This Weight Watchers Alfredo Sauce is a lighter way to enjoy creamy Alfredo without needing a heavy cream-based sauce. It is rich, smooth, cheesy, and incredibly easy to make on the stovetop. Made with simple ingredients like milk, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and a little cornstarch, this sauce comes together quickly for an easy weeknight dinner.
Serve it over your favorite pasta, chicken, vegetables, or zucchini noodles. It is also a great option when you are craving comfort food but want something a little lighter.
If you like more easy lightened up recipes like this please try Pizza Pasta Casserole, French Onion Chicken, or Spaghetti and Meatball Casserole.
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Why You Will like This Recipe
Traditional Alfredo sauce is usually made with heavy cream, butter, and lots of Parmesan cheese. While delicious, those ingredients can make the sauce very rich and calorie-dense.
This lighter Alfredo sauce uses milk as the base and cornstarch to help create a creamy consistency without relying on heavy cream. Parmesan adds plenty of savory, cheesy flavor, while garlic gives the sauce that classic Alfredo taste.
The result is a creamy homemade sauce that feels indulgent while using everyday ingredients. It is also much quicker to make than many traditional Alfredo recipes.
Another reason this recipe works so well is its versatility. You can use it with regular pasta, chicken, shrimp, vegetables, or even low-carb pasta alternatives.
Ingredients for Fettuccine Alfredo
- Unsalted butter - is the most commonly used type of butter in baking, as it allows for more control over the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Garlic, minced - Chopped fresh garlic can take some time to chop so I often always use the freshly minced garlic that comes already made in a jar.
- Lemon zest - This adds a nice burst of citrus flavor to the marinade to help enhance the choice of protein. Use freshly squeezed over bottled juice.
- All-purpose flour - is a type of wheat flour that is commonly used in cooking and baking. It is versatile and can be used for a variety of recipes, including bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries.
- Low-fat (1%) milk - can sub almond milk if you're allergic to milk
- Neufchtel or low-fat cream cheese - I like to use Reduced-Fat Cheese because it has a lower calorie count and less saturated fat than regular cheese, but it may also have a different taste and texture. It also helps with keeping the calorie count pretty low for this recipe.
- Parmesan cheese - is a hard, granular cheese that originated in Italy. It is typically made from cow's milk and has a sharp, nutty flavor. Parmesan cheese is often grated and used as a topping for pasta dishes, salads, and other foods.
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Fettuccine - any pasta shape will work with this
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Lighter Fettucine Alfredo Sauce
Step 1: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1 minute.
Step 2: Whisk in the milk and ¾ teaspoon salt and cook, whisking constantly until just thickened about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Step 3: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot.
Step 4: Add the sauce and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.
Step 2: Whisk in the milk and ¾ teaspoon salt and cook, whisking constantly until just thickened about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Step 3: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot.
Step 4: Add the sauce and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.
Pro Tips for Lighter Alfredo Sauce
Use freshly grated Parmesan whenever possible. Pre-shredded Parmesan does not always melt as smoothly because it can contain anti-caking ingredients.
Keep the heat relatively low after adding the cheese. High heat can cause the Parmesan to become grainy instead of creating a smooth sauce.
Whisk the cornstarch into the cold milk before heating. This is one of the easiest ways to prevent lumps.
The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so don't worry if it seems slightly thin while it is hot.
For extra flavor, add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, or red pepper flakes.
Storage and Reheating
Allow leftover Alfredo sauce to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The sauce will thicken considerably when refrigerated. Reheat it gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of milk while stirring until it becomes creamy again.
I recommend reheating slowly rather than using high heat, which can cause the cheese to separate.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this light Alfredo sauce over fettuccine, spaghetti, penne, or your favorite pasta. Add grilled or air fryer chicken for a filling dinner.
It is also delicious with steamed broccoli, roasted vegetables, shrimp, or zucchini noodles. For extra flavor, sprinkle additional Parmesan and black pepper over the finished dish.
You can also combine the sauce with cooked chicken and pasta to make a quick homemade chicken Alfredo.
Other Recipes to Try
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Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce
- Cook Time: 20min
- Total Time: 20min
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Skinny Fettucine Alfredo - easy and lightened up Alfredo sauce which comes together in less than 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons Neufchtel or low-fat cream cheese
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 12 ounces fresh fettuccine
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1 minute. Whisk in the milk and ¾ teaspoon salt and cook, whisking constantly until just thickened about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot.
- Add the sauce and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.
- Makes 6 servings, per serving: 1 cup
Notes
My WW Personal Points: 10 Click here to see in recipe builder (will have to log in)
Nutrition
- Calories: 312
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 453mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 13g
Jenna says
I updated the recipe to include the flour and parsley. I don't add salt and pepper to a recipe in the builder because those two ingredients never change the points. You can also save it and edit it yourself. FYI.
Miranda says
When I click the link to see this in my WW recipe builder, it’s missing ingredients! The salt, pepper, parsley, and flour don’t appear in my recipe builder. Broken. Thank you.
Christine says
This is a great recipe and we all loved it. I may have added more cheese but so worth it.
Jeffrey Castle says
Excellent recipe and I was able to make the sauce with much lower calories and fat content. I began with two tbsps of yogurt butter spread (Brummel and Brown) which is more than the recipe calls. Anyone with knowledge of creating a roux knows to begin with equal amounts of fat and flour. Instead of milk, I used fat free evaporated milk and fat free cream cheese. I followed the recipe from that point forward to the letter and go a flavorful, low calorie, creamy sauce that I put over brown rice spaghetti, topped with roasted squash, carrots, and onions, and topped with a grilled chicken breast. SO FULFILLING...
Lisa says
Delicious.
Jenna says
1 serving.
Sharon says
I see 10 points but is that for the whole recipe or for each serving?
Patricia says
How many points is the recipe?
Cassie says
Hello, I dont see anywhere where it shows how many pts this recipe is, or do we just calculate it ourself.