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This keto alfredo sauce recipe is the best way to satisfy comfort food cravings in minutes! Unlike some store-bought sauces, this one is naturally low carb and keto, without any unusual ingredients or thickeners, like cornstarch. Serve this easy low carb alfredo sauce recipe with all your favorite keto pasta alternatives, pair with conventional pasta for non-keto eaters at the table, or serve it with my very favorite — keto egg noodles!
Why You’ll Love This Keto Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Rich, cheesy flavor
- Creamy texture
- Uses basic keto staples
- Ready in 10 minutes
- Just 2.8g net carbs per (generous!) serving
- Perfect on ANY pasta, keto or not!
What Is Alfredo Sauce?
Unlike traditional red sauces, alfredo is a cream sauce traditionally made with butter, parmesan cheese, and spices. Store-bought sauces may also contain thickeners (such as flour or cornstarch), vegetable oils, or other added ingredients to keep them shelf-stable.
Low Carb Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for quick and easy alfredo sauce, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Butter – I use grass-fed butter here, but any unsalted variety will work.
- Garlic – This keto garlic alfredo sauce doesn’t skimp on garlic! I use 6 cloves here, but feel free to reduce the amount if you want less garlic. It’s also fine to substitute garlic powder (use 3/4 teaspoon in place of the 6 cloves).
- Heavy Cream – This adds richness to the sauce while keeping it pourable. If you need an alternative and don’t mind the flavor, you can also substitute full-fat canned coconut milk. I don’t recommend almond milk, as the final sauce will be too thin.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – This adds flavor and thickens the alfredo sauce. Grate it fresh if possible, or use a pre-grated kind. Shredded parm should also work, but might take longer to melt. As an alternative, cream cheese can act as a thickener, but the flavor is completely different, so I don’t really recommend it unless you want a more tangy cream sauce.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – You’ll want to add a little more than you think you’ll need, since the sauce will mellow out after mixing with ingredients like pasta or vegetables. If you don’t like the appearance of black pepper in your sauce, use white pepper instead.
- Nutmeg – It’s a classic ingredient for any easy alfredo sauce recipe, but you can omit it if you like.
How To Make Alfredo Sauce From Scratch
This section shows how to make low carb keto alfredo sauce, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Saute. Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Simmer. Add heavy cream, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, and continue simmering until sauce thickens and reduces by roughly 1/3. The larger your saucepan, the faster it will reduce.
- Thicken. Reduce heat and gradually whisk in parmesan cheese until smooth. Add spices to taste and adjust sauce for thickness. (Add cream if sauce is too thick, or add additional cheese if sauce is too thin.)
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Frequently Asked Questions
No need to complicate this sauce! Get answers to all your questions here.
How To Thicken Alfredo Sauce?
This alfredo sauce recipe contains no thickeners, because it thickens naturally from the cheese, unlike other jarred sauces that rely on starches or flour. If you do wish to thicken the sauce more without adding substantial carbs, you can add more grated parmesan to your liking, or try a keto friendly cornstarch substitute.
Is Alfredo Sauce Keto?
Yes, with many high-fat ingredients and minimal carbohydrates, alfredo is naturally keto friendly. Some varieties (especially store-bought ones) contain extra ingredients that increase the carb count, so check labels and recipes to know exact macros.
Is Alfredo Sauce Gluten-Free?
Traditional alfredo is naturally gluten-free, and even store-bought sauces often avoid using gluten. Always check labels to be certain, though!
How Many Carbs In Alfredo Sauce?
This alfredo sauce recipe has 2.8g net carbs per 1/4 cup serving. Carbs in alfredo sauce at the store or at restaurants can vary widely, depending on what is in them.
Storage Instructions
Store this easy keto alfredo sauce recipe in a covered container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Can You Freeze Alfredo Sauce?
Yes, you can freeze homemade alfredo sauce. Transfer it to an airtight container (ideally a freezer bag) and freeze for 2-3 months. It may be lumpy after thawing, but follow the reheating instructions to fix this.
Reheating Instructions:
If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or reheat directly from frozen. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave at low power until warm, stirring often to break up any lumps. If it’s still not smooth, you can give it a quick blend.
Since this sauce thickens during storage, you can thin it out with a little more cream as needed when you reheat it.
