This garlic parmesan sauce is a rich and flavorful way to elevate your favorite dishes, whether you’re tossing it with pasta or spreading it over homemade pizza for a delicious twist. Made with simple ingredients like butter, fresh garlic, creamy parmesan, and smooth heavy cream, it delivers a perfectly balanced, savory taste in every bite. The best part? It comes together in just 15 minutes, making it a quick and easy option for busy weeknights without sacrificing flavor.
It’s so easy and versatile! This creamy parmesan garlic sauce uses only 10 ingredients, comes together all in one pot, and can be used as a pizza sauce (for my best ever chicken alfredo pizza), pasta sauce, dip for chicken wings, or creamy sauce for oven roasted potatoes.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Once the butter melts and starts to sizzle, add garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for about a minute.
Add flour and whisk until well combined.
Whisk in broth until well combined.
Simmer for a couple minutes until it thickens.
Add heavy cream, shredded Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.
Cook over low heat, and stir the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.
Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper, and serve with a bowl of your favorite pasta or use it as a base for pizza!
Things to Know
- This creamy garlic Parmesan sauce recipe comes together pretty quickly, so it’s best to have all your ingredients ready to go before you start cooking. That way, you’ll ensure that nothing burns or gets overcooked. Mise en place is the name of the game on this one.
- Season moderately throughout the cooking process. This recipe is made with only a handful of simple ingredients, so adding salt and pepper is going to be key in boosting the flavors. Also, be sure to taste the sauce each time you add salt and pepper so that you don’t overseason.
- The sauce will thicken quickly as it cools. Keep this in mind while you’re letting it simmer. If it doesn’t seem to be very thick, remember that it will get thicker as it cools. Also, if it seems too thick when it’s done, just add a splash of broth or a bit more cream to thin it out! If you’re serving it with pasta, you could also thin it out with a bit of pasta water when you toss it with the pasta!
Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Make-Ahead: You can make this sauce ahead up to a week in advance! I make a batch every couple weeks and just keep it in the fridge for those busy nights when we need an easy pasta dish for dinner! Pair with cooked linguine and roasted broccoli and dinner is done!
- Storage: Store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing garlic parmesan sauce. I find that it can sometimes alter the texture. This sauce is best when used within 7 days of making.
- Reheating: Reheat Parmesan sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Be sure to add some milk or cream to loosen it up. Cook, stirring frequently until it’s warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper after reheating.
5 Minute Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium low heat.
- Once melted and sizzling slightly, add garlic and Italian seasoning along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
- Add flour to the pan, whisk until well combined, and cook stirring frequently for 1 minute.
- Turn heat to low and slowly pour in broth, whisking as you pour, until well combined.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and gently simmer over medium to medium low heat for about 2 minutes until it thickens.
- Add heavy cream, shredded Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with your favorite pasta or use it as a base for pizza!
Notes
- This sauce recipe comes together pretty quickly so it’s best to have all your ingredients ready to go before you start cooking, that way you’ll ensure that nothing burns or gets over cooked. Mise en place is the name of game on this one.
- Season moderately throughout the cooking process. This recipe is made with only a handful of simple ingredients so adding salt and pepper is going to be key in boosting the flavors. Also be sure to taste the sauce each time you add salt and pepper so that you don’t over season.
- The sauce will thicken quickly as soon as it cools. Keep this in mind while you’re letting it simmer. If it doesn’t seem to be very thick, remember that it will get thicker as it cools. Also, if it seems too thick when it’s done, just add a splash of broth or a bit more cream to thin it out! If you’re serving it with pasta you could also thin it out with a bit of pasta water when you toss it with the pasta!