Recipe

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Use this recipe for Alfredo sauce with cream cheese to make a rich, creamy pasta dinner with a few simple ingredients and zero prep.

This cream cheese Alfredo sauce is the ultimate shortcut recipe that tastes homemade.

Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese

This Alfredo sauce with cream cheese is everything I love about my Alfredo with Cream recipe. It’s rich, flavorful, and perfectly coats every strand of pasta, and my family devours it!

The cream cheese melts down into a silky, thick sauce that gives this Alfredo a homemade vibe with minimal effort. The best part? The entire sauce comes together in a pan while the pasta cooks, making dinner feel fancy without the stress.

How Does It Taste?

This Alfredo sauce has the same rich, savory flavor as the classic, with butter, garlic, Parmesan, and pepper bringing that familiar taste you love. The difference comes from the addition of cream cheese to the milk, which makes the sauce ultra-thick, velvety, and irresistibly creamy without losing its traditional Alfredo appeal.

How to Make Cream Cheese Alfredo

While the pasta cooks, you’ll make the sauce in a pan by toasting the garlic in a little butter to build flavor, then add the warmed milk and the cream cheese, and seasonings, stirring constantly to dissolve the cream cheese and avoid burning the sauce. Once the pasta is done, combine it and sprinkle extra Parmesan on top.

Variations

Alfredo lovers rejoice. I’ve got more for you!

Cottage cheese Alfredo: a high-protein version you’ll love.
Mac and Cheese Alfredo: with a delicious cheesy crust.
Rotisserie chicken Alfredo: a complete meal in 20 minutes.

Serve With These Sides

You can go classic and serve this with breadsticks or crusty bread and an epic side salad.

Quick Cream Cheese Alfredo

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Use this recipe for Alfredo sauce with cream cheese to make a rich, creamy pasta dinner with a few simple ingredients and zero prep.

5 from 3 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced*
6 ounces cream cheese, roughly cubed
2 cups milk, warmed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon pepper
16 ounces of pasta

Instructions

Cook the pasta:

Cook the pasta following the instructions on the box.

Make the sauce:

Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and sauté it for 30 seconds to 1 minute, ensuring it doesn't burn.
Pour in the warmed milk, cream cheese cubes, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Stir with a wooden spatula to dissolve the cream cheese into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, coming back to stir from time to time.

Combine:

Add the pasta to the skillet and use kitchen tongs to combine it with the creamy Alfredo sauce.
Serve it topped with additional Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Swap the garlic clove for ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Since it doesn’t need to be toasted, skip that step and add all the ingredients to the skillet to make the sauce.