Homemade Alfredo Sauce with milk is thick, rich and creamy. It is made with whole milk instead of heavy cream and only takes.
Compared to other homemade alfredo sauce recipes it is a thick and creamy and made without cream or cream cheese but you would never know it. It is one of my favorite Alfredo Sauce recipes.
This recipe was originally shared on October 23, 2011 and has been updated with more helpful information and new photos on February 13, 2022.
Yes, you can make an amazingly delicious homemade Alfredo sauce with milk instead of cream that is thick and creamy!
And you can make homemade fettuccine alfredo in 30 minutes or less.
Alfredo Sauce with Milk
Homemade Alfredo Sauce is very easy to with milk.
And it is the best Alfredo sauce recipe you can make without heavy cream cheese or cream. Once you taste this homemade milk version you will never buy jarred Alfredo sauce again!
How to make homemade Alfredo sauce with milk instead of cream
One day I was in the mood for some Fettuccine Alfredo but didn't have any Alfredo sauce on hand.
I decided to make my own alfredo sauce using a basic cream sauce and fresh parmesan cheese. It turned out so good I have never looked back.
This homemade alfredo sauce recipe made with milk is thick rich and creamy.
And by making it yourself you can season it to your own liking and it tastes so much better homemade.
Easy Alfredo sauce
This recipe will make enough Alfredo sauce to cover 1 pound of pasta.
You can divide it in half with no problem if you need to prepare a smaller amount.
Alfredo Sauce with milk ingredients
You only need 4 ingredients plus salt and pepper to make this homemade alfredo sauce recipe and 1 pound of cooked pasta.
- 1 lb. of fettuccine noodles or pasta of choice, cooked
- 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups of whole milk
- ½ to ¾ a cup of grated Parmesan cheese or a parmesan cheese blend
Recipe Prep
- Cook the pasta as directed on the box in the salted water before you start making the sauce. It takes about 10 minutes to cook fettucine noodles el dente.
- You need to have the pasta done at about the same time your sauce will be finished.
Directions to make the Alfredo sauce
- Step 1: Add the butter, salt, and pepper to a heavy bottomed, medium-sized pot or skillet. Heat over a medium heat.
- Step 2: Once the butter has melted add the flour and whisk until smooth, removing all lumps from the flour.
Whisk to combine the flour with the melted butter.
Whisk until the flour and butter are lump free.
- Step 3: Slowly pour the milk in and whisk until smooth again. Turn the heat up a bit to about medium-high.
- Step 4: Add ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, whisk until combined. Taste to see if the flavor of Parmesan is strong enough for you. If not, add the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Continue whisking until the sauce has thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.
📌Pro Cooking Tip
The sauce will thicken even further as it cools. If the sauce cools and thickens too much before you mix it with the pasta you add a splash of milk to pasta water to thin it with the sauce.
- Step 5: Pour the Alfredo sauce over the pasta and mix until the pasta is evenly coated. If you have cooked it in a skillet you can add the pasta to the skillet and toss to cover the pasta with the sauce.
Serve immediately with a crusty french bread or a slice of homemade white bread.
This homemade alfredo sauce with milk recipe is very versatile and can be used to make so many different alfredo recipes.
Recipe FAQs
You can make a rich and creamy alfredo sauce using whole milk and flour instead of heavy cream.
The difference between fettuccine and linguine pasta noodles is the shape of the pasta and the ingredients used to make the. Fettuccine pasta noodles is made with egg and are wide flat noodles. While linguine noodles are made with out egg and are a thin, narrow flat noodle.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Pot size: Use at least a 2 quart size sauce pan or a wide skillet. You don't want to use too small of a pot because you will be whisking the sauce as it cooks and thickens. If the pot is too small the sauce could splash and drip over the side of the pot making a big mess.
- Using a skillet: If using a skillet the sauce will thicken even faster.
- Thickened sauce: Alfredo sauce will thicken as it cools. You can thin it by adding a small amount of milk or pasta water.
- What kind of Parmesan cheese to use: Please use real grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor.
- Leftovers: Leftover alfredo sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week.
- Freezing: Leftover Alfredo sauce can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw and thin with a little milk and reheat before using.
- Add ins: You can add cooked broccoli and cooked or grilled chicken if you like to make Chicken Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo. Add the heated extras when you mix the sauce with the pasta and serve.
- Spicy alfredo: Add a ½ to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce to make spicy alfredo sauce.
Check out my Alfredo Sauce Recipe page for more delicious homemade Alfredo sauce recipes.
More alfredo recipes you'll love
Check out more delicious homemade alfredo recipes below.
Print the Alfredo Sauce with milk recipe below
Email questions or recipe requests to flouronmyface@gmail.com. Follow me on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Alfredo Sauce with milk
Ingredients
- 1 lb. box of fettuccine noodles (cooked)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup shredded real Parmesan cheese ((plus more for garnish))
Instructions
Prep
- Cook the pasta as directed on the box in the salted water. Start boiling the pasta water about 10 minutes before you start making your sauce. You want to have the pasta ready at about the same time your sauce will be finished.
How to make Alfredo Sauce with milk
- Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the salt and pepper to the pan and whisk together.
- Add the flour and whisk until smooth, removing all lumps.
- Slowly pour the milk into the pan and whisk until smooth.
- Add the shredded Parmesan cheese to the pan and whisk until melted and combined with the milk. Taste and adjust the amount of Parmesan cheese if needed.
- Continue whisking until the sauce has thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. The sauce will thicken even further as it cools. If it thickens too much before you can add it to your pasta thin it with a little pasta water or milk.
