Garlic Parmesan Sauce Recipe

Name: Garlic Parmesan Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 1/4 cup whole milk; 1/4 tspn sea salt; 1/4 tspn black pepper; 3 cloves garlic (very finely chopped); 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)

Easy to make garlic parmesan sauce is perfect on pasta, pizza or roasted vegetables. This garlic sauce is quick to make and tastes amazing.

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GARLIC parmesan sauce being spooned out of jar.

This super creamy garlic parmesan sauce recipe is so easy to make and can be used for so many different dishes. Make a creamy parmesan pasta, or use it as a base for a white cheese pizza, bbq chicken pizza, or mushroom pizza. You can also drizzle this over roasted vegetables like broccoli and baked potatoes, or use as a dip or sauce for chicken breasts, chicken wings, pork chops, salmon or shrimp.

This creamy white sauce is such a versatile condiment, you’ll definitely want to stock extra in your fridge. It’s a million times better than any store-bought white sauce and it’s just what you need to add some extra flavor and creamy texture to your meals.

Table of Contents

WHAT IS GARLIC PARMESAN SAUCE?

Our garlic parmesan cream sauce is a variation of a basic Italian white cream sauce, also called béchamel. The base of this sauce is three simple ingredients–flour, butter and milk (or heavy cream).

There are many different ways to flavor a white cream sauce. Our recipe uses salt, garlic and parmesan cheese for a full, creamy flavor that’s perfect for pastas, as a garlic pizza sauce recipe, white meats and seafood, and roasted vegetables.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE FOR GARLIC SAUCE

✔️ Easy to make. It only takes 15 minutes start to finish.

✔️ Tastes amazing (creamy, cheesy and garlicky).

✔️ Use on pizzas as a garlic pizza sauce, pastas, meats and veggies. You can even use it on chicken.

✔️ Preservative-free alternative to store-bought white sauce.

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for garlic parmesan sauce, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of the ingredients for garlic parmesan sauce in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Unsalted butter
All purpose flour: Flour thickens the sauce. Using corn starch makes this gluten-free.
Whole milk: You can also use heavy cream for a thicken, creamier sauce.
Salt & pepper: Add this to your taste.
Garlic: We’re using very finely chopped jarred minced garlic.
Parmesan cheese: Use freshly grated if you can, otherwise use what you have on-hand.

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook garlic parmesan sauce on the stove top, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

MELT BUTTER: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.

MIX: Whisk in flour. Continue whisking for about 2 minutes. Do not brown. Slowly whisk in milk. Stir continually until the mixture is smooth, thick and bubbly, about 3-5 minutes.

🔴 TIP: Use fresh grated parmesan cheese rather than store bought grated cheese. Do not use the grated parmesan you find on the shelves in the grocery aisle.

Flour and butter whisked to make a roux.

Add flavor: Add ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic. Whisk to combine. Add parmesan cheese and whisk until just melted. Remove from heat.

🔴 TIP: Whisk continually to prevent burning.

🔴 TIP: Customize the flavor. Add red pepper flakes for more spice, or add oregano and thyme for more Italian herb flavor.

COOL: Cool then use or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

HOW TO MAKE GARLIC PARMESAN SAUCE AHEAD

Make your sauce according to the instructions and cool it as soon as possible. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce before refrigerating to prevent a skin from forming. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

When ready to use, thaw the white sauce the fridge. Then, pour it into a saucepan and gently reheat over low heat, whisking the sauce as it heats to return it to its original consistency.

TIPS FOR THE BEST GARLIC PARMESAN SAUCE

Follow these tips to make the best garlic parmesan sauce:

✔️ Prepare all ingredients beforehand. This way they’re ready to add to the saucepan when it’s time.

✔️ Whisk continually while making the garlic parmesan sauce to prevent burning.

✔️ Use fresh grated parmesan cheese rather than store bought grated cheese. Do not use the grated parmesan you find on the shelves in the grocery aisle.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Place in an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to one week. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.

Freeze: Freeze your cream sauce for up to 3 months in an air-tight container, with a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the sauce. This will prevent a skin from forming.

Defrosting: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The sauce may be lumpy, so heat it–whisking continually–in a sauce pan to return it to a smooth consistency.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CREAMY GARLIC SAUCE

We love this creamy white sauce with air fryer lemon garlic salmon, air fryer lemon chicken thighs, dry brine turkey, lemon garlic butter shrimp, air fryer asparagus or broccoli and oven baked potatoes.

Our favorite way to use this sauce is as a garlic pizza sauce on a white pizza!

Garlic pizza sauce on pizza. — Garlic Parmesan Sauce on pizza.

Sliced white pizza. — Garlic Parmesan Sauce on pizza.

MORE SAUCE RECIPES

If you like this garlic parmesan sauce you’ll enjoy our marinara with red wine sauce, chipotle marinade, lemon chicken marinade, or fettuccine pesto.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking this creamy sauce recipe.

Is garlic parmesan the same as Alfredo sauce?

Authentic Alfredo sauce is typically made with Parmesan cheese, butter, some warm pasta cooking water, and salt. If you like Alfredo sauce, you will love our creamy garlic parmesan sauce. It combines the cheesy, buttery flavor of Alfredo sauce in a creamy garlic sauce.

How do you make parmesan cheese melt?

Parmesan cheese is considered a dry, hard cheese. The best way to get all the flavor of Parmesan in a melty, creamy consistency is to use fresh grated Parmesan and add it to a roux. A roux is simply a flour and butter mixture with milk or cream added in. This

What is béchamel sauce?

Béchamel is a mixture of flour and butter that has been cooked together (also called a roux) and milk with just a bit of seasoning. It’s often called a “mother sauce” because it is a sauce used to make other sauces. Béchamel sauce is also an essential part of so many amazing dishes, like lasagna, and mac and cheese! Our garlic parmesan sauce is made from a béchamel sauce. It’s somewhat thick and clings to food the way you would want a sauce to.

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