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    Home » Appetizers

    15 Minute Garlic Parmesan Sauce

    Published: Dec 27, 2021 » Modified: May 4, 2023 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 29 Comments

    29.0K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This garlic parmesan sauce is the absolute best way to dress up your pasta or add a garlicky twist to homemade pizza. With butter, fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, and heavy cream, this parmesan cream sauce is filled with fresh flavors. And it’s ready in about 15 minutes so it's totally doable on a busy weeknight! 

    Overhead shot of a mason jar filled with garlic Parmesan cream sauce
    Table of Contents show
    1 You Will Love This
    2 Ingredients and Substitutions
    3 Instructions
    4 Tips
    5 FAQ
    6 Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
    7 Easy Vegetarian Recipes
    8 Recipe
    9 5 Minute Garlic Parmesan Sauce

    You Will Love This

    • It’s so easy and versatile! This creamy parmesan garlic sauce uses only 10 ingredients, comes together all in one pot, and can be used as a pizza sauce (for my best ever chicken alfredo pizza), pasta sauce, dip for chicken wings, or creamy sauce for oven roasted potatoes.
    • If you loved this Parmesan sauce recipe, be sure to check out my Tomato Garlic Pasta with White Wine Sauce, Easy One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta, or my Cheesy Baked Spaghetti.
    White marble counter top with bowls of ingredients to make Parmesan garlic sauce

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Butter - I prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe so that I can adjust the sodium levels myself. Olive oil will work as a substitute in a pinch if it's all you've got on hand, but butter is going to give you the best flavor.
    • Garlic - Fresh garlic is a must! Freshly minced garlic gives this sauce a huge garlic kick of flavor that garlic powder just can’t deliver. However, if you don't have time to mince fresh, you can sub ½ a teaspoon or so of garlic powder in place of the freshly minced garlic. If you want to take this sauce to the next level, try adding roasted garlic instead of fresh!
    • Italian Seasoning - If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can use some dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried rosemary instead.
    • Flour - Stick with all-purpose flour for this recipe. The flour helps thicken the sauce and give it a nice creamy texture.
    • Vegetable Broth - Veggie broth works best for this recipe but if you're not worried about it being vegetarian, you could use chicken broth in its place. Adding broth thins out this sauce a bit so that it's super creamy without being too thick.
    • Heavy Cream - Heavy cream will make this parmesan sauce luxuriously creamy. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can replace it with half and half, but keep in mind that the sauce will likely have a bit thinner consistency.
    • Parmesan Cheese - I like to grate my own wedge of Parmesan for this sauce because freshly grated cheese always melts better. For harder cheeses like Parmesan though I like to grate them using my food processor so I don't accidentally slip and nick my fingers on the grater (trust me I did it once and it hurt SO bad!).
    • Parsley - Parsley adds a nice herby flavor and a little bit of color to the sauce. You could replace it with freshly chopped basil for a slightly different, but still delicious flavor!

    Instructions

    Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Once the butter melts and starts to sizzle, add garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for about a minute.

    Large white sauté pan filled with sautéed garlic and dried herbs

    Add flour and whisk until well combined.

    Large white sauté pan filled with sautéed garlic dried herbs and flour

    Whisk in broth until well combined.

    Large white sauté pan filled with ingredients to make Parmesan cream sauce

    Simmer for a couple minutes until it thickens.

    Large white sauté pan filled with ingredients to make Parmesan cream sauce

    Add heavy cream, shredded Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.

    Large white sauté pan filled with ingredients to make Parmesan cream sauce

    Cook over low heat, and stir sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.

    Large white sauté pan filled with creamy Parmesan garlic sauce

    Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper and serve with a bowl of your favorite pasta or use it as a base for pizza!

    Overhead shot of a mason jar filled with garlic Parmesan cream sauce

    Tips

    • This creamy garlic Parmesan sauce recipe comes together pretty quickly so it's best to have all your ingredients ready to go before you start cooking, that way you'll ensure that nothing burns or gets over cooked. Mise en place is the name of game on this one.
    • Season moderately throughout the cooking process. This recipe is made with only a handful of simple ingredients so adding salt and pepper is going to be key in boosting the flavors. Also be sure to taste the sauce each time you add salt and pepper so that you don't over season.
    • The sauce will thicken quickly as soon as it cools. Keep this in mind while you’re letting it simmer. If it doesn’t seem to be very thick, remember that it will get thicker as it cools. Also, if it seems too thick when it's done, just add a splash of broth or a bit more cream to thin it out! If you're serving it with pasta you could also thin it out with a bit of pasta water when you toss it with the pasta!
    Overhead shot of a chicken alfredo pizza on a pizza pan garnished with fresh chives
    Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pizza

    FAQ

    What is garlic parmesan sauce made of?

    Garlic parmesan sauce is made from butter, heavy cream, garlic, flour, herbs, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. All of the ingredients are combined and heated to make a creamy dipping sauce or spread.

    Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

    • Make-Ahead: You can make this sauce ahead up to a week in advance! I make a batch every couple weeks and just keep it in the fridge for those busy nights when we need an easy pasta dish for dinner! Pair with cooked linguine and roasted broccoli and dinner is done!
    • Storage: Store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
    • Freezing: I do not recommend freezing garlic parmesan sauce. I find that it can sometimes alter the texture. This sauce is best when used within 7 days of making.
    • Reheating: Reheat Parmesan sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Be sure to add some milk or cream to loosen it up. Cook, stirring frequently until it's warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper after reheating.

    Easy Vegetarian Recipes

    • 4 Ingredient Cream Cheese Fruit Dip (No Marshmallow Fluff!)
    • The Best 5-Minute Cilantro Lime Sauce
    • 5 Minute Copycat Taco Bell Quesadilla Sauce
    • The Best Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Questions?
    Leave a comment below!
    Liked the recipe?
    Leave a comment below!
    Made this dish?
    Leave a comment and star rating below!

    Print

    Recipe

    5 Minute Garlic Parmesan Sauce

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    ★★★★★

    4.9 from 12 reviews

    This garlic parmesan sauce is the absolute best way to dress up your pasta or add a garlicky twist to homemade pizza. With butter, fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, and heavy cream, this parmesan cream sauce is filled with fresh flavors. And it’s ready in about 15 minutes so it's totally do-able on a busy weeknight! 

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings (about 2.5-3 cups sauce) 1x
    • Category: Main Dish
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
    • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
    • 4 tablespoons flour
    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • ¾ cup heavy cream
    • 8 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
    • Kosher salt
    • fresh cracked pepper

    Instructions

    1. Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium low heat.
    2. Once melted and sizzling slightly, add garlic and Italian seasoning along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
    3. Add flour to the pan, whisk until well combined, and cook stirring frequently for 1 minute.
    4. Turn heat to low and slowly pour in broth, whisking as you pour, until well combined.
    5. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and gently simmer over medium to medium low heat for about 2 minutes until it thickens.
    6. Add heavy cream, shredded Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.
    7. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired consistency.
    8. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with your favorite pasta or use it as a base for pizza!

    Equipment

    measuring cup

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    Notes

    • This sauce recipe comes together pretty quickly so it's best to have all your ingredients ready to go before you start cooking, that way you'll ensure that nothing burns or gets over cooked. Mise en place is the name of game on this one.
    • Season moderately throughout the cooking process. This recipe is made with only a handful of simple ingredients so adding salt and pepper is going to be key in boosting the flavors. Also be sure to taste the sauce each time you add salt and pepper so that you don't over season.
    • The sauce will thicken quickly as soon as it cools. Keep this in mind while you’re letting it simmer. If it doesn’t seem to be very thick, remember that it will get thicker as it cools. Also, if it seems too thick when it's done, just add a splash of broth or a bit more cream to thin it out! If you're serving it with pasta you could also thin it out with a bit of pasta water when you toss it with the pasta!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 228
    • Sugar: 1.1 g
    • Sodium: 622.9 mg
    • Fat: 17.7 g
    • Saturated Fat: 11.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 5.8 g
    • Fiber: 0.3 g
    • Protein: 11.7 g
    • Cholesterol: 48.4 mg

    Keywords: parmesan sauce, parmesan cream sauce

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    The Best Chicken Alfredo Pizza Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brittany

      July 17, 2023 at 5:06 am

      Could this sauce be made to go into a crockpot with chicken and cooked on low ? I’d premake sauce then add it to frozen chicken and cook on low

      Reply
      • Kylie

        July 17, 2023 at 9:11 pm

        I would be a little worried about the sauce breaking in the crock pot to be honest! I'm just not sure if that's the best application of this sauce, unfortunately.

        Reply
      • Andrew

        August 25, 2023 at 6:00 am

        This is a family favorite! I make it with diced pancetta and mushrooms, and for special occasions Ibadd 2 Tbs of truffle tartufo sauce! Toss it with some rotini and you get a robust and hearty meal the whole family loves. Hold the pancetta for the vegetarians and everyone is happy!

        Reply
    2. Janet Xara

      June 07, 2023 at 11:32 am

      First I sautéed a chopped onion in some olive oil, then added a couple of julienned carrots, then half a chopped sweet orange pepper, then ten stalks of asparagus cut into two-inch lengths (I added things to the pan in the order of how long they would take to cook). Finally I added a couple of cloves of minced garlic and cooked everything for one more minute. Salted and peppered it all.

      Meanwhile I cooked a one-pound bag of spaetzle noodles until they were almost as done as I prefer.

      I made this delicious sauce, substituting chicken broth for the vegetable broth. I stirred the vegetables into the sauce, then stirred in the cooked, drained, spaetzle. I poured all of it into a greased 9x13" baking dish, topped it with Panko, and baked it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. With crunchy bits on the top, and sauce on the bottom becoming brown and chewy, these were pretty much the best noodles ever.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jealith

        August 26, 2023 at 10:10 pm

        As long as you don't add cream you can freeze this. Add the cream when you go to use it. I love it for wings.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Kylie

          August 27, 2023 at 3:45 pm

          Great idea, Jealith! Thank you for sharing that tip - much appreciated!

