Completely Transform Jarred Alfredo Sauce With A Spoonful Of Pesto

Alfredo sauce has a complicated history. It's one of those love-it-or-hate-it culinary inventions that sparks debate on both sides of the Atlantic about authenticity and origin, and even weaves a little bit of old Hollywood into the tale of its popularity (it started as a Tinseltown copycat recreation of a Roman favorite).

But regardless of where it came from or how it was developed, there's no question at all that it's delicious, and beloved by many, and has spent many decades gracing dinner tables all over. It is simple to make (you can even whip up a one-ingredient Alfredo sauce), but there are also plenty of options available these days if you want to grab a jar off your grocer's shelf. And while that's a perfectly suitable way to dress your fettuccine or other pasta selection, there's one easy way you can transform your Alfredo entirely, giving it a vibrant new personality. Just grab your favorite pesto and stir it in.

Doing so will bring an herbal, nutty zing and a verdant pop of color to this creamy classic. Still, even with such a simple culinary trick, there things to keep in mind in order to get the most out of this Frankensauce.

To execute this new iteration of Alfredo and enter your creamy green era, all you need is a dollop of the verdant sauce. Pesto itself is a simple preparation, typically made with just a few ingredients: basil, oil, pine nuts, grated cheese (like pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano), and occasionally lemon. These flavors perfectly complement the luxurious richness of Alfredo.

Pesto itself is a condiment that comes in varieties, too, and you can experiment with what kind you prefer in your Alfredo sauce. If you're making it at home, you can swap out just about every ingredient to tinker with your favorite profile or match a mood or season. Arugula and almond, parsley and walnut, mint and pistachio, cilantro and pumpkin seed will all play nicely with the more neutral white sauce when mixed in. And a zingy garlic scape pesto will stand up well to the creaminess of Alfredo.

But you can also always keep it simple by purchasing a jarred pesto to pair with your Alfredo, too. Just add a little at a time and taste as you go until you reach an optimal balance for your palate and purpose.

The most classic preparation is simply fettuccine pasta in Alfredo sauce, but that is far from the only way to apply this creamy condiment. If you want to amp up the protein content, make a creamy chicken Alfredo dinner, or satisfy seafood lovers with easy shrimp Alfredo. Adding crunch, as in the case of an easy walnut fettuccine Alfredo, is a nice touch, too, which will also play well with the bright flavor of your pesto mix-in.

To think outside the pasta box with this sauce, you can use it as the base for a cheesy pizza, topped with chicken or shrimp, herbs, and red onions. Pair it with warm breadsticks and serve in a ramekin as a dip. And if dinnertime just doesn't give you enough opportunities to eat your pesto Alfredo, bring the jar to the breakfast table and make scrambled Alfredo eggs with bacon — the classic breakfast flavors will benefit greatly from a pop of pesto, too.