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An easy recipe for creamy Alfredo sauce made with half and half that comes together while the pasta cooks.

When you want a velvety smooth sauce to coat your pasta, this homemade Alfredo recipe delivers.

close up of homemade alfredo sauce with pasta

Creamy Alfredo with Half and Half

When a dinner recipe becomes a family favorite, you find ways to keep it in rotation, and that's exactly what happened with this Alfredo sauce. I usually make it with heavy cream, but when I'm out, I use half and half to make it since I always have it on hand for our morning coffee.

And guess what? The sauce still turns out velvety, cheesy, and absolutely perfect. It’s saved dinner on more than one occasion, like tossed with basic tortellini, and now I have tortellini Alfredo, my kid’s favorite.

Ingredients

Half-and-half is the liquid that makes it creamy, along with butter and garlic for flavor. Parmesan cheese adds that classic saltiness and helps the Alfredo sauce stick to your favorite pasta. A pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg (optional) ties it all together.

How to Make Alfredo Sauce with Half and Half

The recipe card has all the details and a short video showing you how to make it. Here is an overview of the steps:

Cook the pasta while you make the sauce, so everything comes together when the pasta is done.
Make the sauce in a skillet (a pan with sides) that’s big enough to hold the sauce and the pasta later. You’ll sauté the garlic with the butter first, then add the half-and-half, Parmesan, and seasonings, while stirring constantly until the sauce is nice and smooth.
Add the cooked pasta and toss it to coat with the sauce, using kitchen tongs.
Serve immediately for the creamiest sauce since Alfredo thickens as it cools. Serve it with one of these sides.

Adjusting the Thickness of the Sauce

The recipe is nice and thick, but if you cooked too much pasta and need more liquid, warm up ½ cup more half-and-half or milk and stir it into the sauce. To thicken it, add ½ cup Parmesan cheese and stir for 2 minutes until it dissolves into the sauce.

overhead view of a large skillet with homemade alfredo sauce being mixed with cooked fettuccine pasta

Best Recipes Using Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo sauce is a go-to for building meals. This rotisserie chicken Alfredo is quick, and this blackened chicken Alfredo is restaurant-worthy. Add veggies, and now you have chicken and broccoli Alfredo, or a creamy spinach Alfredo. Want it healthier? No problem. My cottage cheese Alfredo has you covered.

overhead view of a bowl with fettuccine pasta mixed homemade alfredo sauce

Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce with Half and Half

overhead view of a large skillet with homemade alfredo sauce mixed with cooked fettuccine pasta

Servings: 6

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 10

An easy recipe for creamy Alfredo sauce made with half and half that comes together while the pasta cooks.

4.99 from 59 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons cream cheese
2 cups half and half
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, optional
16 ounces pasta, your favorite

Instructions

Cook the pasta following the instructions on the box. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
Over medium heat, melt the butter while stirring it around the pan. Once melted, add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the cream cheese, and stir it around to melt it. Slowly pour in the half and half, and keep whisking to combine the ingredients in the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the Parmesan cheese in batches, along with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg (if using). Continue stirring to combine it into a sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
Combine the pasta with the Alfredo sauce and serve immediately.