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The Spruce Eats / Amelia Manley
There’s so much to love about pasta night—namely, it’s one of the easiest dinners to throw together in a pinch, but there are still plenty of options to customize the meal to fit your taste buds. Alfredo sauce is one of the most delicious sauces to swap for your typical marinara. It’s comforting, creamy, and bursting with flavors of garlic and cheese. You don’t have to craft it from scratch for good results, either.
These store-bought Alfredo sauces are perfect for your dinner. We found the best that will top off any pasta night deliciously.
Best Overall
Botticelli Premium Alfredo Pasta Sauce
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Amazon
When picking out a pasta sauce to add to your favorite pasta shape at home, there are not too many sauces better than a creamy Alfredo. While most options out there fit this bill, the one we chose as the Best Overall on our list has a few extra bonuses.
First of all, there are extra types of cheese in this pasta sauce—usually you'll find ones like Parmesan and Romano. Yet, Botticelli's contains Ricotta, Grana Padano, and Pecorino for an extra oompf of cheese flavor. Secondly, this one is made in Italy...and you can taste it. Add some freshly ground pepper to a decorated bowl of pasta topped with this white Alfredo sauce and you'll feel like you're in Italy.
Price at time of publish: $5
Size: 15 ounces | Allergens: Contains milk and egg | Cheeses included: Ricotta, Grana Padano, and Pecorino
Best Budget
Classico Creamy Alfredo Pasta Sauce
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Courtesy of Amazon
Just because you want to keep your grocery bill as low as possible doesn’t mean you have to reach for a less-than-stellar jar. This Alfredo sauce holds its own against its more expensive competitors, thanks to a classic formula bursting with flavor. That rich and creamy taste and texture are largely attributed to the fact that the gluten-free sauce is made using fresh cream and then blended with butter, aged Parmesan, and chunks of black pepper.
Price at time of publish: $3
Size: 15 ounces | Allergens: Contains milk and egg | Cheeses included: Parmesan
Most Versatile
Bertolli Alfredo with Aged Parmesan Cheese Sauce
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Courtesy of Amazon
Because the main ingredient in this award-winning preservative-free Alfredo sauce is real cream, the product tastes just like a homemade sauce would. The dairy cream base is slow-simmered and lightly cooked with aged Parmesan and garlic to maintain bold flavors that really shine through in the finished product. Still, it’s not too heavy or gloppy. Instead, the texture is silky, coating noodles with just enough sauce—no more, no less.
Bertolli Alfredo is ideal for using with meat and seafood pastas, as well as more creative pizza and potato dishes. In fact, the Bertolli website has a wealth of inspiration for using this Alfredo sauce with recipes like Caprese Eggs Benedict, Seared Chicken with Creamy Potatoes and Kale, and White Pizza with Creamy Alfredo and Italian Sausage.
Price at time of publish: $2
Size: 15 ounces | Allergens: Contains milk, soy, and egg | Cheeses included: Parmesan and Romano
Best Classic
RAGÚ Classic Alfredo Sauce
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Courtesy of Amazon
This jarred sauce gets its great taste from a recipe that relies on fresh cream and real Parmesan and Romano cheese. The texture is exactly what you’d like, too—thick and creamy to perfectly coat everything from noodles to chicken. That's not all there is to love, though. Ragù’s sauce has no artificial colors, artificial flavors, or high-fructose corn syrup, and instead relies on the same recipes and cooking techniques used in the original family recipes.
Price at time of publish: $2
Size: 16 ounces | Allergens: Contains egg and milk | Cheeses included: Parmesan and Romano
Best Gluten-Free
Newman’s Own Alfredo Pasta Sauce
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Courtesy of Walmart
Since many creamy sauces rely on a roux made of butter and flour to get that rich, thick consistency, you might suspect that Alfredo sauce would be off the table for any gluten-free diners. Luckily, that’s not always the case, as proven by this delicious store-bought option.
Like other great jarred Alfredo sauces, this particular formula is crafted without preservatives, artificial colors, or artificial flavors. This ensures it maintains that made-from-scratch taste you crave. Still, this particular version is gluten-free, so all members of the family can enjoy the same meal. There's something else to feel good about: 100 percent of net profits benefit charity.
Price at time of publish: $3
Size: 15 ounces | Allergens: Contains milk and egg | Cheeses included: Parmesan and Romano
Best Keto
Rao’s Homemade Alfredo Pasta Sauce
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Courtesy of Amazon
Trying out a new diet doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to some long-standing family favorites, like chicken Alfredo. Because this pasta sauce is low carb and doesn’t have any added sugar, it's both keto- and Whole 30-friendly.
