Best 10 Store-Bought Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo Sauce is a typical dish of Italian-American cooking that can be easily found in the US but hard to come by in Italy.
The story goes that the sauce was created in the early 20th century (1907 or 1908), by an Italian chef, Alfredo di Lelio, to help his pregnant wife, Ines, (in another story, the wife had just given birth) to eat as she was very nauseous.
The chef used plain boiled pasta, or “pasta in bianco”, to which he added lots of butter and young Parmesan cheese. He created “fettuccine al triplo burro” or “triple butter fettuccine”, later named “fettuccine all Alfredo”. Ines felt better and started eating the dish regularly.
Then, in 1920, while on their honeymoon in Rome, two famous American actors, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, tasted fettuccine with the butter Parmesan sauce and fell in love with it. They asked for the recipe and then made the sauce famous throughout America.
It became known as Alfredo sauce and found its way onto the menu of most Italian-American restaurants.
Back in Rome, Alfredo continued serving his famous recipe, and made a show of it by preparing the dish at the table in front of his customers. His son and grandsons, who still serve the dish in the same manner, accompanied by violin music, continued the recipe and the show.
The pasta is constantly stirred in a well-warmed platter, together with the butter and Parmesan, until the cheese melts. When the sauce is finished, the chef lifts the fettuccine from the platter and transfers it to a smaller plate. Back in the day, foodies described the process as a “spectacle reminiscent of grand opera“.
Today, the recipe has a slightly different, commercial version, that uses more ingredients, such as heavy cream, thickening agents, such as eggs or starch, and flavors, such as garlic or nutmeg. It is served as a main course, garnished with chicken or seafood. Also, several chefs reinterpreted Alfredo sauce, giving it new flavors and using it in original combinations.
As appetizing as it sounds to make your own pasta and your own Alfredo sauce, there are some days when you just need a simpler version, but still crave the silky quality of a good Alfredo sauce. These store-bought sauces are made just for those days.
1. Rao’s Homemade Alfredo Sauce
A favorite on Reddit, Rao’s Homemade Alfredo Sauce is a classic Alfredo version that uses clean ingredients, such as light cream, butter, Parmesan and Romano cheese, egg yolks, sea salt, and pepper.
The sauce contains no added sugar and has a perfectly balanced texture. It is compatible with all dietary lifestyles. Reviewers describe it as “creamy and flavorful“, with a strong Parmesan taste.
With this sauce, you can make excellent Penne Chicken Alfredo, zucchini spaghetti, and sautéed shrimp topped with Alfredo sauce, or Chicken and Broccoli Pizza.
2. Rao’s Homemade Alfredo Sauce, Roasted Garlic Alfredo
Another Rao product, Roasted Garlic Alfredo sauce comes with the bonus of an added flavor, garlic.
As with the homemade version of Alfredo, it combines cream, Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and butter, all topped with the unmistakable taste of roasted garlic.
Carb-conscious and suitable for different diets, the sauce has a velvety texture. The garlic flavor makes this sauce special, as it has a rich taste, as opposed to most brands, which taste “just like cream“.
3. Simply Organic Alfredo Sauce Mix
An Alfredo sauce mix containing only organic ingredients, dry milk, potato starch, sea salt, garlic, rice concentrate, pepper, and nutmeg, the Simply Organic Alfredo Sauce Mix is a good choice for those who want clean ingredients in their food.
Also, as it is gluten-free, the sauce mix caters to those with dietary restrictions, offering a flavorful alternative to bland sauces.
One Amazon reviewer describes the Simply Organic Sauce Mix as “creamy, cheesy, a bit more peppery than expected, and packed with flavor”. We totally agree!
4. Bertolli Alfredo with Aged Parmesan Cheese Pasta Sauce
An Alfredo sauce with added flavor, the Bertolli with Aged Parmesan cranks up the original recipe by using aged Parmesan instead of fresh.
It contains lots of Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, cream, butter, and flavors such as sherry wine, garlic, and different spices.
It is creamy but not heavy, with just a perfect balance of spices.
You can also use the sauce with mushrooms, pasta, and chicken, or shrimp, chicken, mushroom, and spinach.
5. Bertolli Creamy Basil Alfredo Sauce
Another Alfredo sauce by Bertolli is the Creamy Basil Alfredo, recommended by one Reddit reviewer who uses it for preparing a favorite comfort food, “mushroom chicken parsley white wine short pasta“.
It is a classic Alfredo sauce, with cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese, flavored with basil and a hint of garlic.
The Bertolli Creamy Basil Alfredo Sauce goes well with pasta and ravioli. However, some customers say it is sometimes hard to find.
6. Classico Creamy Alfredo Pasta Sauce
An authentic Italian Alfredo Sauce, Classico Creamy Alfredo is gluten-free but lists dairy and eggs as sensitive ingredients.
It is made using the classic ingredients: butter, cream, Parmesan cheese, Asiago cheese, Romano cheese, cheddar cheese, and has a garlic and pepper flavor.
