How does one thicken an alfredo sauce?

Question

My brother has graciously offered to make dinner for everyone tonight, but his sauce is too thin.

So, he has asked me to ask you all how he can thicken the fettucine alfredo sauce. He has already added cream cheese and doesn't want to add flour or corn starch.

What can he do to make sure the dinner turns out right?

Answer 1

A sprinkle of Wondra flour is about all you can do to thicken it or just simmer until it reduces to a thicker sauce. The cream cheese and parmesan should have been enough.

Answer 2

in seperate bowl wisk some flour and heavy whip cream together and slowly add to sauce while on warm till you get the thickness you want.

Answer 3

Add more parmesan cheese.Did he use full whipping cream or half and half ???

Answer 4

You should add parmesan cheese since  that is the main flavor in alfredo sauce. trust me it will be prefect!! good luck

Answer 5

alfredo sauce is just, Butter, heavy cream, and parm cheese, and seasoning. the heavy cream and cheese make it thick. but in your brothers case use a cornstarch slurry and make sure it boils

Answer 6

add more parm cheese...

Answer 7

I know he doesnt want to use flour.  But his best bet is to make a roux in another pan.  I'd start with 2T butter and 2T flour.  Cook the roux for a minute and add some to the sauce.  Stir well, bring to a boil.  It should thicken nicely.  

Its easy to thin sauce, but a pain to thicken it back up....

Answer 8

only thing is flour

take some sauce put 1 tbs flour into bowl and wisk it well then add to rest of sauce and it will instantly thicken

Answer 9

Adding flour or cornstarch requires the temperature of the emulsion reach the boiling point at which time the starch molecules will expand and absorb much of the watery liquid, thus thickening your sauce. I believe it takes about 1 tsp. of cornstarch per 1 cup of liquid for a decent creamy emulsion.

If your brother is using real heavy cream and butter (the way alfredo was intended to be made) the high fat content should cause the sauce to thicken of its own accord. If he's trying to be more health-conscious and using half and half or 2% milk, flour, cornstarch and Parmesan cheese are your only options. You could try arrowroot or tapioca but I've never worked with arrowroot before and tapioca will give you those little "fish eyes" in your sauce.

EDIT: when I make my "low fat" alfredo sauce, I blend the cornstarch into about 1/4 cup of White Zinfandel wine and then add to the sauce. It gives it a nice flavor but purists would not approve of this.

EDIT #2: So... uh... when's dinner? And can I bring anything? I LOVE fettucine Alfredo!!!