        • Mamadukes0963

          September 27, 2023 at 6:22 pm

          Perfect as is. I made this recipe over thin spaghetti and added some shrimp. The whole family loved it. This one's a keeper.

          ★★★★★

        • Kylie

          September 27, 2023 at 7:27 pm

          Oh my gosh that sounds amazing! Skinny spaghetti is my favorite and shrimp sounds delicious with this cream sauce. I'm so glad that your family loved this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review - I really appreciate it 🙂

    3. Jay

      May 24, 2023 at 7:16 pm

      I made this for the first time tonight. It is fantastic. I’m going to pour it over some meatballs I am smoking tomorrow for Shavu’ot. Blessings

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Teresa

      March 31, 2023 at 11:35 am

      Nice, easy, quick and tasty ! I used this in my oven bake bread top pie recipe, worked perfect. My family wanted 2nds.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Aj

      February 21, 2023 at 10:43 am

      This was so delicious. I added sundried tomatoes and a little white wine because both needed to be used, and served the sauce over spinach cheese ravioli. My hubs commented that it tasted restaurant quality. I agree, what a great sauce, thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        February 21, 2023 at 11:17 am

        Those sound like the perfect additions, Aj! So glad that you both enjoyed this sauce. Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
        • Tom Gallub

          July 04, 2023 at 1:33 am

          I am not happy with the mozerella cheese here in Portugal so I use this recipe made a bit thicker to top my eggplant or chicken parmasan. I just bake it with tomato sauce only and top it once out of the oven with the parmasan sauce. I have successfully also used other granita cheeses when parmsan was not available. Thanks for a truly versatile recipe.

    6. Theresa

      February 17, 2023 at 5:51 am

      I wanted to make garlic chicken wings for my family.
      But wanted something a little different.
      Last garlic sauce I tried did not turn out to well. So I went looking for other options this time.
      Tried this recipe out.
      My family loved it. ♥
      I did bread my chicken and baked it first. Then put this sauce on one side of the wings let it bake into it then flipped wings over and did the other side.
      Used extra sauce for dipping.
      My family went nuts over this sauce. They said it was the THE MOST DELICIOUS GARLIC SAUCE THEY EVER HAD. Wants me to make this again.
      I myself find this recipe to my now favorite garlic sauce of all time
      Thank you so much for this recipe.

      Reply
      • Lorraine

        August 13, 2023 at 12:12 pm

        Delicious

        Reply
    7. Carole

      January 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm

      Can you store this in the fridge if you have extra,how long will it last in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Kylie

        January 31, 2023 at 5:44 pm

        Definitely! It should last for about a week in the fridge. It will thicken as it sits so when you reheat it you'll want to add a splash of cream or half and half to loosen it up a bit. Can't wait to hear what you think, Carole!

        Reply
    8. Dorianne

      December 29, 2022 at 2:03 pm

      Sounds GREAT I’ll get back to you after i give it a try!

      Reply
    9. Michelle Burklin

      December 08, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      How would I put this up to use for another day, another recipe?

      Reply
      • Kylie

        December 11, 2022 at 1:29 pm

        Oh good question! I love to drizzle this sauce over my air fryer green beans, use it on my chicken alfredo pizza, or just serve it over grilled chicken and roasted broccoli.

        Reply
    10. Sharon

      November 09, 2022 at 5:31 pm

      Love this quick easy sauce to serve with a chicken and broccoli recipe that didn’t turn out right, the sauce saved the day!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Thomas

      September 04, 2022 at 3:25 pm

      This is a super easy recipe and so delicious..

      Reply
    12. Tamika Taylor

      August 06, 2022 at 12:01 pm

      Made for the first time and its 😋 delicious this is my quick go to ..no more store sauce l. Am in love with this !!!
      Mrs.Taylor,, N.C.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        August 07, 2022 at 6:28 pm

        I am with you on the no more storebought sauce! I could never find one that I liked - they all tasted too boring or too processed. This one is so quick and easy too! Glad you enjoyed it, Tamika! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂

        Reply
    13. Monika

      April 21, 2022 at 4:15 pm

      I halved the recipe and made it for my lobster ravioli, delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        April 22, 2022 at 9:13 am

        YUM! This would be perfect with lobster ravioli - great idea, Monika! Thanks for leaving a review!

        Reply
        • Stephanie

          November 13, 2022 at 9:48 am

          Made this. Added fresh sautéed mushrooms, for a change. You won't regret the mushrooms, if you try it!!!

          ★★★★

    14. Billy

      February 05, 2022 at 3:51 pm

      I made this for the first time this evening to go with some naked fried chicken and my other 2 family members love it. One mentioned trying it with pasta, so looks like we'll be making it again! Thanks!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Luke

      December 27, 2021 at 10:09 am

      This is probably our family's favorite weeknight pasta sauce. It comes together so quickly and our daughter loves it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

    More about me →

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