Alfredo sauce works as a dipping sauce with a small adjustment to the technique. The sauce needs to be slightly thicker than what you would toss with pasta, so it coats what you dip rather than running straight off. An extra minute of simmering and a slightly smaller batch does the job.
Alfredo Sauce for Dipping
A slightly thicker version of Alfredo sauce made for dipping breadsticks, pizza crusts, or vegetables.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the cream and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, slightly longer than for pasta sauce, until noticeably thicker.
- Lower the heat and whisk in the Parmesan a small amount at a time until smooth.
- Season and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, it will thicken to a good dipping consistency as it cools slightly.
- Serve warm in a small bowl.
Notes
A dipping sauce should be thicker than a pasta sauce so it coats whatever you dip without running off immediately. Simmering the cream an extra minute or two is the main adjustment.
Serve it warm but not piping hot, the best dipping temperature is when it has cooled slightly from the stove so it thickens up but is still fluid.
The Consistency Difference
Pasta Alfredo sauce is made to be fluid enough to coat noodles when tossed in a hot pan. A dipping sauce needs more body so it clings to a breadstick or pizza crust held vertically. Simmering the cream for 4 to 5 minutes instead of 3 to 4, and letting the finished sauce cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, gets you to the right consistency.
Best Things to Dip
- Garlic breadsticks, especially alongside an Olive Garden style dinner
- Pizza crust ends
- Crispy chicken strips or tenders
- Blanched or raw vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper strips
- Soft pretzels
Keeping It Warm at the Table
Serve this in a small ceramic bowl or a mini cast iron skillet to retain heat. You can also place the serving bowl in a slightly larger bowl of warm water to keep it at dipping temperature longer during a party or appetizer spread.
Related Recipes
If you want a spicier dipping sauce, start with the base from our spicy Alfredo sauce recipe instead of the classic version and reduce it to dipping consistency the same way.