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I’ve crafted a more healthy model of basic alfredo sauce with out heavy cream that’s excellent for anybody on the lookout for a lighter type of conventional Italian alfredo sauce! This recipe combines parmesan cheese, cream cheese, skim milk, black pepper, and garlic powder to create a creamy texture excellent for serving over your favourite pasta. Prepared in beneath half-hour, I’ll present you methods to make this comforting sauce, nice for a fast dinner and a tasty different to restaurant variations!


I’ve been making pasta sauce from scratch for years, and this alfredo sauce with no heavy cream is one in all my favorites! I really like how easy it’s, and you’ll too: made with out wheat flour, with no butter and no roux wanted, I’ve created the creamiest selfmade alfredo sauce that tastes identical to the genuine model.
As an alternative of heavy cream, I exploit a mix of cream cheese, low-fat milk, and corn starch, which supplies you that very same super-rich mouthfeel with much less fats and energy.
As a bonus, you gained’t should hold stirring your sauce, watching it constantly, attempting to child that roux! Only a few whisks after including the cornstarch and remaining components and it’ll be able to go.
This sauce works nice with any pasta form, and I’ll typically serve it with fettuccine noodles for a basic fettuccine alfredo. However when I’ve a bit extra time, I’ll serve it with my selfmade vegan pasta for a totally from-scratch Italian meal!
It’s no secret that I’m obsessive about Italian meals, and over time I’ve created over 50 vegetarian Italian recipes! I particularly love making Italian pasta sauces from scratch, as a result of they style a lot extra flavorful than pre-made variations.
This isn’t your typical, heavy, Italian restaurant sauce, however it should make any pasta dish shine! It’s an ideal recipe for anybody trying to attempt a lighter model of Alfredo that’s filled with taste however is decrease in carbs, energy, and fats than most cream sauces.
It’s additionally very easy to make, so even in case you’re not skilled in making sauces from scratch, the dearth of a roux makes this very beginner-cook-friendly!
I at all times attempt to make my recipes adaptable to totally different dietary wants each time potential, and I’m so completely happy to share that this recipe is already naturally gluten-free and might be made vegan with a number of substitutions as nicely. (See my variations part under for personalization concepts!)
This wealthy, thick cream cheese Alfredo sauce is complete consolation meals and nice for the entire household! Filled with taste, adults and children alike will love drizzling this sauce over their favourite pasta selection.
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🥘 Components
You don’t want plenty of components to make selfmade Alfredo sauce with milk as an alternative of cream! With just a few pantry gadgets and a pair gadgets from the fridge, you’ll have a flavorful sauce prepared very quickly. In case you wouldn’t have these components, then you possibly can simply discover them at your native grocery retailer.


Corn Starch: I exploit corn starch (typically known as corn flour) as an ideal gluten-free substitute for wheat flour or all-purpose flour and instead of a conventional roux. Cornflour blended with water creates a thicker DIY Alfredo sauce when mixed with the milk!
Spices: I add in just a bit little bit of garlic powder, salt and black pepper – they’re all that you must add taste to this recipe. You should utilize contemporary garlic in case you don’t have garlic powder, however garlic powder blends higher into this sauce than contemporary minced garlic does (you’ll find yourself with small garlic items within the sauce). I additionally add some freshly chopped parsley on the finish of cooking to deliver some contemporary and vivid flavors to the dish.
Low-Fats Milk: That is my substitute for heavy cream in Alfredo sauce, and I promise, you actually can’t inform the distinction! Any kind of milk will work, however my choice is low-fat natural milk.
Water: Chilly water is required to combine with the corn starch to create a slurry. A slurry is a substitute for a roux that you need to use to thicken sauces, soups, and extra. It’s simply corn starch blended with water, so the water is absolutely necessary for this step!
Cheese: I exploit a mix of cream cheese and parmesan cheeses to make this Alfredo with out cream wealthy and thick.
🔪 How To Make Alfredo Sauce With out Heavy Cream
The recipe card under gives an entire record of components and detailed directions for making this Alfredo sauce recipe with out heavy cream. For extra assist and my secret suggestions for getting this recipe proper each time, take a look at the professional suggestions part.
Warmth Milk On The Range Prime: I exploit a medium saucepan or giant pot to warmth the milk. Heat over medium low warmth till it simmers.


Mix Corn Starch And Water: I wish to multitask whereas I’m cooking, so whereas the milk is simmering, I like to recommend combining the chilly water and corn starch in a bowl till blended.


Thicken Sauce: As soon as the milk has simply began to simmer, pour the cornflour combination into the milk whereas whisking to stop lumps from forming. Cut back to low warmth and proceed to stir till your no-cream Alfredo is easy and thickened.


Add Cheese And Seasoning: Subsequent, add the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk till easy and reaches your required consistency.


Season And Serve: Alter the seasoning to style, then stir via the chopped parsley. You gained’t imagine that this Alfredo sauce is made with out butter AND cream, as a result of at this level it ought to have that thick and creamy consistency you’d discover in a basic Alfredo sauce. Serve instantly, together with your favourite pasta.


