This is Alfredo sauce at its most essential: butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan. No garlic, no nutmeg, no extras. Just three ingredients and 15 minutes, which is all you need for a rich, creamy sauce that tastes like the real thing.
3 Ingredient Alfredo Sauce
A stripped down Alfredo sauce with only three ingredients: butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often.
- Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Lower the heat to low. Add the Parmesan a handful at a time, whisking until fully melted before adding more.
- Taste for salt (the Parmesan will season it naturally) and serve right away over hot pasta.
Notes
With only three ingredients, the quality of each one matters more than usual. Use real Parmesan grated from a block, not pre-shredded, and full fat heavy cream.
This sauce has no added salt or garlic. Taste it before adding anything, good Parmesan seasons the sauce on its own.
Why Three Ingredients Are Enough
Butter, cream, and Parmesan are the actual foundation of Alfredo sauce. Everything else you see in recipes, garlic, nutmeg, black pepper, is seasoning layered on top of this base. When you strip it back to just these three, you get a sauce that is purer in flavor and faster to make. It is also a good way to taste how much impact each ingredient has on its own.
Quality Matters More Here
With no other flavors to add complexity, each ingredient carries more weight. Buy a block of real Parmigiano Reggiano and grate it yourself. Use full fat heavy cream rather than a lighter substitute. Use good quality unsalted butter. The difference between a mediocre version and a great one with only three ingredients comes entirely from ingredient quality.
Seasoning Without Salt
Good Parmesan naturally seasons this sauce. Taste it after the cheese is fully melted before adding anything else. Many people find it perfectly seasoned as is, others want a pinch of salt or pepper. Add what you like, but start by tasting it plain.
When to Use This Version vs the Full Recipe
Use this when you want the fastest possible sauce with the fewest dishes. Use our full classic Alfredo sauce recipe when you want the extra depth of garlic and seasoning. Both are correct, the three ingredient version is simply more stripped down.
Storage
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of cream.