What should you do if you’re making Alfredo sauce, but the jar in your cupboard is bland? Continue reading for mouthwatering suggestions on how to improve jarred Alfredo sauce!
One of my favorite aspects of making my sauces is having the creative freedom to alter the flavor however I choose. But occasionally, it’s quick and inexpensive to grab a jar of sauce from the supermarket!
Tossing cooked spaghetti with a jar of alfredo sauce from the pantry is simple! However, it could be bland and unoriginal. No need to worry if you find yourself in this situation. That ordinary jar can become something extraordinary with a little additional work and a few inexpensive components.
What is Alfredo Sauce?
Melting butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese together creates Alfredo sauce. For its mouthwatering flavor, alfredo uses dairy products rather than vegetables, in contrast to other pasta sauces that use tomatoes as a base. Adding ingredients to taste, such as salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, or Italian seasoning, is another popular choice among chefs. The taste is anything but simple, despite the specific components! This filling, cheesy combo can make any food taste better.
The most well-known combination of fettuccine noodles and alfredo sauce is fettuccine alfredo, a Salerno’s customer favorite!
How to Make Store-Brought Alfredo Sauce Better?
There are several ways to make jarred Alfredo sauce better. Combine a few more ingredients to elevate the flavor of your store-bought Alfredo sauce. The excellent bottled Alfredo sauce can be made even better by adding more fresh garlic or garlic powder. To spice up this creamy white sauce, try experimenting with ingredients that aren’t mentioned on the back of the jar.
Garlic and Spinach Sautéed
Although adding garlic powder would work just as well, rapidly sautéing fresh garlic while your pasta cooks is a fantastic method to add flavor layers. Spinach is a popular ingredient that Resnick uses to balance out the sauce’s richness.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and a couple of minced garlic cloves. After approximately a minute, when your kitchen is filled with the aroma of cooking garlic, your sautéed garlic will be ready.
Off the heat, add a few handfuls of fresh spinach, season with salt, and add freshly cracked black pepper once the garlic has begun to smell good. As the spinach wilts over the lingering heat, gently stir. Stir the spinach until it is distributed evenly.
Fresh Parmigiano Reggiano Grating
Parmigiano Reggiano, the name-protected Italian cheese, is a tried-and-true method for giving a canned Alfredo sauce umami and depth of flavor.
While the sauce is heated on the stove, freshly grate a few inches of cheese and mix it in. After tossing the pasta with the sauce, add a little more Parmigiano Reggiano for added flavor to each dish.
Other Italian hard cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or Asiago, can also be prepared.
White Balsamic
Resnick advises putting some white balsamic into your sauce after heating it to enhance the flavor. The sauce’s acidity will serve to balance out its richness. Start with roughly a half teaspoon, taste it, and make any necessary adjustments.
Although balsamic will slightly darken the sauce, classic balsamic or a generous squeeze of lemon juice will also work if you don’t have white balsamic.
New Herbs
The flavor of the sauce will be enlivened and refreshed by fresh herbs. Resnick advises using chervil, parsley, thyme, oregano, or a combination of these, depending on your preferences.
To use them, mince two tablespoons of your preferred herbs very finely. To simmer with the sauce, heartier herbs like thyme or oregano can be added. To keep their delicate, aromatic flavor, add delicate herbs like parsley, basil, or chervil at the end of cooking.
Flavored Oils
If you have any infused oils on hand, like truffle oil or basil-flavored olive oil, use them to give your premade Alfredo sauce a deeper taste. In conclusion, drizzle the spaghetti with the chosen oil. Since these oils are strong, start with a small amount, taste it, and decide if you want to add more. Another option is a delicious, zingy extra virgin olive oil.
What is the Best Use for Canned Alfredo Sauce?
There’s a reason Fettuccini Alfredo is a classic. Cooked fettuccine noodles should be combined with your freshly made Alfredo sauce.
Use your sauce to flavor cooked chicken breast or thighs while making chicken Alfredo. Put the cooked chicken in the sauce after preparing the chicken according to your preferred method (baked, pan-seared, poached, or another). Serve with a side of spaghetti or broccoli.
