15 Ways To Use Alfredo Sauce That Go Beyond Pasta

Alfredo sauce is basically the grown-up, dare I say, fancy version of a classic cheese sauce. You know, like the one you find on mac and cheese. Regardless, its biggest accomplishment is being the perfect creamy, cheesy sauce for pasta. Obviously, there's no denying that. Still, our favorite white sauce is far from a one-trick pony. It actually makes a wonderful addition to a whole collection of dishes, each one tastier than the last. So, if you're looking to incorporate more Alfredo sauce into your meals, you have no shortage of options.

After considering my extensive experience working Alfredo sauce into my meals — I'm somewhat of a fanatic myself — and sifting through countless recipes online, I came up with 15 ways to use the delightful sauce. And, oh man, are they tasty. Whether you're the type of person who makes Alfredo sauce from scratch or simply opts for a good store-bought version, these ideas are just what you need to make sure you never waste a single drop of our beloved cheese sauce ever again. Alfredo sauce lovers rejoice!

Some of the best salad dressings of all time are creamy ones: ranch, blue cheese, and Caesar. Sure, vinegar-y ones have a time and place as well, but c'mon! Americans definitely love their ranch dressing. Regardless, you may not have thought it was possible, but our favorite creamy dressings get even tastier with help from our favorite cheese sauce: Alfredo. What, really? Yup, and it's as easy as stirring some in and letting it rip.

Adding Alfredo sauce to ranch, blue cheese, or Caesar dressing may seem counterintuitive. I mean, putting pasta sauce on salad is a bit out of the ordinary, but if you think about it, many of the salads we enjoy these dressings on already feature cheese. For example, a classic Caesar salad typically has Parmesan cheese, and that's the main ingredient used to make Alfredo sauce — so it's actually not that far of a stretch. Regardless of how it sounds to you, give it a try, and any hesitations will instantly melt away. Alfredo gives even the most boring store-bought versions of these creamy dressings a rich boost of flavor and texture that won't go unnoticed.

The rich, creamy texture and taste of cheesy Alfredo are no-brainers when it comes to giving various meats a saucy upgrade. After all, our favorite pasta dish featuring the sauce, fettuccine Alfredo, often comes with meat, so how could they not expertly complement each other? Plus, cheese makes just about everything better, duh.

Whether you are making steak, shrimp, chicken, pork, or fish for your main course, Alfredo sauce is ready to step in and give it all the flavor it needs. Okay, well, maybe you'll still want to enhance your meat with some basics, like salt and pepper, but you get the gist. Alfredo sauce makes a delicious marinade — think baked chicken smothered in it — but it also works as a finishing touch. Just drizzle some of our favorite sauce over the top of your preferred meat before serving, and voila! You have a cheesy, saucy, meaty dish perfect for any meal of the day.

When it comes to meatballs, everyone's go-to sauce is marinara (or red gravy, as we call it in my home). The pair is an iconic duo, to say the least, but you know what? Meatballs are more versatile than that one sauce, and if you're looking to switch things up, Alfredo sauce is here for the win. It's got all the saucy goodness of a red sauce, and it gets a helping hand from cheese. Say less, am I right?

The easiest way to infuse your meatballs in Alfredo sauce, homemade or store-bought, is to simmer them in a bath of it before serving. This gives them time to soak up all of the good stuff, i.e., the cheese, cream, and butter, before you move forward with incorporating them into your meal. Heck, they're even tasty enough to enjoy solo, so watch out while tasting, or they just might become your entire meal. Worse things could happen. Still, once your Alfredo meatballs are ready, they'll make a wonderful addition to pasta, hoagies, and more.

No surprises here, but pizza and Alfredo sauce are also the best of friends. Actually, if you have never tasted or at the very least heard of pizza made with Alfredo sauce as the base, you're doing something wrong. That's okay, though. That all changes now. The next time you're building a pizza at home, swap out the red sauce for Alfredo, and you can count yourself in the ranks of people who know how drool-worthy the simple ingredient swap truly is.

Personally, I love a saucy pizza, so I like to use quite a bit of it on my pies. My favorite way to add Alfredo sauce to the mix is to add alternating stripes of pesto, Alfredo, and red sauce (just like the Italian flag). However, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Alfredo pizza. Thanks to the sauce's rich taste and versatility, you can load up your pies with a world of different toppings, and they'll all come out fantastic. Chicken Alfredo pizza is a classic, and spicing it up with jalapeños is a solid choice as well. All your favorite pizza veggies pair with Alfredo, too, so feel free to go wild.

