Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

FAQs

How do I keep my Alfredo sauce creamy? ›

Mix the cornstarch with some cold water to create a smooth slurry, then whisk it into the sauce while cooking over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add all-purpose flour. Another very common thickening agent that will give your Alfredo sauce a creamy texture.

Avoid Grainy Alfredo Sauce

The first is choosing freshly shredded parmesan cheese off the block. "Pre-shredded packaged parmesan cheese will result in a grainy sauce," says Anthony. Therefore, to avoid lumps in your sauce, always go with freshly shredded cheese.

Why is my Alfredo Sauce clumpy/gritty? If your sauce is not silky smooth it could be because your ingredients don't have as high of fat content to them. Make sure you're using quality ingredients and whisking until smooth. Can I make Alfredo Sauce in advance?

To make the perfect, luscious, creamy sauce I like to shred by parmesan cheese with a microplane grater, which takes less time for the parmesan cheese to melt, but any ole grater will work.

After 12 ounces of fettuccine pasta noodles are finished cooking, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water to include in your sauce. The starchy water is essential to creating a thick, creamy sauce consistency.

This happens when there's too much fat or liquid in the mixture. This can happen when there are not enough emulsifiers (which help keep your ingredients together). Sauces are usually made from multiple ingredients that include both oil and water. Oils and water will naturally separate.

The Fix Is Simple—Add Water Back.

Here's how fix a broken sauce: Add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and reheat the sauce to a vigorous simmer, whisking constantly. The bubbling action will help re-emulsify the butter and bring back that thick, glossy sauce.

Why is my cheese sauce curdling? The cheese is breaking because you're adding it while the sauce is too hot. Cook the roux, add the milk, whisk constantly while slowly heating.

This recipe for homemade alfredo sauce uses $4.33 worth of ingredients and makes 9.5 ounces, which is also roughly 46 cents per ounce. This means homemade alfredo sauce costs about the same as high quality jarred sauces, but tastes even better.

The short ingredient list—pasta, butter, and Parmesan—means this is the place to be choosy, particularly with the cheese. Parmigiano-Reggiano (look for its name stamped on the side) is the classic choice and will absolutely give you the best flavor, but there are less expensive substitutes.

What thickens Alfredo sauce? ›

Cornstarch

The easiest way to accomplish this is to mix about a spoonful of cornstarch to 2 spoonfuls of liquid – it could be water or chicken stock or even milk. You will add this mixture, also called a slurry to the sauce and as it starts to cook, the sauce will thicken.

My alfredo is based with olive oil instead of butter and requires simple ingredients you likely have on hand right now. Pesto, parmesan cheese, milk, flour, garlic, veggie or chicken stock. That's it! And it's so creamy and delicious you wouldn't believe it's actually healthy.

Adding the sauce slowly, bit-by-bit, as you stir the liquid and pasta in your pot will make the cheese melt evenly and avoid clumping.

Q: "Every time I make homemade mac and cheese the sauce is smooth at first but then gets grainy (paste-like) as it cools. What am I doing wrong?" A: "Your ratios—from your roux to the fat content in the cheeses that you're using—may be a little off," Rach says. "You also just may be overcooking it."

Adding in small increments is key. It allows you to ensure that the flour isn't sitting in clumps at the bottom of the pan, which can lead to a grainy or lumpy sauce later on. If you've got good coordination and a nice heavy pan, you can slowly drizzle with one hand while whisking with the other.

The white sauce is lumpy

Cause: fat (butter) was too warm when flour was added; roux was not mixed well or did not cook long enough; liquid was added too quickly and not stirred enough.

The emulsifiers and coagulants break down when heated thus causing a gritty texture. Remove the hot béchamel from the heat. I tend to remove the pan from the heat completely when adding the cheese to prevent it from getting too hot and curdling/breaking.