One Boozy Addition Takes Store-Bought Alfredo Sauce To New Heights

Everyone knows that the sauce is key to making the best Alfredo pasta. If you want to enjoy the creamy comfort of this delicious meal, you just have to get the sauce right, which often means making it from scratch. But sometimes, like after a particularly long, hectic workday, you just want to get dinner on the table as quickly as possible. So you bring out the Alfredo sauce you got from the store even though deep down, you know that it won't turn out the same.

It's no news that side-by-side, store-bought Alfredo sauces don't measure up to homemade. But just because the Alfredo sauce you got from the store doesn't taste as good as homemade doesn't mean your pasta has to be a flop. There's a solution: With one simple ingredient — white wine — you can transform that bland, jarred Alfredo sauce. The good news is it's pretty straightforward to upgrade store-bought Alfredo sauces with white wine and other ingredients you probably have sitting in your pantry.

You can't just use any kind of white wine for upgrading jarred Alfredo sauce. Dry white wine is generally best for cooking, so look out for Chardonnay, pinot blanc, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, or other types of dry white wine. You don't have to worry too much about brands or spend too much money getting a bottle with a hefty price tag. Even something cheap like boxed wine will do as long as it tastes good and is dry. 

Be sure to avoid sweet white wines like Riesling or moscato. Dry wine brings acidity that helps to unlock flavors. On the other hand, sweet white wine might make the sauce too sugary and caramelize during cooking. Once you've got your dry white, all you need to do is pour about ¼ cup of wine into the pan and allow it to simmer for about three minutes, then add the sauce, and you're good to go. 

Once you have the creamy base sorted out, you can focus on improving the taste. Add some sautéed garlic, or even garlic powder. Maybe it needs some cracked black pepper. One of the unexpected ways to upgrade your Alfredo sauce is to throw in fresh or dried herbs like oregano, parsley, thyme, and basil, you can even transform jarred Alfredo sauce with pesto.