Before we get too ahead of ourselves, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that Alfredo sauce makes an outstanding dip all by itself. If you've ever used a piece of bread to soak up all the leftover sauce in the bottom of your bowl of Alfredo pasta, you know what I'm talking about. After all, it's a cheesy, creamy sauce, and that's essentially what a lot of dips are anyway. So, why not skip the theatrics of infusing it into our food and simply admit what we've been thinking all along ... How do I get more Alfredo into my mouth as quickly as possible? Use it as a dip, of course.

In addition to dipping bread in Alfredo sauce, veggies, crackers, and even more cheese make great vessels for transporting it to your mouth. In fact, just about everything you find on a classic charcuterie board tastes wonderful with Alfredo sauce, so why not put a dish of it on your next one? It'll definitely catch some attention, and something tells me it will be quick to go as well.

Whether you strictly follow recipes or not, let's face it: Casseroles are kind of a catch-all for whatever ingredients you have lying around. You can put almost anything in a casserole, and it'll turn out pretty tasty. That is, of course, as long as it doesn't come out of the oven dry. So, the next time you're building a casserole, look to Alfredo sauce to provide the cheesy, saucy results your casseroles are craving. It's got all the richness and flavor the humble dish desires, and it's easier to add Alfredo than a collection of other ingredients to get the job done.

My favorite baked dish to infuse with Alfredo sauce is green bean casserole. As someone who isn't the biggest fan of mushrooms, your typical can of cream of mushroom soup won't cut it for me. Alfredo sure will, though. You could obviously still add mushrooms, but green bean casserole with an Alfredo base is yummy enough that you might even forget they're absent. I've also made veggie pot pies with Alfredo as the creamy base that holds it all together, and I can't recommend it enough.

Ah, veggies. They are great served so many ways, but sometimes they lack the flavor and nuance needed to create a complete dish all by themselves. Not when you drizzle Alfredo sauce over them, though. Talk about flavor. And the textural enhancement certainly doesn't hurt, either.

Broccoli is probably the most obvious choice when it comes to pairing a vegetable with Alfredo sauce — I mean, who can argue with cheesy broccoli? No one, but that's just the beginning. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to think of a veggie that wouldn't taste better with Alfredo, barring maybe beets. Everything from peas to carrots to cauliflower to Brussels sprouts and beyond is begging for a rich flavor boost from our favorite cheesy, white sauce. Why not do yourself a favor and oblige? Actually, if you're using a lesser-than store-bought Alfredo sauce, the veggies might just give it a helping hand as well, so it's a win-win.

Your average baked potato features toppings such as butter, sour cream, cheese, green onions, and maybe even some bacon. But we are better than average. I'm not knocking classic baked potato toppings, but sticking to them and them alone is not in your best interest because there are so many ways to upgrade baked potatoes — one of which is loading them up with Italian-style toppings such as Alfredo sauce. Once the sauce is on, you can also add ingredients such as broccoli, peas, red pepper flakes, pizza toppings, or anything else your heart desires.

Alfredo sauce is also drool-worthy on other kinds of potatoes. From roasted to fried to baked, the humble spud will truly stand out with some Alfredo sauce. I've even stirred some into mashed potatoes before, and I swear I almost died of sheer flavor and textural excitement. All jokes aside, though, cheesy Alfredo sauce and potatoes are a match made in heaven. Don't hesitate to combine the two whenever the mood strikes. Speaking of which, don't mind me while I dip some french fries in my leftover jar of Alfredo.

There are endless ways to upgrade garlic bread, like doubling the garlic or adding shredded Mozzarella cheese. However, once you've got the basics down, it's time for a real flavor booster: Alfredo sauce. It is already made with garlic, butter, and cheese — three shining stars of garlic bread — so it just makes sense. If an Alfredo garlic bread mash-up has never crossed your mind before, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if you were wondering how that's been possible. Regardless, once you get a taste, it'll be stuck in your thoughts for good.

It doesn't matter whether you are making garlic bread or opting for a store-bought option; slathering a little Alfredo sauce on it is just what you need to ensure it comes out drool-worthy beyond belief. However, be careful not to go overboard. It may seem like more is a good idea because of how delicious Alfredo sauce is, but you don't want your garlic bread to come out of the oven soggy. So, remember to only spread a thin layer on top. You can always dip it in more sauce while eating, but you want it to start crispy.

Creamy soups like potato and chowder are just what you need to lift your spirits and keep you warm on a cold day. However, getting the texture just right isn't always so straightforward. Don't worry, though. Alfredo sauce has your back. If you ever find yourself with a creamy soup that's a little too watery — maybe it's a lesser-than store-bought product or your recipe didn't hit the mark — stir some Alfredo sauce in and consider the texture handled. Besides, a bit more cheese is always a good idea regarding flavor as well.

