Alfredo sauce is a creamy, cheese-based pasta sauce that originated in Italy. It’s made by simmering heavy cream and parmesan cheese together to create a rich, velvety sauce. While delicious, alfredo sauce can be high in calories and fat content. Thinning out the sauce is an easy way to lighten it up while still maintaining that signature alfredo flavor. Here are some tips for thinning your alfredo sauce.
Use Less Cream and Butter
The foundation of alfredo sauce is heavy cream and butter. Naturally, using less of these ingredients will thin out the sauce. Try cutting the cream and butter in half and substituting with milk or vegetable/chicken broth. The milk or broth will thin out the sauce while still allowing it to maintain a creamy texture. Just be careful not to thin it out too much or the sauce may become too runny.
Substitute Low-Fat or Low-Calorie Ingredients
Swap out full-fat cream for low-fat or fat-free half-and-half. You can also use fat-free evaporated milk. When choosing butter, opt for a low-fat version. There are also low-fat parmesan cheeses available which will help cut calories and fat. Just be aware the flavor may be slightly different with lower-fat substitutions. You can compensate by adding a bit more cheese for that signature parmesan flavor.
Add More Liquid
One of the easiest ways to thin alfredo is by adding more liquid. Milk, broth, cooking wine, lemon juice, and white wine all make good choices. Start by adding just a splash or two at a time. Stir it into the sauce and allow it to simmer. Check the consistency and continue adding liquid until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Adding too much liquid at once can make the sauce watery, so go slowly and taste as you go.
Use Cornstarch or Flour
A simple cornstarch or all-purpose flour slurry is an effective thickener for alfredo sauce. Whisk together 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch or flour with 2 tablespoons water or milk. Stir it into the simmering sauce and allow it to cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened. The starch molecules will absorb excess liquid in the sauce and bind it together. This gives you a nicely thickened sauce without altering the flavors.
Finish with Pasta Water
Don’t discard that starchy pasta cooking water! Use a ladleful to thin out your alfredo. The starch in the water adds body to the sauce while smoothing and thickening it. Bring your pasta and sauce together in the pan with a splash of pasta water. Toss everything together over low heat until the sauce coats the noodles. Add more cooking water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Blend with Low-Fat Yogurt
For a tangy twist, blend in some low-fat plain Greek yogurt. The yogurt lends a creamy, smooth texture while cutting the fat content. Mix a few tablespoons of yogurt into your alfredo. For extra flavor, use lemon or garlic yogurt. The yogurt may slightly dilute the alfredo flavor so add parmesan cheese as needed.
Add Vegetables
Bulk up your alfredo sauce with veggies. Mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, peas, etc make great add-ins. Sautee them until tender and stir into the sauce. The extra volume from vegetables will stretch out the sauce so a little goes further. Veggies also lend moisture to thin out the sauce naturally.
Conclusion
With a few easy substitutions and additions, you can lighten up heavy alfredo sauce without sacrificing that distinct creamy, cheesy flavor. Using lower-fat ingredients like milk, broth and yogurt allows you to cut back on cream, butter and oil. Thinning the sauce with extra liquid, cornstarch slurry or pasta water helps regulate the consistency. And filling it with vegetables bulks up the sauce so a smaller amount coats your pasta. Whip up a lighter alfredo tonight for a guilt-free, yet still delicious, pasta dinner.