Spicy Alfredo Sauce
Do you have a taste for the bold and daring? Spice up your next pasta dish with this unique twist on a classic: Spicy Alfredo Sauce. Packed with flavor and a hint of heat, it's a delicious way to bring a bold, zesty flair to your next meal and takes less than 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Linguine pasta (cooked and drained well)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (¼ to ½ teaspoon depending on how spicy you want it)
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried or fresh parsley flakes (optional for garnish)
Instructions
Recipe Prep
- Cook the pasta following the directions on the box. Drain well and set aside until it's time to mix the spicy alfredo sauce with the pasta.
For the Alfredo sauce
- In a large skillet over medium heat melt the butter and sauté the minced garlic for 1 minute.
- Add the flour to the skillet and quickly whisk it into the melted butter until smooth.
- Slowly add the milk to the skillet and whisk well to help the butter and flour roux dissolve into the milk. Add the seasonings to the skillet while whisking.
- When you see that the sauce is starting to get creamy add the shredded Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Continue to whisk the cheese into the alfredo sauce as it melts.
- Bring the sauce to a low boil. It will begin to thicken as it boils. Once the Alfredo sauce has reached the thickness you like remove the skillet from the heat.
- Add the cooked pasta to the Alfredo sauce a little at a time. Toss each addition with the alfredo sauce until the sauce has covered and coated the linguine pasta.
- Makes 4 cups of spicy alfredo sauce.
- Serves 6 to 8.
Recipe Expert Tips
?Pro Cooking Tips
- Drain pasta well so the creamy sauce will cling to the pasta.
- To prevent scorching whisk constantly scraping the bottom of the skillet as the sauce starts to thicken.
- Whole milk: this spicy alfredo can be made using milk, half and half or cream.
- Reheating Alfredo Sauce:
- ½ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper and a ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes will yield a mid level spicy flavor that adds just enough heat to the sauce.
- For just a slight amount of heat only add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and no red pepper flakes to the alfredo sauce. Taste it to see how you like it. You can always add red pepper flakes as a garnish to individual servings if it tastes too mild to you. It is better to add less while cooking because you can always add more spicy flavor. Once added you can not remove it.
- protein/meat add ins: grilled chicken cut into straps, cooked Italian sausage, strips of cooked steak or shrimp
- vegetable add ins: cooked broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, fresh spinach leaves, or kale.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 424kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 19gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 643mgPotassium: 346mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 633IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 390mgIron: 1mg
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