It is recommended for eating with pasta, pizza, or as a dipping sauce. The Classico Creamy Alfredo has excellent ratings on Amazon, Walmart and Target.
7. Prego Homestyle Alfredo Sauce
Recommended by one Reddit user as “the best shelf Alfredo“, Prego Homestyle Alfredo Sauce has an authentic Italian flavor, as it is made from a delicate blend of cream, Parmesan, and garlic.
The sauce is creamy and thick, and it is best used with spaghetti, fettuccine, and linguine.
The manufacturing company recommends using it for Fettuccine Alfredo, chicken, and shrimp Alfredo. According to Amazon customers, the Homestyle Alfredo is great for making quick macaroni and cheese “2/3 cups macaroni, 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese“, and Tuna casserole.
8. Knorr Professional Alfredo Sauce Mix
Another sauce mix, best suited for feeding a crowd, is the Knorr Professional Alfredo Sauce Mix.
It is gluten-free and it has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It contains a velvety mix of cheeses, suitable for many dishes, from pasta to veal.
The sauce mix comes in a liquid format, ready to use, and there is no need to refrigerate before opening. The manufacturer recommends using the sauce mix for roasted vegetable salad with goat’s cheese.
For a quick dish, you can bake a few pieces of chicken breast, boiling some noodles, and mixing everything with the Alfredo sauce.
9. Gia Russa Sauce Alfredo
The Gia Russa Alfredo sauce is recommended by a Reddit user who considers it the best Alfredo sauce, although it “can be expensive“.
The manufacturer lists the usual ingredients for Alfredo sauce, such as butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Romano cheese, pepper, egg yolk, and cornstarch, but also a special ingredient, namely heavy whipping cream.
The sauce is therefore thicker than other Alfredo sauces.
10. Primal Kitchen No Dairy Alfredo Sauce
The Primal Kitchen Alfredo Sauce is a no-dairy, gluten-free Alfredo sauce made from clean, vegan ingredients, using cashew butter for the creamy taste and texture.
It is free from any soy, gluten, and canola oil, and it contains no added sugars or artificial ingredients. Also, no genetically modified products are used in producing the sauce.
The sauce has a hint of lemon and a thinner texture than the dairy Alfredo sauce. However, it is a real chance for people who are on dairy-free diets to enjoy Alfredo-based dishes.
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Alfredo Sauce-Based Chef Recipes
The classical old-school recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo comes from a self-proclaimed fan of traditionalist recipes, chef Billy Parisi.
The chef also offers the recipe and preparation method of home-made fettuccine, which are a must in any self-respecting Italian restaurant or home.
For the pasta, the chef uses equal amounts of all-purpose and semolina flour, eggs, and cold water. Once the ingredients are combined, he kneads the dough for 15 minutes, before putting it in a plastic bag and letting it rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
After the dough is cooled down, using a pasta maker, run the dough on the 0 settings 3 times, and then change the crank to 3, then to 6, and roll the dough a couple more times.
Use the fettuccine attachment to run the dough once more, and then let the pasta rest for 30 minutes so it dries out a bit. Boil the pasta in a pot of salted water for 2 to 4 minutes. To make the sauce, combine 1 stick of cubed unsalted butter, 3/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup of leftover pasta water. Mix it with the hot noodles and keep stirring until the cheese and the butter melt completely and are perfectly mixed.
Another recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo comes from chef Jamie Oliver, who cooked this dish for the actress Goldie Hawn.
In a gourmet and modern twist, the chef used both double cream and fresh truffle or nutmeg for the sauce, giving it a particular earthy flavor.
For the noodles, the chef uses his Royal Pasta Dough, a mixture of all-purpose flour, semolina flour, eggs, and olive oil. The mixing and kneading methods are similar for all types of pasta dough, and rolling the dough in the pasta machine means starting with the thickest setting, as the dough should come out very smooth.
For the sauce, chef Jamie Oliver recommends mixing 1/2 cup double cream with 1/2 cup single cream and then heating it on low heat. Then, whisk an egg yolk into the cream, and finely grate and add 1/4 cup Parmesan, stirring constantly. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, along with a little cooking water, and toss everything together. When the sauce becomes silky, add the truffle or nutmeg gratings, top with grated Parmesan, and drizzle with truffle oil.
An Italian-American recipe for Alfredo sauce comes from chef Pasquale Sciarappa and it combines the traditional Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken.
The chef uses store-bought fettuccine, which you should cook according to the package instruction. Season a chicken breast with black pepper and salt, then grill the chicken on each side until halfway cooked. Cut the meat into small pieces, which will be then added to the sauce.
For the Alfredo sauce, melt 4 oz of butter in a pan, then add the garlic and chicken and keep stirring for about 2 minutes. Next, add 2 cups of whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a boil and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes. Add the cooked fettuccine to the skillet, then add 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley on top.
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