White pizza: For a personal pizza of your choosing, use the Alfredo sauce as the white sauce. Create a circle or rectangle 10 or 12 inches in diameter using handmade or store-bought dough. Add the sauce, top with extra melty cheese, such as mozzarella or fontina, and any other desired toppings. After baking as directed, sprinkle some freshly cracked black pepper on top.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit before making the cheesy, creamy crab dip. Crab meat from a can and drained marinated artichoke hearts from a small jar should be combined with Alfredo sauce. Place in an oven-safe casserole dish after being transferred, then top with about 8 ounces of shredded mozzarella. The top should be golden brown after 20 to 30 minutes of baking. Serve with toasted bread or pita chips.
How Healthful is Alfredo Sauce?
Following are a few health advantages of Alfredo sauce:
Alfredo sauce, made with butter, heavy cream, and cheese, is great over fettuccine pasta and even better with chicken. However, Tao claims it is not a healthy alternative because of its high sodium, fat, and calorie content.
Because it is made with butter and cheese, Alfredo sauce is very high in saturated fat and white flour. Although this sauce can be enjoyed sometimes, regularly consuming it may raise the risk of high blood cholesterol, particularly in people with a history of the condition.
This is merely a psychological problem for many of us. Nevertheless, it’s too simple to be misled into thinking that Alfredo sauce over whole wheat or pasta with vegetable inspiration makes for a more wholesome dinner than fast food.
The Alfredo, vodka, and pesto sauces have more fat and calories than most tomato-based sauces.
Reference: The Effect of Modifying the Fat and Fiber Content in Fettuccine Alfredo
How can Alfredo Sauce be Thicken?
If you’re having difficulties thickening your favorite homemade or store-bought Alfredo Sauce, I have some strategies and ideas. Although it shouldn’t happen, I do hope that these straightforward suggestions will be helpful if it does. About 15 minutes are needed to make homemade Alfredo sauce. So much better than store-bought, but I can understand if the homemade version doesn’t turn out as planned or if the store-bought version, like Olive Garden or your favorite Italian restaurant, isn’t quite what you were going for.
Many different techniques can be used to thicken a sauce. Some of my personal favorites are listed below. You’ll need to explore a little or see what you already have on hand because some may suit you better than others. Even if troubleshooting isn’t always simple, I’m sure you’ll discover at least one answer here.
Cream Cheese
Cubed softened cream cheese must be thoroughly blended with the Alfredo Sauce in a pot over low heat. Be patient; the cream cheese could take a few minutes to melt and smooth out. Start with a little cream cheese at once unless you don’t mind a stronger cream cheese flavor.
Parmesan Cheese
Add some freshly grated, premium Parmesan cheese to the dish. The best alternative is freshly grated full-fat Parmesan cheese, which I prefer to get from Costco in a big block and grate myself. It’s much better than anything you’ll find already grated in the pasta section of the grocery store shelf if you get what I mean.
Dashed Cheese
A nice option is to include some freshly shredded, high-quality cheese. Use pre-shredded cheese if you must, but remember that it may not always melt well in sauces. Instead, stay with a brand you are familiar with and confident using. If at all feasible, shred your cheese in a food processor or box grater. Mozzarella, provolone, or white cheddar are suitable choices based on personal preferences.
Heavy Cream
Stir a little heavy cream in the sauce in a skillet over medium heat, then increase the thickness or bring it to a boil. It’s not always a good idea, though, because adding cream to thicken a sizable amount of sauce might be pricey.
Conclusion
You can also make your Alfredo sauce using jarred sauce and a few extra ingredients. You can also add sour cream or milk to increase the flavor and texture. You can also add some romano cheese to balance the taste. It’s a quick and easy way to make your own Alfredo sauce home. Adding fresh herbs can also kick the sauce. Basil and parsley are traditional Italian herbs and will add a nice flavor. Rosemary is another popular herb that works well with creamy potato dishes. If you want extra heat, add cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.
Freshly grated cheese is also a good way to improve the texture of store-bought Alfredo sauce. Aside from adding more flavor, the cheese will also thicken and bind the sauce. Avoid using pre-shredded cheese, which has a grainy texture, is also a good idea.