What’s more, Rao’s prides itself on sourcing quality ingredients for its sauces. This particular blend is made with real light cream, Parmesan and Romano, butter, egg, black pepper, and salt. There’s no paste, no added water, no starch, and no artificial colors. The result: rich, silky sauce you’ll want to completely devour.
Price at time of publish: $9
Size: 15 ounces | Allergens: Contains egg and milk | Cheeses included: Parmesan
Best for Kids
Little Italy in the Bronx Alfredo Sauce
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It should come as no surprise that a standout Alfredo sauce comes straight from the heart of the Italian capital of the United States—New York City. As you might expect, the pasta sauce is produced with traditional and simple ingredients, like cream, butter, fresh garlic, and a zesty Parmigiano-Reggiano to yield a silky and super-fresh product that beautifully coats any type of noodle, from fettuccine to penne. This is perfect for the smaller plates at the table—a simpler flavor pairs well with younger taste buds.
You can feel good about this purchase for so much more than the taste, too. The sauce is named after The Bronx's Arthur Avenue and doesn’t contain any preservatives or added sugar. What’s more, a portion of the proceeds helps preserve the traditions of Little Italy in the Bronx by promoting business development, cultural programming, and streetscape improvements.
Price at time of publish: $5
Size: 15 ounces | Allergens: Contains egg and milk | Cheeses included: Parmesan, Romano, and Parmigiano Reggiano
Best Vegan
Primal Kitchen No Dairy Alfredo Sauce
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Courtesy of Walmart
Even if you’re vegan (or simply avoiding dairy), this jarred Alfredo sauce allows you to indulge in a creamy, rich pasta dish. The Primal Kitchen No-Dairy Alfredo Sauce is as simple as can be. It doesn’t contain any dairy, gluten, soy, canola oil, or artificial ingredients.
So where does that delicious taste come from? The sauce contains creamy cashew butter and avocado oil to lend the texture you're looking for. It also has plenty of roasted garlic, onion powder, and a sprinkle of black pepper to add the classic burst of flavor.
Price at time of kitchen: $8
Size: 15.5 ounces | Allergens: Contains tree nuts (cashews) | Cheeses included: None
Our pick for the best all-around Alfredo sauce is Botticelli Premium Alfredo Pasta Sauce. It's a traditional sauce made in Italy with fresh ingredients and three types of cheeses. For a gluten-free option to pair with your favorite GF pasta, try Newman’s Own Alfredo Pasta Sauce.
What to Look for in Store-Bought Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
Unlike homemade Alfredo sauce that you make from scratch, commercially produced shelf-stable sauce may contain preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and added sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. Check the list of ingredients to see if the sauce contains any of these. The label will also tell you if the sauce is made from organic ingredients and if the ingredients are non-GMO.
Dietary Restrictions
The roux base of the sauce might be made with flour. If that’s a dietary no-no for you, make sure what you buy is gluten-free. While Alfredo is by definition a sauce with butter, cream, and cheese, there are also dairy-free and vegan versions as well as keto-friendly and low-carb sauces.
Sodium Content
Although you might not necessarily taste it, the salt content in the different sauces can vary greatly. To limit your sodium intake, compare the nutrition labels. The reference is usually a 1/4-cup serving, making it easy to identify the sauce with the least sodium.
Product Form
Most Alfredo sauce is sold in jars and ready to use, but for kitchens with limited storage space, or when you are going on a camping trip and don’t want to lug heavy jars around, a powder that you mix as needed is a convenient option.
FAQs
What is traditional Alfredo sauce made of?
The classic version of Alfredo sauce is made from butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese.
Is Alfredo sauce actually Italian?
The sauce was invented in Rome by Alfredo di Lelio, but the name is rarely used in Italy, unlike in the United States, where Alfredo sauce became hugely popular.
What is the difference between Alfredo and fettuccine?
Alfredo is the creamy sauce that is served over fettuccine noodles, a flat Italian pasta. The dish is called fettuccine Alfredo. There are other dishes with Alfredo sauce, such as chicken Alfredo.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best store-bought Alfredo sauces on the market, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, allergens, and price—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
This roundup was written by Brigitt Earley, who has written and edited food content for various publications over the course of the last 10 years. She also holds a culinary degree from the French Culinary Institute.
Amanda McDonald is an editor at The Spruce Eats and has over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing about all things food — from what new products are at the grocery store to chef-approved hacks that keep tricky leftovers fresh for days. She updated this article to include the most up-to-date information.
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