Why You Should Make Your Own Alfredo Sauce Whenever Possible

Found a delicious bottled Alfredo sauce that you now want to use forever? We're happy for you, but there's a simple reason that you may want to think about making your own Alfredo sauce instead of picking it up at the store.

Although buying Alfredo sauce is a great option for those days when you're tight on time and would rather not spend time in the kitchen prepping food, it may cause you to miss out on some of the most important flavors of traditional Alfredo sauce. Believe it or not, bottled and homemade Alfredo does typically have slightly different ingredients — even though they share the same base, per Devour. Those ingredient variations matter, and there's a simple but important reason why those seemingly slight differences may make you ditch that store-bought Alfredo sauce forever, per Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. If you're looking for an excuse to make your pasta sauces yourself, this just might be it.

Spending a few extra minutes in the kitchen will be well worth your time when you taste the richer flavor profile of a homemade Alfredo sauce. You'll be able to taste the classic flavors you love without any other ingredients masking them, which isn't always the case with store-bought Alfredo sauce.

Store-bought Alfredo sauce may sound just as legitimate as the homemade version, but it may also have extra ingredients that obscure the flavors of traditional Alfredo sauce. The base of every authentic Alfredo sauce boils down to three key ingredients: butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, per Devour. Alfredo sauce also typically includes black pepper for seasoning and garlic for a kick of savory flavor, and it may also contain herbs like dried oregano and basil. However, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, store-bought versions of Alfredo sauce often have extra ingredients that don't typically belong in classic Alfredo sauce. Cream cheese and food starches are often used as thickeners in store-bought Alfredo sauce, and their flavors can be so distinctive that they overshadow the flavors that make up the sauce's base. While you may not mind those flavors, if you prefer an especially buttery, creamy Alfredo sauce, then you're probably better off making it yourself and sticking to the classics.

Aside from the flavors not being "authentic" enough for Alfredo purists, there are plenty of other reasons not to purchase Alfredo sauce at the supermarket. Bottled Alfredo brands often have difficulty getting the consistency right in their sauces — you might end up with a watery, grainy, or gelatinous texture instead of smoothness, per Uproxx. Some bottled Alfredo sauces also separate in the fridge, clump up, or spoil easily, the latter of which could become a major problem if you prefer to eat Alfredo pasta every now and then, per The Donut Whole. And of course, while you can clearly taste the hallmark cream, garlic, and pepper in some store-bought sauces, others taste virtually nothing like the Alfredo sauce you'd enjoy in your favorite Italian restaurant or have wildly inauthentic ingredients, like dehydrated vegetables, per Sonoma Gourmet. 

Fortunately, this 20-minute Alfredo recipe will give you a creamy sauce. Just add melted butter and garlic to a pan and fry them before adding in cream and Italian herbs, letting the mixture cook before you add in salt and pepper. It's as easy as that — and you can coat your favorite chicken with the sauce before adding it to your pasta. You'll have a flavorful, additive-free Alfredo sauce recipe that you'll want to use for every quick meal.