- Drain the cooked pasta and pour into a large serving bowl. Pour the Alfredo sauce over the pasta and toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the Alfredo sauce.
- Serve immediately with a crusty French bread.
- Makes enough sauce to cover one pound of Fettucine pasta noodles. Will make 6 to 8 serving.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- Pot size: Use at least a 2 quart size sauce pan or a wide skillet. You don't want to use too small of a pot because you will be whisking the sauce as it cooks and thickens. If the pot is too small the sauce could splash and drip over the side of the pot making a big mess.
- Using a skillet: If using a skillet the sauce will thicken even faster.
- Thickened sauce: Alfredo sauce will thicken as it cools. You can thin it by adding a small amount of milk or pasta water.
- What kind of Parmesan cheese to use: Please use real grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor.
- Leftovers: Leftover alfredo sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week.
- Freezing: Leftover Alfredo sauce can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw and thin with a little milk and reheat before using.
- Add ins: You can add cooked broccoli and cooked or grilled chicken if you like to make Chicken Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo. Add the heated extras when you mix the sauce with the pasta and serve.
- Spicy alfredo: Add a ½ to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce to make spicy alfredo sauce.
Tiffany
Fantastic recipe. It was the first time I have made Alfredo, I am so glad I stumbled across this when I googled "how to". This is for sure going in my recipe book for the future when I need it again! Thank you!!! 🙂
Flour On My Face
Tiffany
I'm so glad you liked my recipe. It is one of my families favorite recipes.
Kirsten
Thanks for the recipe! YOU SAVED MY SUPPER! I was in a panic when I realized I didn't have any jarred sauce and then I found this recipe! I whipped it up (using soymilk and vegan butter but regular parmesan) and I got 2 thumbs up from my very fussy children!! Dead easy and delicious! I will never buy jarred sauce again!
Flour On My Face
Kirsten
You are so very welcome. I am so happy to hear you got two thumbs uo from the family. It is so easy to make and tastes so much better than jarred alfredo sauce.
Christina
Thank you so much--the sauce turned out perfect! I have to admit, I thought it was harder to make than this. Your sauce is super yummy!
Flour On My Face
Christina
That makes me so happy to hear! I am so happy you tried the recipe and you enjoyed the way it turned out.
Dawn Roller
I just have to say I was looking for an alfredo sauce without cream cheese- I found the recipe on this site- the alfredo sauce was AMAZING! Thank you!
Flour On My Face
Dawn
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. It is one of my favorites!
Sana
Great recipe. Thanks for the share. I added spinach and crushed red pepper and halved the pasta.
Flour On My Face
Sana
So glad you enjoyed it! Adding spinach is such a great idea. I may have to try it.
PEBBLEZ
YAY!!!! I am happy I found this!!! I going to add cheddar to my kids broccoli , and they are gonna love this!!!! Thanks so much for this!
Flour On My Face
Pebblez
Your very welcome. I hope the kids love it.
cjboatner
thanx for the recipe, can't wait to try it, i'm going to use it as part of my stuffed bell pepper recipe. my boys will be super excited to have a new spin on dinner.
Flour On My Face
CJ
Your welcome. This sauce will taste wonderful over stuffed peppers.
BobbiAnn
Thank you for sharing this recipe (Homemade Alfredo Sauce) It is easy and sooooo delicious.
Flour On My Face
BobbiAnn Thank you. I am so happy you are enjoying it.
Randi Wright
I used your recipe and used ghee in place of butter and lactose free milk. It turned out great and is no lactose friendly for those that are lactose intolerant. A life saver!!
Arlene Mobley
Randi
What wonderful news! I'm so glad to hear my easy alfredo sauce can also be made into a lactose-free alfredo recipe using lactose-free milk.
Ashley
This alfredo sauce is DELICIOUS!!! No more stuff in the jar for us!
Flour On My Face
Ashley
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. It is so much better then jarred alfredo sauce!
plaidjammies
Thank you So Much! I don't keep a lot of extra things in the pantry....there's just me...and I came home with such a yearning for fettucini. Your recipe was the only 'quick and easy' one that didn't call for cream, whipping cream, or cream cheese...none of which I have around. It's cold and blustery, I'll soon light a fire, and get to sit it front of it..and the TV...and feel very blessed. I haven't tried it yet, but from what I read above, I will love it. Thank you, again, so much.
Tori McCroskey
My husband & I are Alfredo freaks. This recipe was so EASY and so DELICIOUS! Even my 1 year old son loves it! We will be using this from now on, thank you!
Flour On My Face
Tori
I am so happy you and your husband enjoyed the recipe. It is one of my favorites.
Jellybean
This tastes delicious! No more store-bought Alfredo for me!
Flour On My Face
So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Lex
Great recipe Thanks! I didn't have cream cheese so this was the perfect recipe for what I had on hand, better without cream cheese and not as harsh on the stomach. Writing this one down for keeps 😉
Thanks for sharing,
Lex
Flour On My Face
Thank you Lex I hope you enjoy it. I've never made alfredo sauce with cream cheese. Matter of fact I had no clue there was cream cheese in it. I love this recipe. Sometimes I add pepper jack cheese to it to give it a nice kick.
Arlene
BigBearswife
looks really good!
Christine knapkins_com
Hey Arlene,
Your fantastic recipe has been choosen and we've created a guessing game with the ingredients. Congrats on being selected!! 🙂
You can view the game here --> https://www.knapkins.com/guess_games/236?source=blog
Katie Mar
i love alfredo! this look so good.
your blog is so cute by the way.
Mary T
My family and I LOVED your Alfredo! This will be my only recipe I use. I love that it is ingredients that I always have in the frig.