Garlic Cream Sauce Recipe
This 20-minute Garlic Cream Sauce is a rich, velvety sauce made with just 6 ingredients: butter, fresh or roasted garlic, dry white wine, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Simmered until silky, it’s the ultimate versatile topper for pasta, steak, chicken, seafood, or veggies. Restaurant-style comfort in one skillet, perfect for weeknights or date night dinners.
Equipment
- 10" Skillet or Sauté Pan: Wide surface area helps the wine reduce quickly and evenly.
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula: For stirring constantly so garlic doesn’t brown.
- Measuring Cups & Spoons: Precision matters for wine-to-cream ratio.
- 1 Sharp Knife & Cutting Board: For mincing garlic and chopping parsley.
- 1 Microplane or Garlic Press (Optional): Gets garlic super fine so it melts into the Garlic Cream Sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter: Butter is the flavour base. Salted butter adds depth, but you can use unsalted and adjust salt later.
- 1 Clove Garlic, Minced – Or 1 Bulb Roasted: Fresh garlic gives a pungent kick; roasted garlic is mellow, sweet, and spreadable.
- 1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic: This layers in a toasty garlic note and boosts flavor even after simmering.
- 1 Cup Dry White Wine – Not Sweet: Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio work great.
- 2 Cups Heavy Cream: This is the body of your Garlic Cream Sauce. Don’t substitute milk
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt – More To Taste If Needed: Salt balances the richness. Always taste and adjust at the end.
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Adds gentle heat and complexity. Freshly ground is best.
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, Chopped: Stir in right before serving.
Instructions
Sauté The Aromatics
- Melt 2 tbsp salted butter in a large 10" skillet over medium heat.
- When the butter begins to sizzle, turn the heat to low and add 1 minced clove of garlic and 1/2 tsp of granulated garlic.
- Cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute, so the garlic doesn't brown. Pro tip: Burnt garlic = bitter Garlic Cream Sauce.
Deglaze With White Wine
- Add 1 cup dry white wine and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce until the wine is just a 1/4" skim in the pan. This concentrates flavour and cooks off alcohol.
Add Cream & Simmer Gently
- Next, add 2 cups of heavy cream and bring the mixture back to a simmer.
- Do not let it come to a hard boil because it will boil over the pan.
Reduce To Perfect Consistency
- Reduce the sauce over a low simmer until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, if you're using it for pasta.
- Reduce a little more if you're serving it over protein.
Season & Finish
- Season to taste with 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, sprinkle with 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Wine Choice: Use a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Avoid sweet wines or “cooking wine” — they’re too salty and will throw off the flavour of your Garlic Cream Sauce.
- Garlic Options: Fresh minced garlic gives a bold, punchy flavor. For a sweeter, mellow version, swap it for 1 whole bulb of roasted garlic. Don’t let fresh garlic brown or it’ll turn bitter.
- Don’t Skip the Reduction: Let the wine reduce until it’s just a 1/4" skim in the pan before adding cream. That concentrates the flavour and cooks off the alcohol.
- Heat Control Is Key: Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. A hard boil can cause the cream to break or boil over the pan.
- Consistency Guide: For pasta, simmer until it coats the back of a spoon. For steak, chicken, or pork, reduce a little longer for a thicker Garlic Cream Sauce.
- Salt Last: Wine and butter add saltiness. Taste and adjust sea salt and pepper at the end.
- No Dairy-Free Swap: This particular Garlic Cream Sauce relies on heavy cream for stability. For dairy-free, the original creator recommends trying a Vegan Cashew Cream Sauce instead.
- Make-Ahead & Reheating: Stores for 3 days in the fridge. This also works wonders when reheating leftovers — warm gently over low heat with a splash of cream or milk to loosen.
- Freezing Not Recommended: Cream sauces can separate after freezing. It’s best fresh, and only takes 20 minutes.
- Gluten-Free: This version is naturally gluten-free since there’s no flour or roux.