What To Make With Alfredo Sauce
Now that you know how to make easy alfredo sauce with heavy cream, you probably need ideas for ways to use it. Here are some recipes you can pair with this sauce, with no wheat-based noodles whatsoever!
- Keto pasta – This sauce tastes delicious with zucchini noodles (a.k.a. zoodles), shirataki noodles, or in spaghetti squash alfredo. My absolute favorite, pictured above, are keto egg noodles.
- Easy meats – Drizzle alfredo on top of juicy baked chicken, grilled shrimp skewers, keto meatballs, or even pan seared salmon.
- Roasted veggies – Roasted asparagus, roasted broccoli, and oven roasted brussels sprouts pair well with this creamy sauce.
- Delicious dinners – Try this sauce on chicken crust pizza, swap it for the pesto in this chicken cauliflower casserole (or include in other low carb casseroles), or use it as a dipping sauce for keto pigs in a blanket.
Recommended Tools
- The Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook – Complete with 100 easy keto recipes made for carb lovers!
- Saucepan – Perfect for sauces and other all-purpose cooking.
- Whisk – Ensures easy dissolving for a smooth sauce.
Easy Low Carb Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Low Carb Keto Alfredo Sauce Recipe (Easy!)
This easy keto alfredo sauce recipe needs just 4 simple ingredients and 10 minutes! Plus, homemade low carb alfredo sauce is creamy, rich, and tastes much better than the jarred ones.
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Ingredients
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
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Add the heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, then continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken and volume is reduced by about 1/3. (Amount of time will vary depending on the size of your saucepan.)
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Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in the Parmesan cheese. Keep whisking over low heat, until smooth. If using nutmeg, sea salt, and/or black pepper, stir those in, to taste. (If sauce is thicker than you like, you can thin it out with more cream.)
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Related Easy Recipes
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277 Comments
Tina Leonard
0Best and easiest recipe ever. My family loves this Alfredo sauce on everything.
Raquel
0This Alfredo sauce was rich and delicious. Bonus that it is Keto!
Glenda
0So delicious! Creamy, cheesy happiness! Thanks for sharing!
Lilly
0Fantastic! I followed the recipe closely and it was perfect.
Carolyn K Ford
0These instructions seem wrong. It says to simmer the cream; after that, it says to reduce the temperature. Simmer is the lowest temperature there is. Can you adjust this?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Carolyn, You are going to simmer on medium heat and then reduce the heat to low after the sauce thickens.
Joy Baltazar
0Many recipes call for “heavy cream”, I can only find “heavy whipping cream”, Is that the same?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Joy, Yes they are the same thing.
Cindy Pickles
0Can you substitute full fat coconut milk for heavy cream? And sheep cheese for Parmesan cheese as it does not contain A1 casein that can be bad for those with celiac Disease who must also must eliminate dairy.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cindy, Yes, both of those substitutes should work for you.
Ostine Watts
0This sauce is excellent with shrimp, fish, other seafood items!
Ruth Buchanan
0I’m new to this food program. What can I substitute for heavy cream or do you have another alfredo sauce that is non dairy or using goat’s milk?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Ruth, Coconut cream is usually used as a substitute for heavy whipping cream. I have never used goat milk in my cooking before.
Loo
0Quick easy midweek meal. Love it. Thank you.
Hannah
0The sauce was easy to make and tasted great! You were right about the garlic because I love garlic myself. I added a little bit more Parm as I like it a bit thick, but everything else, I followed the recipe as is. I’m definitely keeping this recipe from now on. Bonus for it being low carb!
Amber
0How long can I store it in the fridge?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Amber, This will keep for about a week in the fridge, or you can check out the post above for freezing instructions!
Sheila Grant
0Why did we not use a springform pan and mine has cooked until it’s cracked and it’s super jiggly
Sheila Grant
0I’m sorry this last post was referring to a cheesecake recipe, this was soooo good on the other hand
Ray Godsey
0How many will this recipe serve?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ray, This recipe makes 6 1/4 cup servings. Enjoy!
Nannette
0Omg bomb dot com! Thank you. I modified just a little – I used shredded parmesan, 1/2 cup, but I added the grated parm from the can about 1/8 cup. Yum bc, I wanted thicker.
Eileen
0Delicious! Served it on Shiritaki noodles with broccoli florets–felt like I was at a restaurant!
