If you want to uplevel any meal, you’ve got to make this quick and easy Garlic Parmesan Sauce. With just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes, this creamy sauce brings the distinct tastes of garlic and Parmesan with a luxurious velvety consistency.
This garlicky sauce is so versatile and great on everything from vegetables to steak. Plus, even with little effort and minimal ingredients required, it brings bold flavor to your dish.
As a busy mom who doesn’t want to settle for boring food, having a simple sauce recipe like this I can whip up quickly and easily in one pan is an absolute must!
Just like my popular Shallot Cream Sauce, this creamy garlicky Parmesan sauce can be the difference between and average and a sophisticated meal.
Parmesan Garlic Sauce Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Unsalted butter.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic goes a long way. If you’re using pre-minced, use a full tablespoon.
- Cream. Heavy or regular cream work.
- Parmesan.
- Pepper. Freshly cracked black pepper is preferred, if you have it!
Garlic Parm Sauce Tips and Tricks
Cook Down the Garlic First
Peel and mince your garlic first.
This garlicky sauce with cream comes together super quickly, in just one pot, and is pretty much foolproof. But after testing this a lot, there is one little spark of wisdom I can share with you to get it just right.
Pro tip: Cook down the garlic first in the butter. Don’t rush this step. You want the garlic nice and soft, so it doesn’t affect the creamy texture of the sauce. I rushed it the first time I made it, and the crunchy chunks of garlic were, well, not great.
It only needs about 3-5 minutes over medium heat. You want the garlic soft but not browned.
Once the garlic is soft and fragrant, you can add the cream, Parmesan and black pepper. I love to use my handy rotary cheese grater to Freshly grate the Parmesan directly into the pan.
When the Parmesan first starts to melt and the cream isn’t quite hot yet, it may have a bit of a gluey texture. Fear not! As it continues to heat with the cream it will thin out into a perfect creamy texture that is pourable.
Serving Your Garlicky Sauce
This versatile garlicky sauce can be used for anything from serving over meat and fish or even over roasted vegetables or grains like pasta, rice, or couscous.
It can also be used as a dipping sauce for bread or raw vegetables!
Pictured, I served the sauce with a Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steak, Truffle Mashed Potatoes, and Cast-Iron Asparagus.
How to Properly Store and Reheat Leftover Garlic Parmesan Sauce
This Parmesan cream sauce with garlic will last up to one week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing any cream-based sauce for risk of separation.
To reheat the sauce, the name of the game is low and slow, whether you’re using the microwave or the stove.
In the microwave, heat on the lowest setting in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. If it seems too thick, you can add a little extra cream to thin it out.
If you are reheating it on the stove, stir frequently and continue to assess the consistency, adding extra cream when needed.
5-Ingredient Garlic Parmesan Sauce
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
- Rotary Cheese Grater optional
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy or regular cream
- 3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or ⅓ cup pre-grated Parmesan cheese)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and mince your garlic and add it to a saucepan with the butter over medium heat. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until soft and fragrant.6 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add the cream, Parmesan, and black pepper and heat and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until all of the Parmesan is melted and incorporated. At first, it may have a gluey texture. Just continue to heat until you are happy with the consistency. Serve warm.½ cup heavy or regular cream, 3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pro Tips
- For more delicious sauces to kick the flavor of your dish up a notch, check out these sauces and dressings.
