Alfredo sauce is a rich and creamy white sauce, originated from Italy. The main ingredients are butter, heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Besides, the added condiments like garlic, black pepper or parsley will enhance the flavor of this creamy mixture. Sometimes, eggs or starch can be used to thicken the sauce. If you want to save Alfredo sauce for longer use, you should know how to freeze it and how long can it last in the fridge or freezer by reading the following article.
Why is Alfredo sauce popular?
Alfredo sauce is not only popular in Italia but also around the world because it can be a great complimentary sauce for many favorite foods like pasta, noodles and other dishes. You can:
- Mix your fresh pasta in Alfredo sauce for a delicious treat quickly.
- Pair this creamy sauce with cooked vegetables or baked potatoes for healthy meals.
- Combine it with other sauces like tomato sauce or pesto sauce to have a mixed sauce. Using this tasty sauce when you roast beef, chicken or pork will retain the tenderness of the meat.
Can you freeze Alfredo sauce?
Yes. You absolutely can freeze Alfredo sauce whether you’re topping it with chocolate or any jam. Frozen Alfredo sauce can be kept for about 3 months in the freezer. Freezing is the best way to preserve Alfredo sauce for a long time. You can learn some tips to freeze Alfredo sauce easier and more accurate.
When the Alfredo sauce is frozen, ingredients such as fat and water will separate. This sauce will gradually turn yellow and no longer have a consistency. Therefore, if you want to use Alfredo for a longer period, you should learn how to freeze it properly. And it best to use your sauce as soon as possible, do not place the sauce in fridge for too long.
Further reading: Freezing Italian Pasta Salad – What Should You Know?
How long can Alfredo sauce last in the fridge?
For homemade Alfredo sauce
Because Alfredo sauce is made from starch, mozzarella cheese, and cream, it is easy to spoil if left at room temperature. You need to keep it refrigerated to ensure the flavor, color, and texture.
In fridge
If you don’t like frozen products, you can leave the Alfredo sauce in the fridge for storage. However, its non-damage time is quite short.
You should eat within 1 hour or 2 hours in the refrigerator to be able to feel the wonderful flavor of Alfredo sauce.
The shelf life of Alfredo sauce in the refrigerator ranges from 4 to 7 days depending on the refrigerator temperature.
In freezer
When it is kept in freezer, Alfredo sauce will be fresh and safe for about 6 months or even longer if you store it properly. You should use the airtight containers to cover it, label the date carefully and put it into freezer as soon as possible.
It is advised that do not place the Alfredo sauce in freezer for more than 6 months for best quality.
For the store-bought Alfredo sauces
So many types of Alfredo sauces are available for you to choose from. These store-bought sauces are also creamy and combined with flavors of garlic and cheese that are perfect for your meals.
The expiration date of these Alfredo sauces is usually 1 or 2 years, some types can up to 3 years at room temperature, so you can stock them in your pantry.
However, after opening, the sauces can stay safe in fridge for about 5 to 7 days under proper storing conditions.
How to freeze Alfredo sauce?
Alfredo sauce will not be able to maintain its original color, flavor, and texture if you do not know how to freeze it in the right way. Since it is made from high-fat milk, care must be taken when freezing to avoid spoilage.
Using zip bags
Here are some steps for you to freeze Alfredo sauce:
- Let the sauce cool after it is cooked
- Break up Alfredo sauce to freeze
- Pour sauce into each vacuum zipper bag
- Remove the air and leave a few inches to allow the Alfredo sauce to expand during the freezing process
- Close the zip bag carefully to prevent air from entering and label it with the cooking date
Using glass or plastic containers
In addition to using a zip bag, you can also use a sturdy glass or plastic container with a lid. You absolutely should not use metal cans because it will affect the taste of the Alfredo sauce.
With the ice cube trays
You can make use of ice cube trays to be able to divide the Alfredo sauce into smaller pieces to make it easier to use the sauce later.
Whatever method you choose, it is important that you should pack the sauce in individual portions because the small portions can be frozen and reheated faster than large ones. Squeeze air out of the bags before sealing and putting them in freezers.
How to thaw frozen Alfredo sauce?
Put it in the fridge
If you need to use it tomorrow, you can leave the Alfredo sauce in the fridge to defrost from tonight.
With warm water
If you need it urgently, use warm water and soak a zip bag with frozen Alfredo sauce inside.
By microwave
You can microwave frozen Alfredo sauce between 75 degrees F and 165 degrees F. Make sure that you use the microwave-proof cover and don’t overheat your sauce.
Frozen Alfredo sauce can be used afterwards for savory dishes such as chicken in cream sauce for dinner.
Once defrosting is complete, the texture of the Alfredo sauce will separate. Therefore, you should use a spatula to stir in the clockwise direction for about five minutes or use a whisk to restore the original texture of the sauce.
The hot temperature after reheating helps frozen Alfredo sauce kill harmful bacteria before it is cooked.
What to do if the Alfredo sauce is diluted after defrosting?
After defrosting, if the Alfredo sauce is not as desired but slightly diluted, you can:
- Apply a little water to half a teaspoon of cornstarch
- Mix the solution and put it back in the Alfredo sauce
- Wait until the sauce thickens
These steps ensure that the flavor and texture of the sauce will not change.
Related questions
Is frozen Alfredo sauce as nutritious as fresh?
If you quickly use frozen Alfredo sauce, it will still preserve the nutrients of garlic and cheese as a fresh sauce. Alfredo sauce will preserve the perfect flavor if you keep it in the freezer and refrigerator.
How do I know if the Alfredo sauce goes bad in the fridge?
You can use your sense of smell and sight to judge. If Alfredo sauce goes bad, it will have the odd-looking colors or gray due to mold growth. Also, when it smells sour, you should discard the sauce. Eating spoiled sauce, you may suffer from food poisoning.
Can I refreeze Alfredo sauce?
Completely no. You can’t defrost and refreeze it one more time because it’s prone to breaking down on the inside due to its fat content.
What are the best store-bought Alfredo sauces?
Here are some:
Rao’s Homemade Alfredo Sauce is a kind of classic Alfredo version including light cream, butter, Parmesan, egg yolks, sea salt, Romano cheese and pepper. It mixes well with Penne Chicken Alfredo, zucchini spaghetti.
Simply Organic Alfredo Sauce Mix contains organic ingredients such as dry milk, garlic, rice concentrate, potato starch, sea salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Bertolli Creamy Basil Alfredo Sauce has butter, cream and Parmesan cheese, flavored with basil and a hint of garlic. The sauce is best used with pasta and ravioli.
Little Italy Bronx Alfredo Sauce: It has classic ingredients like cream, butter, fresh garlic.
Prego Pasta Sauce, Homestyle Alfredo Sauce: With authentic Italian flavor, the sauce is delicious, creamy and thick. You can make fettucine alfredo, chicken alfredo, or shrimp alfredo with it.
Conclusion
Hopefully, through this article, you have learned how long Alfredo sauce lasts in the fridge as well as how to freeze them. With the above useful information, surely now you do not have a headache about preserving Alfredo sauce in the most reasonable way. Thank you for reading!
Reference
1. Freeze Alfredo Sauce, canyoufreezethis.com, Retrieved on Sep. 22, 2021
