How To Thicken Alfredo Sauce

You’ve made a runny Alfredo sauce. Sigh. Well, thankfully there are numerous ways that you can go about thickening it. And they’re all pretty simple. Here is all that you need to do.

So, how do you thicken Alfredo Sauce? You can thicken Alfredo sauce by adding more cheese (parmesan, mozzarella, or cream cheeses), flour, starch thickeners (including corn or potato starch), or egg yolks. Alternatively, you can do a combination of each option. Reduction is another option that does not require the addition of any extra ingredients

Just start with one.

That would be my only advice.

Start slowly and if you do decide to start adding ingredients, do so slowly.

And just consider that the taste may change a little.

Traditionally, this sauce is just Parmesan cheese and butter.

And while your recipe may vary a little, bit, you don’t want to strain too far from this.

This is why adding more parmesan cheese is one of the best ways to make this sauce thicker.

Anyway, let’s run through the options further before finishing up by answering a few questions about thickening this wonderfully creamy sauce!

How Do You Make A Alfredo Sauce Thicker?

You can make alfredo sauce thicker in two different ways; adding more ingredients, or reducing the sauce by cooking it under a little heat for a period of time.

Let us now explore each one.

Reduction

The process of reducing a sauce is very simple in theory, and even simpler to execute.

And all you are doing here is simmering the sauce over a gentle heat until your sauce reaches the consistency you are looking for.

You can do this with any sauce.

But just bear in mind, it does intensify the flavor. And too high or heat or for too long can cause the sauce to burn.

To reduce your Alrefo sauce, simply simmer it in a pan without a lid – this will enable the vapor to escape.

For Alfredo sauce, 5-10 minutes of simmering will suffice.

You need to stir it along the way, mind.

Add Cheese

Any excuse to add more cheese is a good one, at least in my opinion.

It’s the most delicious way of thickening this sauce but also the most indulgent.

As Alfredo sauce is primarily Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano), it does make sense to use this. Although, you could even use a vintage cheddar, mozzarella, or cream cheese if this sounds more appealing to you!

All you need to do here is grate some additional cheese slowly to your Alfredo sauce overheat.

Continue to stir until your sauce reaches the consistency you are after.

Add A Thickener

There are various different thickeners to add to your Alfredo sauce, but perhaps the best options are flour, corn starch, or potato starch.

Now the process of working with these is relatively similar; although the consistency of the thickener may dictate how much you need to use.

Nevertheless, start with 1 tablespoon of the thickener (flour/corn starch/potato starch) and mix this with 1 tablespoon of water in a bowl.

Add this to the Alrefo sauce (in a pan), and simmer at a low temperature for 5-10 minutes, stirring throughout.

Consider that adding the thickener to water before you add to the sauce is advised here. Do not skip this step.

Otherwise, you could have lumpy Alfredo.

Not good!

Add Egg Yolks

For egg yolks, all you need to do is beat an egg yolk into a bowl.

Slowly pour this into your Alfredo sauce, which is simmering in a pan on low heat.

Be sure to keep whisking the egg/alfredo sauce to ensure the egg is fully mixed into and throughout the sauce.

Will Alfredo Sauce Thicken As It Cools?

Alfredo sauce will thicken as it cools, so long as you are using a typical recipe of mostly Parmesan cheese and butter. Just consider, that Alfredo sauce should be served hot, or at the very least, mildly warm.

Does Butter Make Alfredo Sauce Thicker?

Butter does make an Alfredo sauce thicker, so it can technically be used as a thickener. Just be careful when working with butter, as it is quite rich, and using too much can alter the taste.

Finally

Alfredo sauce is just delicious. Although too runny and let’s be honest it’s not quite the same.

Thankfully, there are numerous ways that you can thicken it up to reach the consistency this sauce should be.

And if you go too far with any of the aforementioned techniques and you end up with a sauce too thick.

Well, you can always add a little milk.

It’s a very versatile sauce, just be sure to serve it hot!

Want to learn how to thicken any type of sauce? Then check out my definitive guide:

• How To Thicken Sauce