Great to have “classic” recipes in my low carb repertoire. Thanks for a yummy recipe!
Eve
0I made this tonight. It was perfect. Thank you
Jessica Flaherty
0This Alfredo sauce is SO easy and SO good! I literally can not tell the difference between this and one made with a roux. I have NO IDEA why I’ve been making it complicated (and carb-licated) for so many years. It came together in ten minutes. I made it in a saucepan and tossed my 0 net carb Konjac noodles right into the sauce to pick up the flavor. I added nutmeg (bc a good alfredo sauce HAS to have nutmeg!) and lots of fresh ground black pepper. I also tossed some cooked chicken into for some more protein. One of the easiest and most time efficient and delicious and convenient keto recipes OF ALL TIME!!
Sandra L. Wendorf
0So glad I found this recipe of yours. I had a recipe for this, but misplaced it. Looked at the ingredient list on the “Jar” we have in the house, and there sure is a lot of “junk” in there. Making this won’t take up a heap of time, and it’s probably a lot tastier too. Also will grate the nutmeg as well. Been doing that for many years now and it’s better to grate your own than buy the stuff in a spice jar from the store.
Sandra W.
Ranon
0So yummmmmmy. I did add a bit extra parmesean. Then I added some precooked Mediterranean chicken(diced) and served it over roasted asparagus spears. So tasty!
Sandra L. Wendorf
0Ranon: Using roasted asparagus is a great idea! Thank You for bringing up that idea.
Jessica
0This sauce was delicious, even without any of the optional seasonings. I did have to turn the heat way down, as the cream almost boiled over a couple times. I will def. make this again, super quick and yummy!
Angela Richards
0I have made this so many times and my family loves it! Pure flavor and great for my KETO diet. I eat it over baked spaghetti squash while they have it over noodles.
Patty Nicholson
0I’ll plan to put it over Zoodles.
Detra Borner
0I’ve made this recipe a few times and it’s so simple and a hit with anyone I share it with. My advice, double the recipe or you’ll have disappointed dinners. They always want seconds!
Suzanna
0Absolutely fantastic! I added red pepper flakes for some heat. Read that in a recipe forever ago, for cream sauces. Super easy and OMG, the garlic! I may add a smidgen less next time. No vampires for suresies tonight! 😀
Karen
0Really good! I made the sauce and poured it over fish and shrimp and then baked until bubbly and browned. I was using the jarred sauce from Costco but it has sunflower oil in it. This is so much better. Thank you!
Katie Powell
0Wow so yummy and really easy to make!!! Used this sauce over zucchini noodles and crispy chicken. Delicious and definitely my new favorite Alfredo sauce!
Robyn
0Amazing, so quick and easy and tastes great! Highly recommend.
Lori
0This alfredo sauce is wonderful! I made it & used the optional nutmeg & threw in some ground cayenne pepper. I mixed the sauce with Shirataki fetuccini, kale & shredded chicken. Made a great dinner! Will definitely be making again!
Claudia
0So simple and wonderful!
Cheryl
0I’m making a white pizza with fresh tomatoes and garlic, fathead dough. I want to add ricotta. I wonder if I must add it to this Alfredo, after reducing the cream, or can I make a seperate layer. If seperate, would it go on top or under the Alfredo? Love your recipes!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cheryl, Wow, that sounds great! I think these choices are pretty subjective, I have not personally added ricotta to my alfredo sauce, but I imagine it would be great. For me, I would probably dollop ricotta around the finished pizza just before I put it in the oven, but that choice is up to you! Please share how it turns out!
Samantha Rogers
0This was simple and tasty. I paired it with low carb noodles. Delicious!!!
Susan G.
0Great recipe! Better than typical Alfredo. I cut recipe in half. I had to sub half-and-half for most of the cream, so kept butter to 1Tbls. Added cayenne instead of nutmeg. It was the best Alfredo I’ve ever had.
Charity Cayton
0What would you recommend that is keto friendly to thicken the sauce if it is too thin for one’s taste? Someone else suggested xanthan gum but I wasn’t sure how much to use per recipe. TIA! (It was good btw, just to thin. I added chicken).
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Charity, The easiest way to thicken it is to add more parmesan. If you do want to use xanthan gum, that does work great as well to thicken soups, sauces, and gravies! Sprinkle in a tiny amount, 1/8th of a teaspoon, and incorporate over heat. It will start to thicken once it hits a simmer and will thicken further as it cools down. Enjoy!
