Easy Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe (15 min) • Zona Cooks (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to thick Alfredo sauce? ›

Add Cheese

The key ingredient in Alfredo sauce is cheese—generally Parmigiano Reggiano—and lots of it. To thicken Alfredo sauce, simply add more cheese than the amount called for in a recipe until you achieve the consistency you want.

Fresh herbs will brighten and freshen the flavor of the sauce. Resnick suggests using parsley, thyme, oregano, or chervil, or mixing and matching depending on what you like. To use them, finely mince 2 tablespoons of your chosen herbs. Heartier herbs like thyme or oregano can be added in to simmer with the sauce.

Slowly let the cheese disolve on low heat into the cream mixture. And remove it before it is completely melted but keep stirring this allows the finishing blending to happen without over heatting the cheese which causes that grainy texture. Try this and you'll never go out to a resturant for alfredo again.

Alfredo should never have anything but pasta water, butter, and cheese in it. Make sure the cooking water has salt in it but remember part is salty.

Mix together a little cornstarch in a small bowl with some cold water (or other liquid) until the mixture is smooth to form a slurry. Slowly, whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Whisk the slurry slowly into the hot sauce until you get the desired thickness.

Since this is a creamy sauce to begin with, cheese makes the perfect addition. Add up to 1/2 cup of any melty cheese such as cheddar, mozzarella, gouda or cream cheese. Or add up to 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Tip: Avoid low-fat cream cheese to avoid a low-quality, grainy end result.

This is very easy to do. Simply do not add any cheese until the sauce is reduced completely and off the heat or, optimally once it has been plated. If you do this, no graininess will occur.

However, if the sauce stays on the heat too long and too much water evaporates, it will break, since there's no longer enough water to hold the fat in suspension. If this happens, the sauce will look curdled and greasy.

You can use pre-shredded Parmesan cheese in this Alfredo sauce recipe, but it won't have the pronounced, intense, fresh flavor you get when you grate it just before use.

Why is my Parmesan cheese not melting in Alfredo sauce? ›

There might be several reasons. Using the wrong kind of cheese. Not applying a correct amount of heat. Using the right kind of cheese, but not grading it small enough.

Sprinkle in 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Toss hot pasta in the sauce and service immediately. Garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh parsley.

(In my quest to eat healthier, I now make it with light butter, light cream and reduced fat Parmesan cheese. It still tastes wonderful, but there isn't any guilt!)

If it is completely broken, add equal volumes of oil and liquid. Start with a little bit and keep adding until the sauce comes back together into an emulsion. This may take a few iterations. You can use stock or wine for this but water works just fine if that's all you have around.

"A recipe from Fast Fix Family Food Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. In the description it's written : A little cornstarch in this sauce keeps it from curdling after it thaws and helps it reheat to a nice, creamy consistency - perfect for pasta!"

The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

Cornstarch: Make a slurry of half water, half cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Cornstarch is a powerful thickener, so start by whisking in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce; stir and simmer for 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more slurry as needed.

Bring the butter-cream mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered about 3 to 5 minutes. Cook the sauce gently until it begins to thicken, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. You'll know the Alfredo sauce recipe is thick enough when it coats the back of your spoon.

Use two tablespoons flour mixed with ¼ cup cold water for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix in the water to prevent lumps. After stirring the combined flour and water into the sauce, cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Heat one minute more to cook the flour thoroughly.