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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce is a garlic lover’s dream come true! Use it for fondue, dipping pretzels, as a pasta sauce, and so much more.
Cheese sauce doesn’t have a reputation for being refined cuisine, but garlic Parmesan cheese sauce is a little bit elevated. (It’s not neon orange, for one!) The flavor is more complex, with the addition of garlic for savoriness and freshly grated Parmesan, which has such a fantastic nutty flavor.
I first came up with this sauce when making my Garlic Parmesan Cheesy Potatoes and I thought it was so delectable, it deserved its own post. And here it is! Its velvety smooth texture and rich flavor make it a perfect addition to so many dishes—not just potatoes, but veggies, bread and Sourdough Pretzels, pasta, and so much more!
And the best part? It comes together in under 20 minutes! Which means you can whip it up anytime you need a cheesy addition to your dinner or appetizer spread.
Ingredients for Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Butter – This garlic Parmesan sauce starts with a roux, which means butter is the base.
- Garlic – Finely minced or pushed through a garlic press. We use 5 cloves for lots of garlicky flavor!
- Italian Seasoning – A blend of herbs that pair well with both garlic and Parmesan.
- Garlic Powder – For even more garlic flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour – Another essential ingredient for roux.
- Chicken Stock – I use my Homemade Chicken Stock.
- Heavy Cream – Creates a creamy and rich texture. Half-and-half can be used for a lighter option.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated Parmesan is a must. The store-bought grated Parmesan (the kind in the green bottle) does not melt well and will give you a lumpy sauce.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper – To season and enhance the overall taste.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full printable instructions.
- Melt the butter. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium and once it melts, stir in the garlic. Cook for a minute to infuse it with flavor, then stir in the Italian seasoning.
- Add the flour. Whisk the flour into the butter and cook until golden brown.
- Make it creamy. Slowly whisk in the broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the heavy cream. Simmer until thickened.
- Add the cheese. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the cheese until it melts and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Tips for Making Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Here are some additional tips to make sure your garlic Parmesan cheese sauce turns out perfect!
- Wait until the flour browns before adding the milk. The flour should darken to a golden brown color before you start incorporating the milk. This will give your sauce a richer, nuttier flavor and eliminate the raw flavor of uncooked flour.
- Whisk continuously while adding the milk. This will help prevent lumps from forming and create a smooth, creamy texture.
- Add the cheese gradually and stir constantly. Adding too much cheese at once can cause it to clump together and not fully incorporate into the sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper towards the end. The Parmesan cheese already adds saltiness to the sauce, so be sure to taste and adjust the seasoning towards the end of cooking.
How to Use Garlic Parmesan Sauce
There are so, so many ways to put this sauce to use! Here are some of my favorites.
- Add it to your favorite pasta or even elbow noodles for an elevated take on mac and cheese.
- Spread it onto Homemade Pizza Dough as a cheesy base for all your favorite toppings.
- Spoon it over steamed or roasted vegetables (like Roasted Cauliflower or Roasted Red Potatoes) to jazz them up.
- Dip breadsticks, cubes of bread (No Knead Sourdough Bread would be excellent!), or soft pretzels.
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Garlic Parmesan Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the italian seasoning.
- Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture starts to turn a golden brown.
- Slowly add the stock, continuing to whisk while adding. Reduce to medium-low heat.
- Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until thickened.
- Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cheese whisking until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth, approximately 5 minutes.
- Season to tasted with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
- Serve with pretzels for dipping, over pasta, as a pizza sauce or to spoon over nachos.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
