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A creamy homemade alfredo sauce with just 3 simple ingredients and no flour! Easy to make and naturally gluten free

Carbs get a bad rap these days, but they’re actually a great source of energy. Our family LOVES anything pasta, and it makes for an inexpensive meal! Our go-to pasta dish is fettuccine with a simple homemade alfredo sauce.

Everyone in our family of 6 will eat it without complaining (hallelujah!) and the recipe we’re sharing today is so ridiculously easy to prepare that this busy mama doesn’t mind it either 😉

What is Alfredo Sauce?

Authentic fettuccine alfredo was developed by an Italian chef in the early 1900’s. In this original recipe, alfredo sauce was made using butter, pasta water, and parmesan cheese.

As the recipe came to Italian restaurants in the United States of America, cream was added to the mix. This might have been to make up for the lack of quality creamy Parmesan cheese available in the States.

Today, Alfredo Sauce is made using a simple recipe of butter, cream, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. While there are many variations to this,  some of which include flour or broth, this classic version remains the best in my opinion.

Looking for more delicious dinner ideas? You’ll love my Panera Bread 10 Vegetable Soup Recipe!

How to Make Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Making fettuccine alfredo at home is very easy, which is why it’s one of my favorite meals.

While a lot of alfredo sauce recipes use flour as a thickener, we wanted this recipe to be super simple. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Fresh cream. Can be any type of cream, heavy or otherwise.
2. Freshly grated parmesan cheese (see common mistakes below)
3. Garlic – you can use any form of garlic you have on hand: fresh, jarred, frozen, or even garlic powder or garlic salt.

Common Mistakes When Making Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Using pre-shredded cheese

You might be tempted to cut corners and pick up a bag of pre-shredded parmesan, but those packages have starch added to keep the cheese from sticking together. This starch acts as a thickener and will create an unpleasant, globby texture in your sauce that you certainly don’t want.

You might also use the ground parmesan sold in plastic canisters. While this can work in a pinch, it certainly won’t provide the same taste or creamy texture, and the amounts are not interchangeable. Go for a fresh block of parmesan from your grocer’s deli or cheese department for the best results.

Adding the cheese all at once

Cheese takes a minute to melt, and if you add all the cheese at once then you might end up with a blob of melted cheese in the middle of your homemade alfredo sauce. Ummmm don’t do that K?

Add the cheese gradually, stirring after each addition until it’s melted. It will only take a few extra minutes and is absolutely worth the effort!

Is Alfredo Sauce Gluten Free?

This recipe sure is! Be aware that some recipes use flour to thicken alfredo sauce, but we just use the basics: cream, butter, and parmesan cheese.

Because our family eats gluten free, we have tested a lot of gluten free pasta over the years. Gluten free fettuccine noodles can be hard to find, but we do like Barilla Gluten Free Fettuccine which we have found at Smith’s or Amazon.

We also think outside the box sometimes and serve alfredo sauce with another type of gluten free pasta. Our favorite gluten-free pasta is Jovial, which I love to buy at Thrive Market because they have alll the shapes (did someone say manicotti? egg noodles??).

You can get 40% off your first order or read more about why I love Thrive Market.

If you’re looking for a healthier option, we love Cybele’s Free to Eat Superfood Gluten Free Pasta which you can find at many grocery stores or on Amazon, and Barilla’s new chickpea rotini. Both of these options pack around 20 grams of protein a serving and are a good source of iron, fiber, and other nutrients.

How to Cook Gluten Free Pasta

The #1 mistake people make when cooking pasta is to overcook it. Pasta is intended to be cooked al dente, meaning “to the tooth”. It should have a slight crunch to it and not be soft and mushy.

Gluten free pasta is especially prone to being overcooked. It goes from not done to mushy in a hot minute, so watch your pasta carefully!

No need to add oil to the water, it actually can prevent the sauce from sticking as well.

Here’s how to make perfect gluten free pasta every time:

1. Bring water and salt to a full rolling boil. Salt is optional, but will add to the flavor of your dish.
2. Add pasta and return to a boil. Make sure the pasta is fully submerged.
3. Reduce heat enough to keep the pot from boiling over, but keep it boiling as much as you can.
4. Set the timer for the lowest recommended time. The pasta should have a slight bite to it.
5. Drain the pasta and briefly with cold water.
6. Serve immediately with Alfredo Sauce or any other sauce!

What to Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo is a simple dish that pairs well with flavorful roasted veggies or any kind of bread. We love to enjoy them with Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Feta!

Here are a few other recipes you might want to serve alongside:

Gluten Free Breadsticks (Olive Garden copycat!)

How to Make Gluten Free Rolls

Gluten Free Biscuits (4 ingredients and SUPER easy!)

Blueberry Lemonade

Cranberry Kale Salad

For a fun variation, add a some pesto to your alfredo sauce! I love this pesto recipe.

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Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

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