Dress pasta, pizza, or steak with this luxuriously decadent and creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce. With its punchy garlic tang and silky texture, this sauce will take even the simplest dish to the next level.
Butter, garlic, cream, Parmesan cheese and herbs come together in minutes to make this gloriously rich sauce. It’s so good that you’ll want to make it again and again.
What Is Garlic Parmesan Sauce?
This sauce comes together in minutes with fresh garlic, butter, heavy cream, flour, broth, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings. The result is a rich, garlicky and creamy sauce that can be drizzled over steak, pizza, or roasted potatoes, or tossed with pasta.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter: Unsalted butter gives the best flavor but you can use olive oil if it’s all you have.
- Garlic: Use fresh minced garlic if possible as garlic powder will never give you the same punch of garlicky flavor. However, to really take things up a notch, use roasted garlic in place of fresh.
- Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning can be substituted with a mixture of dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried rosemary.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the sauce its thick, creamy texture.
- Vegetable Broth: Vegetable broth is ideal but you can also use chicken broth. It helps prevent the sauce from being too thick.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream makes this sauce decadent and delicious. In a pinch, you can use half-and-half but this will thin the sauce even more.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated cheese will melt easily and give you the best flavor. If you can, avoid buying pre-shredded cheese in a bag or container.
- Parsley: The greenery adds color and a lovely herby flavor to balance the richness. Substitute it with freshly chopped basil for a different but equally delicious flavor!
(Note: Full recipe is at the bottom of the post)
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- Melt the butter in a pot over medium-low heat.
- When it starts to sizzle, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the flour and whisk well. Cook, stirring often for 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low and carefully add the broth, whisking as you pour.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer for about 2 minutes until it thickens. Reduce the heat slightly if you need to.
- Pour in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. Whisk until the cheese melts and you’re left with a smooth and creamy sauce.
- Cook over low heat, stirring often, until it reaches the consistency you like.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Tips and Tricks
- Make this sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to a week. It’s a great ingredient to have on hand if you want to spice up a salad, side dish, or main course.
- Keep tasting the sauce throughout the cooking process to ensure it’s seasoned to your liking. Each time you add salt and pepper, taste it again before adding more.
- If the sauce appears very thin, bear in mind that it will thicken as it cools. If it’s too thick, simply add a splash of broth or heavy cream.
Ways to Use Garlic Parmesan Sauce
What can’t you use Garlic Parmesan Sauce for? This creamy and versatile sauce has many uses. It can be drizzled over steak, pizza, or roasted potatoes, or tossed with pasta. It will be a delicious dip for chicken wings or a creamy dressing for salad and roasted vegetables.
Make It Ahead
Garlic Parmesan Sauce can be made up to one week in advance and refrigerated. In fact, the sauce will taste even better once it stands for a while.
How to Store Garlic Parmesan Sauce?
Keep this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To reheat it, pour it into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add some milk or cream and cook, stirring, until warm.
Can I Freeze Garlic Parmesan Sauce?
Garlic Parmesan Sauce is best enjoyed within a week. Because it contains cream, freezing it will alter the texture.
Garlic Parmesan Sauce vs Alfredo
While the ingredients are similar, they are different things. Alfredo contains egg yolk and heavy whipping cream, making it a thicker and richer sauce.
Easy Garlic Parmesan Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
- When it starts to sizzle, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the flour and whisk well. Cook, stirring often for 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low and carefully add the broth, whisking as you pour.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer for about 2 minutes until it thickens. Reduce the heat slightly if you need to.
- Pour in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. Whisk until the cheese melts and you’re left with a smooth and creamy sauce.
- Cook over low heat, stirring often, until it reaches the consistency you like.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve with a dish of your choice, and enjoy!
Leave a Reply