-free Alfredo sauce is rich, creamy, and packed with garlic parmesan flavor! It’s easy to make in just 15 minutes and delicious over your favorite gluten-free pasta.
For other gluten-free sauce ideas, check out these recipes: cauliflower Alfredo sauce, gluten-free roux, and gluten-free bechamel sauce.
Featured Comment
From Susan: “Excellent gluten-free Alfredo Sauce! Very easy to make. Great taste.
Alfredo Sauce is not my favorite pasta sauce, but I am trying to stay away from tomatoes (nightshade). I liked this sauce so much it will be my go-to pasta sauce from now on! I now want to try it on chicken. Thank you, Erin, for a great recipe.”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Alfredo Sauce
- How to Serve Gluten-Free Alfredo Sauce
- Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- Is there gluten in Alfredo sauce?
- Can this gluten-free Alfredo sauce be made dairy-free?
- More Gluten-Free Comfort Food
- Gluten-Free Alfredo Sauce (BEST EVER!) Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this gluten-free alfredo sauce. Jump to the recipe below for the exact measurements.
- Cream cheese: This might seem like an unusual ingredient in Alfredo sauce, but it makes the sauce extra smooth and creamy. It also helps thicken the sauce without the addition of flour. Don’t worry – the sauce doesn’t taste like cream cheese!
- Parmesan cheese: It is super important to use freshly grated parmesan cheese in this recipe. It will absorb into the sauce so much better than pre-grated parmesan cheese.
- Milk: This sauce turns out great with any kind of cow’s milk. Whole milk is best if you have it! Unfortunately, this sauce does not work with dairy-free alternatives.
TIP: This sauce turns out best with freshly grated parmesan cheese, meaning you should grate your own cheese from a block of parmesan. Pre-grated cheese has added caking agents that may make the sauce grainy.
How to Make Gluten-Free Alfredo Sauce
Here’s an overview of how to make this sauce. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- Grate the cheese: This sauce may turn out grainy with pre-grated parmesan. Use a block of parmesan and a grater to prep the cheese for the sauce.
- In a pot or skillet: Melt butter over medium heat, then add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly so that the garlic doesn’t burn!
- Add to butter mixture: Add in the cream cheese and let it sit for a few minutes until it starts to melt. Whisk it all together until it’s smooth and creamy. This can take a few minutes.
- Slowly add milk: Whisk in the milk a little at a time until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Cheese and spices: Stir in the Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Keep mixing until smooth.
- Sauce thickness: Remove from heat for thinner sauce or cook for another 2-3 minutes for thicker sauce. You can add more salt and pepper to taste!
How to Serve Gluten-Free Alfredo Sauce
- Over any kind of gluten-free pasta.
- With fresh zucchini noodles
- On top of roasted vegetables
- As a sauce for gluten-free pizza
- For dipping gluten-free breadsticks
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- To Make-Ahead: Due to this sauce’s high dairy content, it’s best served right away. Thankfully, it’s an easy one and only takes 15 minutes to make!
- To Store: If needing to store leftover sauce, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Gently rewarm it in a skillet. Whisk until reincorporated as the sauce will have separated during storage. I don’t recommend microwaving it!
- To Freeze: Its high dairy content means it doesn’t freeze as well as other sauces. The sauce may become grainy/watery from being frozen. With this in mind, you can freeze the sauce up to 1 month, defrost it in fridge overnight, and then rewarm it gently on the stove to try to reincorporate the contents.
Is there gluten in Alfredo sauce?
Alfredo sauce is typically made with milk, cream, and cheese. However, some Alfredo sauce may be thickened with flour. Be sure to check the label on store-bought Alfredo sauce for gluten-containing ingredients.
Can this gluten-free Alfredo sauce be made dairy-free?
Unfortunately, this recipe does not work dairy-free. I wouldn’t recommend substituting ingredients with dairy-free alternatives. Instead, this Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce can easily be made dairy-free!
More Gluten-Free Comfort Food
Gluten-Free Alfredo Sauce (BEST EVER!)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup milk of choice preferably whole milk but any cow's milk will work
- 1 1/2 cups 3-6 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a medium pot or skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add the cream cheese to the butter mixture and let it sit for a few minutes until it begins to melt. Whisk the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. This may take a few minutes of whisking to get totally smooth.
- While whisking, slowly add the milk a little at a time until smooth and incorporated. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until everything is smooth and combine.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes for a thicker sauce or remove right after the cheese is melted for a thinner sauce. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately over gluten-free pasta. Enjoy!
Very nice. I always add some nutmeg to Alfredo sauce.
Thank you for your kind feedback, Mark! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Literally SO good and easy! I love that I can use the milk I have in my fridge instead of needing to go out for cream. I have yet to be disappointed by one of your recipes, you are the best!
Excellent gluten-free Alfredo Sauce! Very easy to make. Great taste.
Alfredo Sauce is not my favorite pasta sauce, but I am trying to stay away from tomatoes (nightshade).
I liked this sauce so much it will be my go-to pasta sauce from now on!
I now want to try it on chicken.
Thank you, Erin, for a great recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed the alfredo sauce, Susan! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us!
Do you know how many calories this recipe is? thank you!
Yes it makes 6 servings – so 1/6th of the recipe is 141 calories.
Delicious! Mom asked for 2nds and 3rds
Hooray! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
We added flake crab or small shrimp to the alfredo. And used it on spaghetti squash. Everyone loved this!!
That sounds delicious! I’m glad you all enjoyed it.
Made this for a new family member who needs to eat gluten free..I made exactly to the recipe..added 1 can of crab meat..about 10 sautéed shrimp..some imitation crab..and I can clams with about 2 tbsp of clam juice..also added some basil and oregano fresh..it was killer..my picky brother in law said it was a 30$ plate..in a finer restaurant…thank u..
Can you freeze the sauce and if yes, how would you freeze it?
Hi Beatrice, because this sauce has a high dairy content it doesn’t hold up to freezing as well as other sauces. The sauce may be slightly grainy/watery upon defrosting. Thank you for your question!
I want to make this for an upcoming party. Can it be made a day ahead and rewarded without affecting flavor or texture?
I haven’t tried making this in advance so I can’t say for sure. I wouldn’t microwave the sauce if you make it in advance to rewarm it. I would rewarm it gently in a skillet. I hope this helps!
Love this so much better than using heavy cream and tastes so much better! Than ask for sharing!
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for the comment!
This was delicious! I added some Buffalo sauce and some chicken and called it a buffredo dish!
Yum! That sounds like a delicious addition! 🙂
I will make this recipe again! The only modification I made was to add about 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. I followed the recipe exactly.
I served it with GF fettuccini plus steamed broccoli and oven roasted chicken breasts coated with olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, parsley, and about 3T of Sherry wine.
Thanks for the recipe!!
That sounds delicious! I could eat that whole dinner you described every week!
Omg this is so yummy! I’ve had to go gluten free this year and this is so much like Alfredo!
So delicious!! Even my pickiest eater loved it! Thank you.
My whole family LOVES this sauce. It makes for the best alfredo. Totally a fav!
I love this recipe! I have to add one thing.. if you start a small amount of cold olive oil and garlic slowly together in a few minutes when garlic is golden add butter.., nothing will burn. Neither garlic or the oil..
just a little hint from an Italian grandma ❣️
Blessings.. & happy spring ♀️
I love that tip! Thanks for the comment 🙂
The is most creamy sauce ever! Love the addition of the cream cheese and you’re right, it only took 15 minutes from start to finish!