This light Alfredo sauce is full of flavour, ready in 20 minutes, and much lighter then the real thing. It’s so good you’ll never miss the cream and cheese!
I’ve been making this light Alfredo sauce for years. Actually, I rarely make the real thing anymore because this light version is so tasty.
And I always have milk in the fridge, but cream? Not so much. I need to plan ahead to make real Alfredo sauce.
And I really think that the real thing is worth making every now and then. It’s definitely amazing. So don’t get me wrong, if you are craving a plate full of fettuccine with thick, creamy, cheesy, Alfredo sauce, by all means, head over to my homemade Alfredo sauce recipe and make that immediately if not sooner.
Because it’s amazing.
But we all know that sometimes you want fettuccine alfredo without the calories. And that’s where this light Alfredo sauce comes in. A serving of this light Alfredo sauce has about 1/3 of the calories and 1/5 of the fat of a serving of regular Alfredo sauce. So it is significantly healthier.
And yet it is still thick and creamy and full of flavour.
Perfect for those days you’re craving Alfredo pasta, but still want to eat a bit healthier.
Can you use milk instead of heavy cream for Alfredo sauce?
Using milk instead of heavy cream for this light Alfredo sauce is the main change. You need to add some flour to thicken it up, but it’s a significant reduction in fat and calories to make it with milk instead of cream. And the flavour is still fantastic.
Compared side by side, I’m sure everyone would love this cream based Alfredo sauce more. But since you’re likely not making them together, I am positive you will love this light Alfredo sauce when you try it.
In all honesty, I probably choose this light version over the real thing most of the time – mostly because I always have milk, but not cream, sitting in the fridge. Also, it’s just healthier!
How do you make Alfredo sauce thinner?
If your Alfredo sauce thickens more then you would like, thin it out with a bit of pasta water. Just make sure you save some when you drain your pasta! If you forget, you can also thin it with a bit more milk.
How do you revive Alfredo sauce?
To revive leftover alfredo sauce that is already mixed with pasta, heat a bit of olive oil in a sauce pan over low heat, and add the pasta with sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, on low heat, and slowly add about 1 tablespoon of milk for every 2 cups of pasta to revive the sauce and make it nice and smooth again.
If your Alfredo sauce isn’t mixed with pasta already, simply reheat it over low heat, stirring constantly until it is warmed through and serve over hot pasta.
How to make Light Alfredo Sauce:
- This light alfredo sauce is so tasty and so fast and easy to make. I always have the ingredients on hand and it can be on the table in less then 30 minutes. It’s one of our favourite meals.
- I always use 2% milk for this sauce. You could definitely use 3% or 1% if that’s what you buy. I believe skim milk would likely work well too, but I think that the sauce would be noticeably thinner with skim milk. It would definitely be worth a try though, if you want to lighten it up even more.
- Start your water boiling for your pasta before you start on the Alfredo sauce, because this sauce is ready so fast that you will likely have it finished before your pasta is cooked. It can just simmer on low heat while you wait for the pasta to finish.
- If you’re looking for more great pasta sauce recipes, I have 12 Easy Pasta Sauce Recipes here that are all fantastic!
Here are some more great Alfredo pasta options for you:
- Skinny Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- Baked Shrimp Pasta with Mushroom Alfredo Sauce
- Skinny Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Light Alfredo Sauce
This light Alfredo sauce is full of flavour, ready in 20 minutes, and much lighter then the real thing. It's so good you'll never miss the cream and cheese!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (225g) pasta (I used fettuccine)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions in a large pot of boiling water. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Whisk in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until it is lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, stirring until it is incorporated and smooth.
- Add the thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and parmesan and whisk continuously for 3-4 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Reduce the heat to a low simmer until the pasta is ready.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1/4 recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 306Total Fat: 10.7gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 339mgCarbohydrates: 40.2gFiber: 0.3gSugar: 4.9gProtein: 12.4g
Nutrition Information is estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.
Marcia
Tuesday 2nd of May 2023
This is exactly what I was looking for. Made it last night and poured it over penne pasta with broccoli. My husband loved it too. That is saying a lot! Thank you!
Stacey
Monday 8th of May 2023
I'm so glad you liked it!
Jessica
Thursday 20th of April 2023
Serving size says 1/4 of the recipe, but can someone tell me just for the sauce how much one serving is? Would it be 1/4 cup or more? Thanks!
Stacey
Friday 21st of April 2023
One serving would be about 1/2 cup. The recipe makes about 2 cups of sauce.
Elizabeth
Sunday 5th of February 2023
How do you recommend reheating? This made enough for a family and I am alone… so it will feed me for a few days
Stacey
Sunday 12th of February 2023
You can just reheat the sauce over low heat on the stove, stirring constantly. It reheats fairly well on low heat in the microwave as well. If it's already mixed with the pasta, heat a bit of olive oil in a sauce pan over low heat, and add the pasta with sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, on low heat, and slowly add about 1 tablespoon of milk for every 2 cups of pasta to revive the sauce and make it nice and smooth again.
karen
Monday 23rd of May 2022
This recipe was perfect! I steamed some broccoli and grilled some chicken breast (which I sliced up) and combined both with the sauce and pasta. Yum! Easy, low fat and delicious. Thank you!
Gina Murphy
Sunday 10th of April 2022
Can this be made a day ahead of time?
Gina
Stacey
Monday 11th of April 2022
Yes, just heat it up gently on low heat the next day, stirring often.