Angela
0This was a simple recipe. Even I didn’t mess it up! Ha ha. I’ve made it several times and it always comes out great. Thank you.
Nicole
0This is sooooo good! Will definitely make again.
Stephanie Watson
0So yummy! I made this for the chicken alfredo spaghetti squash recipe the other night. I doubled the sauce because I was adding broccoli and my kids were having their with real pasta and they like lots of sauce. I also thinned it out with a 1/2 cup of chicken broth, but I will probably use less next time. This was my kids’ first time with Alfredo as it is a no-no on low fat and too high in points for WW (so glad that I switched to keto!). They gobbled up a huge plate full- whole family was happy!
Leanna
0Loved it! I had it with zucchini noodles, and with sauteed mushrooms and broccoli. It was so yummy, I can’t wait to make it again!
Edelisa
0This was delicious.. thank you
Holly
0This Alfredo sauce was delicious! I served it with chicken breasts and broccoli.
Manaal
0This recipe is must try, its filled with amazing flavors and it is perfect to have it with the 2-ingredient keto pasta
Thank you so much!!
Melanie
0This is so good. Perfect with my chicken tenderloins and zucchini noodles.
Timerie
0This was so freaking good and so easy to make!! My new all time favorite!! Thank you ❤️
Amy Lauterbach
0This is my go to for my Alfredo fix, love it…TKS for sharing this with us
Valerie Pfeifer
0Super easy, the perfect consistency. I am so grateful to have found this. This is the way I will make it from now on. Thank you!
Pam Zimmerman
0Can you make a keto cream sauce with almond flour ?
I did tone down on the garlic, and this was fantastic! Even my picky son ate it.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Pam, No, almond flour isn’t used to thicken sauces. Xanthan Gum or gelatin are commonly used to thicken sauces on keto.
Crystal
0I have loved alfredo as long as I can remember and definitely have my favorite places to eat it. I’ve never found a jar of alfredo from the store that I could enjoy. When I saw this recipe I was so excited to give it a try and wondered if it would hold up to my alfredo requirements. Just made me a piece of chicken today and decided to give it a try to eat with my chicken. I was massively impressed and would eat this, keto or no keto!!! This will have a permanent fixture in my life!!! This is one of the best alfredo sauces I have EVER eaten and I have ate a lot from a lot of different places!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe!!!
Angela
0WOW, WOW, WOW… I am not diabetic but want to cut back on carbs to lose some weight and have been to many sites, bought a few books, and some sauce recipes just don’t taste- well tasty. This sauce is just divine. I could drink it from a dirty shoe it’s so good. I will be making this sauce every week from now on to go with lots of different things. It will be my Dauphinoise sauce, lasagna sauce, cauliflower sauce, you name it. I just had it on a homemade toasted parmesan bread roll with poached eggs and it was better than my local restaurants with Hollandaise sauce so I have now found my new Sunday breakfast/brunch or even a weeknight treat. Thank you and keep the recipes coming xx
tabiya
0Best alfredo sauce EVERR OKAY!! Typically with recipes, I only use them as a base, but with wholesome yum I always follow the EXACT recipe and it comes out perfect. The only difference I did here was substituted regular butter for garlic butter that I get from sam’s club. The nutmeg adds a great flavor!(I also love the nutmeg in your creamed
spinach recipe as well)
Stef
0Absolutely amazing sauce! I added shrimp to it and served it over broccoli. So delicious and I’ll def be making it again! Thanks for the recipe!
Julia Ross
0I know the recipe says grated parmesan, but I just want to clarify: grated or shredded?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Julia, Honestly, either will work fine. If you use grated parmesan, make sure it’s finely grated so the cheese melts evenly. Enjoy.
Steve
0Roughly how much is “nutmeg to taste”? I’ve never used nutmeg before and I have no idea where to start. Couple of tablespoons? a fraction of a teaspoon? I’m willing to give it a try but I don’t want to spend endless nights fiddling with the amount to get something tasty. I just went through that with another recipe and don’t want to do it again. Too many wasted meals. Any advice would be appreciated.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Steve, Literally a pinch. 1/8th of a teaspoon or less. A little goes a long way in this dish.