My #1 Secret Tip for making a creamy sauce with out heavy cream is to guarantee your milk doesn’t boil! Prepare dinner on low to medium-low warmth throughout your entire course of to stop your milk from curdling. Mild warmth helps the sauce components combine easily with out separating.
Boiling the sauce, alternatively, could cause the sauce to develop into grainy and separate. Moreover, if the sauce is just too scorching, when the corn starch combination is added, it should kind giant lumps in a short time. So simply keep in mind: prepare dinner low and sluggish, on a light-weight simmer, your entire time!
Different Ideas To Maintain In Thoughts:
- Alter consistency. To make a thicker Alfredo sauce recipe with no heavy cream, add extra of the cornstarch combination.
- Timing issues. Be sure to add the cornstarch slurry earlier than you add the cheese! That can forestall lumps from forming and can make sure you get an excellent easy and wealthy sauce.
- To verify your sauce doesn’t separate, use a whisk when stirring vs. a wood spoon or spatula.
- For finest outcomes, use chilly water to combine with corn starch earlier than including to the heated milk.
- Use high-quality, contemporary cheese. I at all times use freshly grated Parmesan cheese somewhat than pre-shredded varieties, which might include anti-caking brokers that hinder melting. Recent cheese will soften extra easily and provide a richer taste.
📖 Variations
- Make It Vegan: Use soy, oat milk, or unsweetened almond milk as an alternative of dairy milk. Substitute the cheese for ½ cup of vegan parmesan cheese and 6 tablespoons of dietary yeast. It’s possible you’ll want so as to add extra corn starch to ensure this creamy pasta sauce with out heavy cream is thick sufficient. You can even use a vegan bechamel sauce as an alternative.
- Add Herbs And Spices: To offer this cream free Alfredo sauce recipe somewhat extra taste, be happy so as to add white pepper, a touch of paprika, contemporary coriander, oregano, rosemary or Italian seasoning.
- Thickener: As an alternative of utilizing corn starch, be happy to make use of arrowroot powder, common wheat flour, or tapioca flour. Bear in mind, the way in which this recipe is written it doesn’t want butter or a roux. In case you use wheat flour, you’ll want so as to add butter and make a roux, and this recipe will not be gluten free.
- Hen Alfredo: After I’m serving meat eaters, typically I’ll add in some shredded rooster breast to this pasta sauce with out heavy cream! You can even make vegan rooster Alfredo by utilizing tofu or meatless rooster tenders with pasta.
- Further Creamy Consistency: After I’m feeling further decadent, I’ll add some bitter cream or mozzarella cheese along with the opposite components!
🧊 Storage Instructions
Fridge: As soon as cooled, I’ll retailer this sauce within the fridge in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.
Freezer: Switch the sauce to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for as much as six months.
Reheating: If I’m simply reheating the sauce from the fridge, I’ll simply warmth it within the microwave till warmed via and toss it with pasta! If I’m reheating from frozen, I’ll thaw the sauce within the fridge in a single day, after which heat it on the stovetop the subsequent day, whisking till heated via.
👨👩👧 Serving Recommendations
After all, any pasta will go nicely with this sauce! Make fettuccine Alfredo with out heavy cream, or use some other pasta form you want. Listed here are a few of my different favourite methods to serve this sauce:
❓Recipe FAQs
You possibly can completely make a cream sauce with out heavy cream and flour! One of many best methods to substitute heavy cream in Alfredo sauce is to make use of a thickener + milk.
We selected corn starch + milk as a result of it offers that very same creamy texture with out the fattiness that heavy cream brings. The corn starch additionally permits you to thicken your Alfredo sauce recipe with milk and no flour. You should utilize any kind of milk as an alternative of heavy cream to pair with the corn starch. Entire milk, skim milk, low-fat milk, and various kinds of unsweetened dairy-free milk will all work.
Different heavy cream substitutes embody: silken tofu and soy milk, cottage cheese and milk, or flour and milk.
No, evaporated milk isn’t the identical texture and won’t yield the identical outcomes. You should utilize any kind of different unsweetened milk instead of heavy cream. It’s possible you’ll want to regulate the quantity of corn starch in case you use a plant primarily based milk versus common milk although.
The simplest strategy to inform in case your cream sauce is unhealthy is to odor it. If it’s nonetheless good, it should have a clear, contemporary odor – much like what milk smells like when it’s good. If it’s unhealthy, it should have a really bitter, acidic and pungent odor.


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📋 Recipe Card
Alfredo Sauce With out Heavy Cream
This recipe for alfredo sauce with out heavy cream is scrumptious together with your favourite pasta! Made with parmesan cheese, black pepper, skim milk, and garlic powder, you’ll want to put together this creamy sauce on your subsequent fettuccine alfredo recipe. This consolation meals recipe is one of the best and family-friendly!
Servings: 4 folks
Energy: 137kcal
- If you need the sauce to be somewhat thicker, add extra of the cornstarch combination.
- Toss this tasty sauce via cooked fettuccine pasta to create the right dinner choice.
- Make sure the milk doesn’t come to a boil in any other case the corn starch combination, when added, will kind giant lumps in a short time.
- At all times use chilly water to combine with cornflour earlier than including to the heated milk.
- Serve together with your favourite pasta.
- For a vegan model: Use soy milk or unsweetened almond milk as an alternative of low fats milk and substitute the cheese on this recipe for ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese and 6 tbsp dietary yeast. It’s possible you’ll want so as to add some extra corn starch to make sure the sauce is on the desired thickness.
Energy: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 9g | Fats: 6g | Saturated Fats: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 2g | Ldl cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g