Alfredo Sauce with half and half is rich and creamy along with being very easy to make.
Homemade alfredo sauce made with half and half instead of cream is perfect when you don't have any whipping cream on hand and tastes just as good. Check out some of my other alfredo sauce recipes.
Easy Alfredo sauce made with half and half is a perfect creamy cheese sauce that you can pour over all of your favorite pasta dishes like Spicy Chicken Alfredo or Shrimp Scampi Alfredo.
Can you make Alfredo sauce with half and half?
Yes, you can most certainly make homemade Alfredo sauce with half and half that tastes amazing.
You can even make homemade Alfredo Sauce with milk if that is all you have on hand.
What good stuff can you add to the Alfredo sauce?
Everyone seems to have their favorite add-ins when it comes to Alfredo sauce. I love it so much I will eat it any way I can get it.
Some people love to add grilled chicken and broccoli. Some people love to add crispy bacon and mushrooms.
Some people just love to smother their pasta with a rich and creamy alfredo sauce that clings to the pasta and is sprinkled with a little extra cheese on top.
No matter how you like your Fettuccine Alfredo you are going to love this easy Alfredo sauce that is silky smooth and full of flavor.
Easy Alfredo Recipe
This Alfredo recipe is so easy that my daughter has been making homemade Fettuccine Alfredo since she was about 12 years old.
You only need seven ingredients to make this recipe and three of them are salt, pepper, and parsley.
You only need one saucepan and as long as you can stir a pot you can make this easy recipe.
Scroll down below for the recipe card where you will find the ingredient amounts, directions and for one-click printing or to Pin the recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving optional)
- 8 oz. cooked fettuccine pasta noodles
- dried parsley flakes (optional)
Recipe Prep
- Boil the fettuccine pasta, drain and rinse with cold water then drain well while making the Alfredo sauce.
- Shred the fresh Parmesan cheese and set aside until needed.
Directions
- Cook the fettuccine noodles in a pot of salted boiling water following the instructions on the box.
- Drain the pasta and run under cold water until cool. Drain well. Set aside while making the alfredo sauce.
- To make the Alfredo sauce melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the flour, salt, and pepper to the melted butter.
- Use a whisk to combine. Whisk until the lumps are gone and the flour mixture is smooth. Continue to whisk over heat until bubbling.
- Slowly pour the half and half into the pot while whisking. Whisk until the flour mixture is completely mixed into the half and half with no lumps. Make sure to scrape the whisk into the edges of the pan where some of the flour and butter mixture may be sticking.
- Constantly whisk the mixture until the sauce starts to thicken and comes to a boil.
- Remove the pot from the heat source once the Alfredo sauce has thickened.
- Add the shredded Parmesan cheese to the pot and whisk until the cheese is melted into the sauce.
- Dump the cooked fettuccine noodles into a serving bowl or large pan so you can mix the sauce into the noodles.
- Pour the thickened Alfredo made with half and half over the pasta.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce until the fettuccine noodles are covered with Alfredo sauce.
- Sprinkle with a teaspoon of dried parsley flakes and stir the dried or fresh herb into the dish.
- Transfer the Fettuccine Alfredo to a serving plate and sprinkle with parsley and more Parmesan cheese.
- Makes 4 servings.
Print the Recipe
Alfredo Sauce With Half and Half Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving optional)
- 8 oz. fettuccine pasta noodles (cooked )
- dried parsley flakes (optional)
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Cook the fettuccine noodles in a pot of salted boiling water following the instructions on the box.
- Drain the pasta and run under cold water until cool. Drain well. Set aside while making the alfredo sauce.
Make the Alfredo Sauce
- To make the Alfredo sauce melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the flour, salt, and pepper to the melted butter.
- Use a whisk to combine. Whisk until the lumps are gone and the flour mixture is smooth. Continue to whisk over heat until bubbling.
- Slowly pour the half and half into the pot while whisking. Whisk until the flour mixture is completely mixed into the half and half with no lumps. Make sure to scrape the whisk into the edges of the pan where some of the flour and butter mixture may be sticking.
- Constantly whisk the mixture until the sauce starts to thicken and comes to a boil.
- Remove the pot from the heat source once the Alfredo sauce has thickened.
- Add the shredded Parmesan cheese to the pot and whisk until the cheese is melted into the sauce.
- Transfer the cooked fettuccine noodles into a serving bowl or large pan so you can mix the sauce into the noodles.
- Pour the thickened Alfredo made with half and half over the pasta.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce until the fettuccine noodles are covered with Alfredo sauce.
- Sprinkle with a teaspoon of dried parsley flakes and stir the dried or fresh herb into the dish.
- Transfer the Fettuccine Alfredo to a serving plate and sprinkle with parsley and more Parmesan cheese.
- Makes 4 servings.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- Cook the pasta before starting the Alfredo sauce.
- If the sauce cools and thickens add a small amount of half and half to thin it.
- Leftover sauce will keep for about a week refrigerated.
- Alfredo sauce can be frozen for another day. Thaw and thin with a little half and half before reheating.
Kim
So easy!! So tasty!! I was surprised it didn't call for call for garlic powder, so you can add a little if you like it, but it DIDN'T need any! Super delicious just the way it is! I did use a little more pasta noodles than what was called fo,r and still had plenty of creamy perfect sauce to cover it!
Lisa
Made this tonight. Great! Never made a homemade cream sauce before. Pretty happy with myself. On the make again list. Added some garlic at the point you add the cream. The sauce is tad too thick for me (personal preference). Added some milk and brilliant. Thank you. : )
Arlene Mobley
Lisa Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
NanaRab
Delicious and easy! wanted to use up some fat-free half-n-half and this was perfect! added fresh tomato and peppers and doubled the recipe. Half was more than enough sauce for 16 oz! Thanks for sharing, loved it!
Lee Epps
I found this recipe randomly, but it's one of the best and most easy!
I love the thick sauce and ease of how it comes together. I added 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder to the seasonings but I'll do fresh garlic next time!
Family says 10/10 for the perfect alfredo! I used Casarecce pasta because of it's unique shape and it's perfect for holding on to the sauce! :p
Amy
Best alfredo sauce I have ever made! Absolutely delicious!!
Kayla
I loved the texture of this Alfredo. It did not separate but stayed together and made a nice thick sauce. It was a little too peppery for my taste but next time I just will add about half the amount of pepper. Otherwise very good!
Jules
Wow, came together so quick! Added rotisserie chicken and broccoli! Thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂
Teresa Hutchens
The recipe calls for only 8oz (1 cup) of cooked pasta, but I definitely recommend using 2 cups since there is so much sauce leftover 😋
Arlene Mobley
Hi Teresa it really depends on how saucy you like your alfredo. It also depends on the shape and size of the pasta you are using. The recipe does make enough sauce for 16 oz. of fettuccine noodles.
Steven Rumbalski
I'm curious if by "8 oz. cooked fettuccine pasta noodles" you meant "8 oz. fettuccine pasta noodles, cooked"? Is that weight before or after cooking? I think the person you responded to took it to be a volume measure after cooking.
Arlene Mobley
Hi Steve I have never weighed cooked pasta but the next time I make this I will just to see if there is a difference.
Briana
It turned out great! I used half Parmesan half Asiago freshly grated and grilled some chicken to put on top. My toddler had 3 helpings which almost never happens. Thanks for the recipe.
Kandy
Made this last night and the flavor is good but it was too much flour the sauce got way too thick.