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Home » Recipes » Small Batch Sauces

By Joanie Zisk Published: Jun 4, 2022 · Updated: Jun 6, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · Please read my disclosure

Alfredo Sauce For One

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a bowl of alfredo sauce next to a small bowl of grated parmesan cheese.

A rich and creamy small batch of Alfredo Sauce made with cream and filled with flavor. Low carb, easy to make, and perfect for one big bowl of pasta!

a pink bowl filled with fettuccine alfredo next to sliced lemons

Alfredo sauce is my favorite sauce to add to a bowl of pasta. It is a white cream sauce made from butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. The sauce is rich and creamy and a simple small batch alfredo sauce recipe is one that all home cooks should have.

Why This Recipe Works

  • This is a low-carb alfredo sauce recipe: If you're following a low-carb diet, this homemade alfredo sauce recipe is perfect to use.
  • Versatile: I love tossing Alfredo sauce with fettuccine or another type of pasta, but I also love adding it to cooked chicken or shrimp.
  • The perfect amount for one person: This easy recipe yields a single serving of Alfredo sauce but the ingredient amounts can easily be doubled if you'd like to make more.

RELATED: Comfort Food Recipes For One

Ingredients

ingredients in alfredo sauce on a silver tray
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Ingredient Notes

The ingredients in Alfredo sauce are:

  • Heavy cream: I recommend using heavy cream (double cream) or heavy whipping cream. The high amount of fat in the cream reduces the chance of the sauce curdling. I do not recommend using whole milk or half & half. If you do not use heavy cream, the sauce will be much thinner and will have a less velvety consistency.
  • Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor but bottled can be used if necessary.
  • Butter: I use salted butter.
  • Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese provides a nutty and savory taste. I prefer freshly grated Parmesan cheese because it will melt beautifully into the sauce. You can use pre-packaged or jarred Parmesan instead but it may not melt as well.
  • Ground nutmeg: Nutmeg adds a lovely sweet aroma to the sauce and rounds out the flavor.
  • Salt (optional): Taste the sauce after it is made and add additional salt if you feel it's necessary. Parmesan cheese is salty and I feel it provides enough salt for a very flavorful sauce.

See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.

RELATED: 20 Single Serving Meatless Meals

How To Make Alfredo Sauce

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  1. Stir the cream and the lemon juice in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat to blend. Add the butter and stir gently until the butter melts. After the butter has melted, lower the heat to medium-low and whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 8 minutes.
  2. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, and continue to stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened even more, about 3 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and toss with cooked pasta or add to cooked chicken or shrimp.

Pro Tip: The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. Taste and add ⅛ teaspoon of salt if necessary.

alfredo sauce cooking on a stove

Expert Tips

  • To reduce the calories in Alfredo sauce, you can use half and half for the heavy cream. Although the sauce will be much thinner, the calories will be reduced.
  • Make sure to continuously stir the sauce, and scrape the bottom and side of the pan.
  • For this single serving recipe, I use a 1-quart saucepan. For best results, please use a pan of similar size.
  • Use this Alfredo sauce in a variety of different ways. In addition to eating it tossed with pasta, consider also adding the sauce to cooked chicken, shrimp, or on an alfredo pizza.
  • Don't limit yourself to just using Parmesan cheese for this Alfredo sauce recipe. You can use just about any cheese you like; cheddar, gruyere, Swiss, or gouda are all great additions.
A forkful of fettuccine alfredo from the bowl next to a dish of grated parmesan cheese and lemon halves all on a metal tray

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Thicken Alfredo Sauce?

Alfredo sauce thickens by simmering it over medium-low heat until reduced to about ⅓ of its volume. After about 8-10 minutes, some of the water in the heavy cream evaporates, causing the solids in the dairy to concentrate which thickens the sauce. Stirring in the grated Parmesan cheese also thickens the sauce.

What Is The Difference Between Bechamel Sauce and Alfredo Sauce?

Both are white sauces made with dairy. Bechamel is a French sauce that is made using a roux made with butter and flour. This type of sauce can be found in our Chicken Spaghetti recipe.

Alfredo sauce uses heavy cream that is thickened by reduction on the stovetop, then thickened further by Parmesan cheese.

Is Alfredo Sauce Keto?

Yes! This Alfredo sauce recipe is keto and is perfect if you're following a low carb diet.

How Do I Make Fettuccine Alfredo?

To make a single serving of Fettuccine Alfredo, fill a medium-sized pot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 2-ounces of dry fettuccine to the boiling water and reduce the heat slightly to maintain a simmer. Cook until the pasta is tender, 5-7 minutes. Drain in a colander and transfer pasta to a bowl. Toss with the Alfredo sauce.

Pro Tip: Two ounces of dried fettuccine is about the diameter of a quarter

Can This Recipe Be Doubled?

Yes! If you'd like to make Alfredo sauce for two or to just have a little extra sauce, just double the ingredient amounts in this recipe.

