How to Make Pasta with Alfredo Sauce from a Jar

Co-authored by Abyssinia Campbell

Last Updated: June 21, 2024

You can make a delicious meal with just a box of pasta and some jarred Alfredo sauce. This inexpensive meal is easy to make and perfect for a weeknight dinner when you just want some comfort food, and fast. All you have to do is cook the pasta, heat up the sauce, and enjoy.

Things You Should Know

Generally, you'll need 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of alfredo sauce per single serving.
Cook the pasta as you would normally.
Then, heat your sauce over medium heat and add your pasta in the same pan. Stir and cook the pasta and sauce for 3 minutes.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Cooking the Pasta

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1
Fill a tall pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. When it comes to making pasta, it doesn't matter how much water you use; you just need enough to submerge the pasta. Err on the safe side and fill the pot about 3/4 full to make sure you have enough. You want it to come to a full, rolling boil before you add the pasta.
- If you want, you can salt the water to help flavor the pasta. Add a few shakes of salt from your salt shaker. You can also add salt later, after the pasta has cooked, or just enjoy the saltiness of the Alfredo sauce.
Drop the dried pasta into the water, and it will immediately begin cooking.

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3
Cook the pasta for the amount of time indicated on the package. Different types of pasta require different cooking times. In general, it should take eight to ten minutes to finish cooking your pasta. Most people enjoy their pasta "al dente," which means it still has a bit of bite to it, rather than being completely mushy.
- You can check to see if the pasta is ready by using a fork to pull out a piece and tasting it. If you like the texture, remove it from heat.
- Or smack a piece of pasta against the wall or another surface. If it sticks, it's ready.
Turn off the heat and place the pasta on a different burner so it stops cooking.

Part 2

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Mixing the Pasta and Sauce

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You'll need the same number of sauce servings as pasta servings. For example, if you made enough pasta for two people, heat enough sauce for two people. Check the nutrition label on the sauce jar to find out how much sauce is in one serving; it should be about 1/4 to 1/2 cup per person.
The pot you use needs to be large enough to fit both the Alfredo sauce and the pasta, so choose accordingly.
Place the pan on a burner, turn the burner to medium, and let the sauce begin to heat. Stir it occasionally using a spatula or spoon to keep it from scorching on the bottom. It should take about five minutes to heat. Taste the sauce to see if it's hot before going to the next step.
Lift the pasta from the pasta pot to the Alfredo pan to mix them together. You can use tongs or a pronged pasta spoon to do the job. Keep going until all of the pasta has been moved from the pot to the pan with the sauce.
This will give the pasta and the sauce time to combine and take on a nice texture. After three minutes are up, remove the pan from heat.

Part 3

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Serving the Pasta

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You could also pour it into a bowl and have everyone serve themselves.
Grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley taste wonderful with pasta and Alfredo sauce. Add as many toppings as you want, or just eat it plain. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Make your pasta dish into a complete meal by serving it with some garlic bread and a salad on the side.

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I want to spice up my fettuccine alfredo recipe, because I'm using jarred sauce. Is there anything I can do to make it a little more homemade?

Community Answer

If you're using a plain alfredo sauce, try roasting your own garlic and using your favorite blend of herbs to personalize things and add a bit of extra oomph.

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Will the leftovers keep?

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Leftovers are even better. Heat everything up in a saute pan on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally then add parmesan and parsley and enjoy.

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Can I use hot Italian sausage in spaghetti and alfredo sauce?

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Yes, you can! That would be a great combination.

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Tips

Decide how much pasta you need before you begin cooking. The average serving size is 2 ounces of pasta per person. That's about half a handful of dried fettuccine noodles, or half a cup of dried macaroni^{[1]
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The type of pasta you choose is completely up to you. Fettuccine noodles, which are like wide, flat spaghetti noodles, are commonly paired with Alfredo sauce. However, any type of pasta will taste great, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

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You can also add salt, pepper, and anything else you want to the sauce to customize it. While the sauce is heating, taste it and determine whether you want to add some spices or you like it just the way it is.

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