This Basil Alfredo sauce is composed of a few simple ingredients, but it bursts with flavor and it is sure to elevate any dish. My favorite way to use it is to toss it with Simple Roasted Chicken and steamed broccoli for a quick, but very satisfying and flavorful meal. I also love to smear it on grilled cheese instead of bechamel sauce. And – obviously – quick and easy pasta sauce! Seriously, no limits. I even once used it as a dip for pork rinds. Their porous, light texture was perfect for absorbing this delicious sauce.
I once tried to find the story behind the name and find out who Alfredo was but different sources claimed different origins. The only thing they all seemed to have agreed on is that a real Alfredo sauce is nothing more than butter, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and black pepper.
I get very excited when I see a way to make things entirely homemade and I knew I would make this my own because it leaves so much room for creativity.
There are two ways to make this sauce – starting from scratch or by deglazing a pan that you cooked your meats in. Due to the lighter nature of this sauce I imagine it working best with chicken. Deglazing allows you to utilize juices and flavors left on the pan so the sauce will be richer, heartier and darker, deeper in color.
When you make it on its own, it will resemble the regular, store bought kind in color, but this Basil Alfredo sauce is better than anything you can buy!
Basil Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Tb butter unsalted
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
- 1 C heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 C Mascarpone cheese
- 1 C Parmigiano Reggiano, grated loosely packed
- Handful fresh basil leaves use as little or as many as you’d like!
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, until light-golden and aromatic.
- Lower the heat and add the heavy cream and mascarpone. Stir until combined.
- Add the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and cook until thickened. When you run a spatula across the bottom of the pan, it should expose the pan to your view, not run back immediately.
- Top with freshly ground black pepper, serve and enjoy! Some oil might separate (from cheese) but you can stir it back in.