Variations of Alfredo Sauce

  • Make Chicken Alfredo by adding grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken to the fettuccine and sauce.
  • Make Shrimp Alfredo by adding cooked shrimp to the pasta and Alfredo sauce.
  • Consider using Alfredo sauce as a dip for breadsticks.

Storage

  • Homemade Alfredo sauce should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 4 days.
  • To reheat Alfredo sauce, pour it into a small saucepan and heat the sauce over low heat, stirring frequently until the sauce has heated.

Other Small Batch Sauce Recipes

  • Tomato Sauce
  • Pomodoro Sauce
  • Vodka Sauce
  • Meat Sauce

What To Serve With Fettuccine Alfredo

You might like to serve a bowl of homemade fettuccine alfredo with any of these single serving and small batch recipes

  • Roasted Carrots
  • Sauteed Green Beans
  • French Bread
  • Broiled Tomatoes
  • Broiled Chicken

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy Alfredo sauce recipe, you might consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:

  • Cream: Vanilla Ice Cream, Icebox Cake, Crustless Quiche Lorraine, Chicken with Mustard Sauce
  • Lemon juice: Lemon Blueberry Muffin, Lemon and Garlic Chicken, Lemon Meringue Pie, Baba Ganoush
  • Parmesan cheese: Parmesan Crisps, Eggplant Parmesan, Baked Chicken Tenders, Cheesy Baked Eggs
  • Nutmeg: Fried Apples, Spinach Manicotti, Spice Cake, Dutch Apple Pie

RELATED: 40 Easy Recipes For College Students

If you’ve tried this Alfredo sauce recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.

If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!

a pink bowl filled with fettuccine alfredo next to sliced lemons

Alfredo Sauce For One

A rich and creamy small batch of Alfredo Sauce made with cream and filled with flavor. This Alfredo Sauce recipe is easy to make and perfect for one big bowl of pasta! | One Dish Kitchen
4.95 from 36 votes
Print Pin Rate
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 966kcal
Author: Joanie Zisk

Video

Equipment

  • 1-quart saucepan
  • Whisk or spoon

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup heavy cream
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Optional: salt, to taste
  • Optional: cooked pasta
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Stir the cream and the lemon juice in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat to blend. 
    Add the butter and stir gently until the butter melts.
    After the butter has melted, lower the heat to medium-low and whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 8 minutes.
  • Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, and continue to stir or whisk until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened even more, about 3 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and toss with cooked pasta or add to cooked chicken or shrimp.
    Pro Tip: The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. Taste and add ⅛ teaspoon of salt if necessary.

Notes

Expert Tips
  • To reduce the calories in alfredo sauce, you can use half and half for the heavy cream. Although the sauce will be much thinner, the calories will be reduced.
  • Make sure to continuously stir the sauce, and scrape the bottom and side of the pan.
  • For this single serving recipe, I use a 1-quart saucepan. For best results, please use a pan of similar size.
  • Use this alfredo sauce in a variety of different ways. In addition to eating it tossed with pasta, consider also adding the sauce to cooked chicken, shrimp, or on an alfredo pizza.
  • Don't limit yourself to just using Parmesan cheese for this Alfredo sauce recipe. You can use just about any cheese you like; cheddar, gruyere, Swiss, or gouda are all great additions.
Nutrition Facts
Alfredo Sauce For One
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 966 Calories from Fat 927
% Daily Value*
Fat 103g158%
Saturated Fat 64g400%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 29g
Cholesterol 344mg115%
Sodium 1407mg61%
Potassium 219mg6%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A 3681IU74%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 942mg94%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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About Joanie Zisk

Joanie Zisk is the creator of OneDishKitchen.com, the number one go-to site for single serving recipes. The aim of One Dish Kitchen is to inspire individuals with access to single serving recipes that will enable them to enjoy the preparation of a meal that will nourish both body and soul. Her website is filled with hundreds of easy, flavorful recipes that are tailored for those cooking for one. Joanie is the author of "The Ultimate Cooking For One Cookbook" and her recipes and food photography have been featured in various publications including, TODAY.com, Huffington Post, Real Simple, Self.com,Women’s Day, Buzzfeed, and others. Come say hello and follow Joanie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Patricia Potts says

    January 27, 2023 at 7:19 am

    I was tossing between a 4 and 5 star rating as the sauce split on me though cooked to the recipe but as I was adding pasta, I thought the starch from the pasta would bring it together and it worked beautifully and with the edition of the prawns it was one of the most delicious meals I have had it quite some time. Thank you lazyme for the recommendation, made for Best of '22 at FF&F and a contender for Best of '23.

    Reply
  2. J. Hegyi says

    October 11, 2022 at 8:09 am

    Great recipe.

    Reply
  3. Mason W says

    October 02, 2022 at 7:26 pm

    Sooooo, it calls for 3/4 cup grated cheese, and I found it wayyyy to cheesy, I toned it down by adding more heavy cream but I would recommend slowly adding cheese to your taste, overall besides that it was very good!!

    Reply
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