Gluten Free Alfredo Sauce

Gluten Free Alfredo Sauce is an easy Italian classic. Gluten Free Alfredo Sauce is one of my favorite things to make during the winter, or when I have company over. This can be made from start to finish in the time it takes to cook pasta. And the best part is that us celiac folks can enjoy this classic dish.

This sauce is super easy to make. If you’re looking for a simple and not overly complicated recipe, this gluten free Alfredo recipe fits that bill. The best part is that your friends and family will never notice that it’s gluten free.

The sauce is thick and so creamy. Because the base of this is cream cheese, the Alfredo sauce thickens beautifully without a roux or added thickeners.

CREAM CHEESE AS A THICKENER

While you might think cream cheese is an odd ingredient, it really does help the sauce be smooth and creamy. You do not need to worry about any odd tastes that a thickener like cornstarch or a roux might add to the dish. Using full fat cream cheese breaks down better and helps the sauce be lump free.

HEAVY CREAM IS THE BEST TO USE FOR A THICK CREAM SAUCE

I highly recommend using heavy cream for a richer tasting Alfredo sauce. Half and half or whole milk can be used. Just keep in mind that the cream sauce will not be as thick.

BEST TYPE OF GLUTEN FREE PASTAS

For starters, gluten free pastas come in so many brands and varieties these days. My personal preferences might be pastas you like or don’t like. But, having this gluten free food blog is to inform my readers of what I think the best gluten free products are, and that is what I am here to do.

In my area I have not been able to find Barilla’s Gluten Free Fettuccine. My local Whole Foods does sometimes carry fresh fettuccini, but it is very pricey. It’s about 7 dollars for not even a pounds worth of pasta. Economically for me, it just doesn’t make sense money wise.

However, I do honestly love Whole Foods 365 gluten free spaghetti and gluten free penne. It holds up nicely and tastes like regular pasta. And at 2.19 cents a bag it really is a good deal. I always stock up on pasta especially when it goes on sale. I want to eat a pasta that doesn’t fall apart and tastes like pasta, not a box of cardboard. Jovial pasta’s are good, but I do find that they don’t hold up as well to the cooking process.

• 365 Whole Foods Spaghetti
• Ronzoni Gluten Free Pasta

• Barilla Gluten Free Fettuccine

QUICK AND EASY MEAL

Pasta dinners should be an easy go to dinner, even if they require a special sauce. After a long day’s work, you may come home hungry, short on time, or just plain tired. This gluten free Alfredo dish can help save the day. It’s nice to have a delicious solution for dinner during the hectic days in our lives.

TOOLS NEEDED

• Ronzoni Gluten Free Pasta
• Pasta Pot
• Non Stick Pan

GLUTEN FREE ALFREDO SAUCE

The sauce itself can be made in less time than it takes for your pasta water to boil. Sautée two tablespoons of garlic with olive oil in a non stick pan on medium low heat for about two to three minutes.

Turning up the stove-top to medium heat, add a whole block of 8 ounce full fat cream cheese and stir frequently till it has melted. Then add 2 cups heavy cream.

Bring to a boil, then turn down the stove and simmer until thickened. Once thick, add 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese and season very well with salt and pepper. Let it cook on low heat for about 10 minutes so that all the flavors can meld together. You do not need a thickening agent as the cream cheese really helps thicken this sauce.

HOW TO COOK GLUTEN FREE PASTA

One of the biggest mistakes people make when cooking pasta is to overcook it. Pasta is meant to be al dente, meaning “to the tooth.” Pasta cooked al dente should have a slight bite or crunch when you bite down.

The last thing you want is mushy pasta. Gluten free pasta tends to cook faster than regular wheat pasta. I usually will set my timer 2 minutes earlier than what the package says, and I always go off the lower number. So say the 365 gluten free pasta says cooking time 10-12 minutes. I start checking it at 8 minutes.

Make sure you salt the pasta water very well. This is the only way to season the pasta. Do not rinse pasta. The only time I cool my pasta is when I am making a macaroni salad.

WHY USING FRESH PARSLEY IS IMPORTANT

Fresh parsley not only adds color the dish, but also adds a little extra flavor.

ADD IN’S

Grilled or blackened chicken, shrimp and scallops, or portobello mushrooms go great with this.

HOW ARE ALFREDO SAUCES TYPICALLY MADE?

Most cream based sauces are thickened by a roux. A roux is just a mixture of equal parts flour and fat. For example, for a roux I would melt three tablespoons of unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted, you add three tablespoons gluten free flour and whisk for about a minute on medium to medium low heat for about a minute. After, add your milk products and let thicken while simmering for about 5-10 minutes with frequent stirring to avoid clumps.

WHAT IS ALFREDO SAUCE SERVED WITH?

Typically Alfredo sauce is served with fettuccine noodles. I have found it very hard to find gluten free fettuccine noodles in my area. I made this with spaghetti and it turned out fantastic. You can use any noodle that you like. Spaghetti penne or rotini would all be great options.

My GF Kale and Broccolini Caesar Salad is delicious, and would go great with this dish.

CAN I FREEZE LEFTOVERS?

Alfredo sauce doesn’t freeze well. Any dish with a heavy cream base should not be frozen. Unfortunately, it tends to separate.

HOW LONG WILL IT KEEP IN THE FRIDGE?

It will keep up 4 to 5 days in the fridge at the most in an airtight container. Alfredo sauce tastes best the day its made. Set the Alfredo sauce aside before combining with the pasta.

REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS

To reheat the Alfredo sauce, the best method is on the stovetop. Place it in a saucepan and gently reheat over low heat, whisking frequently.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR GLUTEN FREE ALFREDO SAUCE

• 1 Package Gluten Free Spaghetti- 1 Pound
• Full Fat Cream Cheese- 8 Ounces
• Parmesan Cheese- 1 1/2 Cups plus 1/4 cup to top the pasta with
• Fresh Chopped Parsley- 4 Tbsp
• Salt and Pepper
• Heavy Cream- 2 Cups
• Garlic- 2 Tsp
• Garlic Powder- 1 Tsp
• Nutmeg- 1 Tsp

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE ALFREDO SAUCE

• Using a medium deeper sided non stick pan, add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, add two tablespoons of minced garlic and sautée on low for 2-3 minutes. Make sure you don’t let the garlic burn.
• Add the cream cheese and continue to cook slowly over low heat, stirring almost constantly, until the cream cheese has melted. It may seem like the sauce is broken or separated, but it’s totally normal.
• Add the heavy cream and spices and increase temperature to medium heat. Allow mixture to start to boil, stirring constantly, and then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add the parmesan reggiano and stir.
• Bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and toss pasta together with the cream sauce.
• Serve and enjoy.

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Ronzoni Gluten Free Pasta

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