Even if your creamy soups don't "need" any help, adding a spoonful of Alfredo sauce to a steaming bowl is still a fantastic way to take it to new heights. My favorite soup to swirl with Alfredo is tomato, but corn, chicken and rice, and so many others benefit from a dollop of the good stuff, too. The next time you pop open a can of soup or serve yourself a fresh bowl of a homemade recipe, ask yourself if a little bite from Parmesan would enhance it. And if the answer is yes, don't hesitate — just go for it.

Alfredo sauce and quesadillas are the regional cuisine mash-up you didn't know you needed, but won't be able to forget, at least once you get a taste. I know it sounds a bit out of the ordinary to pair Italian and Mexican cuisine, but bear with me here.

Alfredo sauce primarily consists of cheese, and while Parmesan may not be the typical one we reach for when making quesadillas, that doesn't mean it won't taste great when the elements come together. Plus, unlike other cheeses, it's so much saucier, so you can forget about dry tortillas. Actually, Alfredo quesadillas can get somewhat messy, but the flavors and textures are drool-worthy enough to make you forget about that. Or, at the very least, not care one iota.

Just like with any quesadilla, you don't have to stop with cheese alone when making one with Alfredo. Feel free to layer it up with all the usual suspects, like onions, peppers, chicken, and more.

Everybody loves a good dip. If you don't, we can't be friends. Seriously, though, dips are the perfect thing for a quick snack, appetizer, or even an elaborate charcuterie board. No matter how you choose to enjoy them, though, they don't always turn out the way we want — especially some of the store-bought ones. No need to fret, though; lackluster dips are another area where Alfredo sauce is ready to step in and pick up some of the slack. Yay!

Store-bought French onion dip is one such dip that frequently lets me down. Some are better than others, but even the packets of French onion dip seasoning that only require some sour cream to mix up aren't the best. That is, until you infuse them with our favorite cheesy, creamy sauce. A few spoonfuls stirred in, and you'll have trouble keeping me away. That goes for more than just French onion dip, too. The tangy bite of Parmesan cheese fits into so many dip recipes with ease. I like to add it to spicy corn dip and artichoke spinach dip as well, but the sky's the limit.

Cheesy rice is a standard comfort food in my home, and why wouldn't it be? It's filling, creamy, cheesy, and all things delicious. However, whipping up a fresh bechamel turns what could be the simplest of dishes into more of a cooking task. So, when I'm not willing to commit to the added steps or am simply running short on time, I always reach for a jar of store-bought Alfredo sauce to make cheesy rice instead. Obviously, a homemade Alfredo would work just as well, maybe better, but if time is of the essence, the pre-made stuff won't let you down.

Making cheesy rice — and you better believe that includes risotto — with Alfredo is as easy as stirring our favorite white sauce in and giving it a few minutes to heat. What could be easier? While it's a delicious dish all by itself, you can also add any meats and veggies you like. Or, for something more elaborate, use your creation to make stuffed peppers. Delish!

Whether we are talking classic grilled cheese sandwiches or something more elaborate, like a panini loaded up with meats and veggies, grilled sandwiches are a true delight. They are a veritable playground for creative ingredients as well. After all, you can turn just about anything into a sandwich with just a couple of slices of bread (ask me how I know). You also want some kind of sauce, and that's where Alfredo comes into the equation.

Regardless of what types of grilled sandwiches you prefer, Alfredo is just what you need to make them deliciously saucy. If you don't like mayo (cough, cough, raises hand), even better because you won't need it anymore. In fact, the best way to use Alfredo sauce on grilled sandwiches is to simply swap out mayo for it. It's creamy enough to provide the same textural results as mayo but not so wet that your sandwiches won't stay intact. Plus, it's infinitely tastier than mayo. Just saying.

French toast is typically thought of as a sweet breakfast option. However, one of the many ways to upgrade French toast is to branch out into the world of savory toppings. With this in mind, Alfredo sauce could be your favorite breakfast toast's new best friend. It's rich and creamy, so it spreads over French toast beautifully, and it pairs with lots of other yummy ingredients as well. Just imagine a piece of French toast slathered with Alfredo sauce and topped with tomatoes and fresh basil ... yum!

While not exactly French toast (but basically a sandwich version of the dish), a croque madame or monsieur is also a great way to work Alfredo sauce into our mornings. After all, they are already smothered with cheese sauce, so why not just go for Alfredo instead?

I don't know about you, but I'm actually salivating after thinking of all these amazing ways to use Alfredo sauce, so you better believe I'm having something featuring it for dinner. I recommend you do the same.