How Long Does Alfredo Sauce Last In The Fridge?

Rich and creamy Alfredo sauce. Does it get much better? Quite frankly it doesn’t when it’s freshly served. But what about refrigeration? How long can this particular sauce be kept before it becomes… not so good.

So, how long does Alfredo sauce last in the fridge? An unopened pre-made jar of Alfredo sauce may last up to 6-8 months in the fridge. However, once opened or for sauce freshly prepared from scratch, it will only last between 3-5 days in the fridge. At most, even with proper storage. As a dairy-based sauce, you should clearly notice when the sauce is no good – the smell, color, and taste will change.

Some argue that true Alfredo sauce is always cooked from scratch.

And while that’s true to some extent, at least in regards to taste, we all live busy lives.

Jaered Alfredo sauce to the rescue.

Besides, this sauce really is delicious.

Creamy, cheesy – it just goes so well with pasta.

And while 3-5 days is the recommendation here – this timeline can vary a little bit depending on a few factors.

So, let us now take a closer look at them.

Factors That Affect How Long Alfredo Sauce Lasts In The Fridge

How long your Alfredo sauce will last does depend on several factors. These are:

• Was your Alrefo Pasta cooked from scratch, or from a Jar – if your sauce was fresh, naturally it will not last as long. Equally, has the jar already been opened?
• How cold is your refrigerator? Either too warm or even too cool will have an impact on your sauce, and other foods in the fridge, longevity.
• When was your alrefo sauce transferred to the fridge? Was it at room temperature and/or did it have enough time to cool down?
• What did your store your Alfredo sauce in? Was the container airtight?
• What is your storage container made from? Is it plastic or glass etc?
• How clean was your storage container? If it was not clean then your sauce will not likely last as long,
• What ingredients were in the Alredo sauce? Did you add a few extras, what condition were the ingredients in before adding to the sauce e.g. was the cream already slightly passed it?

This is why we can only give an average here.

But 3-5 days is commonly observed.

Assuming the sauce has been open or exposed to the air already at some point.

But how do you know when your Alfredo sauce should be thrown?

Well, let us now take a closer look in the next section.

How To Tell If Alfredo Sauce Has Gone Bad

How it looks, how it smells, and the consistency. These are the main ways to identify whether Alfredo sauce is still good to eat.

And that should be the first check.

When off, the color should be noticeably different.

It will no longer have that velvety white we all think about when we imagine this sauce.

The texture will have likely deteriorated too. It may even look partly separated, or lumpy in various parts of the sauce.

Of course, there always is the taste test.

Not for the faint-hearted.

And in fact, it can actually make you ill if the sauce is very much past its best.

This is why you should look and smell the sauce, first and foremost.

And look throughout the sauce – be quite thorough here.

Besides, sour Alfredo sauce can put you off for a while.

Trust me.

And being a dairy-based sauce; this is not something you really should risk eating when it has gone bad.

How To Make Your Alfredo Sauce Last Longer

If you want to make your Alfredo sauce last as long as possible, then you need to be very proactive about storage.

That means you need to quickly get your Alfredo sauce in the fridge.

If you want to maximize the shelf life of an opened Alfredo sauce, you will have to refrigerate it immediately.

The longer your sauce sits at room temperature, the greater the effect of bacteria and degrading the quality.

Bacteria will proliferate (grow) much faster at higher temperatures, you see.

That being said, if you have cooked the sauce and have some leftover, you do need to give some time to let it cool first.

Hot sauce should never be added to a refrigerator.

It should have some time to cool down to room temperature.

But it is from there you need to act swiftly.

Within 1 hour is ideal.

Never longer than 3-4 hours.

So, now onto the storage.

Put your Alfredo sauce in an airtight container.

A glass jar, pyrex dish, or even Tupperware is good here.

Once transferred and sealed, it’s time for the fridge.

Where it should remain until you want to next use it.

The clock and timer start now.

3-5 days remember.

But, the sooner you use it again, generally the better.

If you did want to store your Alfredo sauce for a little longer, there is always the option to freeze.

Again, airtight containers are essential here.

But if you do so, you can even expect to keep your sauce for 4 months or longer!

However, by 8 months the sauce is likely to have lost a lot of its taste and quality.

And at this stage, you might as well cook up, or buy some more!

Besides, that’s just wasted freezer space!

Finally

3-5 days.

That’s the timeframe you want to work with here.

The only exception is unopened store-bought jars that have an expiry long into the future and were designed to last. Besides, they usually contain preservatives.

But for fresh Alfredo sauce, sauce that has already been cooked with or even in the case of an open store-bought jar, you don’t have much time, I’m afraid.

At least if you want your sauce to look, smell and taste any good.

Besides, who wants sour Alfredo?!

If in doubt – throw it out.

Have other questions about Alfredo sauce? My other guides may be of interest:

• Why Is My Alfredo Sauce Grainy?
• How To Thicken Alfredo Sauce
• How To Make Alfredo Sauce In A Jar Taste Better?
• Is Alfredo Sauce Keto?
• Does Alfredo Sauce Have Dairy?