The Best Tips on What Can Be Used to Thicken Alfredo Sauce

We always have the option of buying commercially produced alfredo sauce, and they surely fit the bill in case of an emergency. But some companies mix in cream cheese and food starch to thicken the sauce, overlapping the Parmesan cheese flavor. To avoid doing that, use one of the following ingredients to thicken alfredo sauce.

Did You Know?

Leftover alfredo sauce can be refrigerated for 3 or 4 days or you can freeze the sauce and keep it in the freezer for 6 months.

Who’s not a fan of delicious Italian pastas, and when we talk about Fettuccine, how can we not mention mouth-watering sauce to go along with it? The sauce, which makes your pasta mushy yet delectable is ‘Alfredo sauce.’ Since alfredo is a cream sauce, it should possess some richness and thick taste, but if that quality is missing then it ruins the taste of the sauce.

Traditionally it is made up of butter, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream, served over any type of pasta. In many cuisines it is mixed with other ingredients such as chicken, shrimp, garlic cloves, etc. Usually the first and basic step to thicken any gravy or sauce is reduction, it is a procedure of simmering the sauce to kick the moisture out. But if the method alone is not sufficient you need to add in other components to improve its consistency. There are various simple methods used to thicken alfredo sauce. All you require are few simple ingredients which you will find in your kitchen.

How To Thicken Alfredo Sauce

Using Butter

♦ While pouring the sauce over pasta, if you feel that the sauce is too runny, then add one teaspoon of butter.

♦ Turn the heat to medium and keep stirring the mixture until it reaches the required consistency. Butter has milk and protein, which forms into an emulsion.

♦ This emulsion modifies the fat particles of the sauce, and eventually you get a thick sauce.

Using Egg yolk

♦ Egg yolks are brilliant thickening agents. Take the required number of eggs and separate it from the white. Whisk it and mix it with pasta water, continue whisking the mixture.

♦ Take a tablespoon of the sauce and slowly mix it with the egg mixture, stirring it constantly. Let the mixture simmer till the sauce thickens.

Using Corn Flour

♦ Take 1 tsp. corn flour and dilute it with 3 tsp. cold water, mix it thoroughly.

♦ Add the above mixture to the sauce, over medium heat. Constantly stir the mixture to avoid any formation of lumps.

Using Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

♦ While making the sauce, add freshly grated mozzarella cheese and let it slowly boil at low temperature. This technique will help to thicken the sauce in the beginning itself.

♦ You can substitute mozzarella cheese with Parmeggiano Reggiano and follow the same process.

Using Roux

♦ Roux can also used as a thickening agent, it can be prepared while making alfredo sauce.

♦ Mix in equal amount of butter and flour and cook it for a minute.

♦ Next, add the mixture to the sauce and stir it continuously over low heat.

Using Cubed Cream Cheese

♦ Similar to the mozzarella cheese process, the cream cheese should be mixed in at the time of simmering.

♦ Due to the thickness of the cream, you will get really thick sauce.

Using Cornstarch

♦ Take 1 tsp. water and mix it with 1 tsp. cornstarch thoroughly.

♦ The above mixture can be added to the sauce while it is still boiling.

Using Flour

♦ To use flour as a thickener, all you need to do is take a tsp. of flour and mix it with cold water (cold water is necessary to avoid any lumps).

♦ When the water and flour mixture is smooth, add it to your sauce while whisking it, until it becomes thick enough.

It is important to remember that when starch-based agents are used, it should be properly mixed otherwise lumps will form and you will get that starchy flavor in your food.

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