Make The Most Decadent Alfredo Sauce With This Canned Ingredient Shortcut - Tasting Table

"Alfredo sauce may already be a simple recipe to begin with, but we spoke to Jake Peterson, chef and co-owner at Dēliz Italian Steakhouse, about a shortcut that'll upgrade its decadence. For the richest, creamiest Alfredo sauce, Peterson thinks adding evaporated milk could be a good idea. "In theory, it would be like using double cream, i.e., double cream that has been reduced by half," the chef explains. "I'd love to try it myself to see the results.""

"Peterson's reasoning (or hypothesis) for trying evaporated milk is that it'd be a good swap for heavy cream. Heavy cream is already a foundational ingredient in the original recipe for chicken fettuccine Alfredo, which reduces the cream by half before piling on Parmesan and melted butter. "It was one of the first recipes I started with when I was 10," the chef notes, adding that "evaporated milk, having already been reduced, does not have the water content to allow for further reduction.""

"Not only will evaporated milk give Alfredo sauce a thick, velvety texture, but, says Peterson, "flavor-wise, it would be a little nuttier and richer." The nutty richness of evaporated milk will enhance the salty, nutty, umami-richness of the Parmesan cheese beautifully. Plus, evaporated milk is a cheap, shelf-stable staple that you can keep in your pantry for months, while heavy cream has a finite shelf life."

Evaporated milk can substitute for heavy cream to produce rich, creamy Alfredo similar to double cream reduced by half. Being pre-reduced, evaporated milk contains less water, eliminating the need to simmer the sauce to reduce moisture and shortening cooking time. The milk imparts a slightly nutty, richer flavor that complements Parmesan's salty, umami profile and yields a thick, velvety texture. Evaporated milk is inexpensive and shelf-stable, lasting months in the pantry compared with heavy cream's short refrigerated life. Use three cans of evaporated milk in place of heavy cream, melting butter over medium heat before adding the milk.

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