Garlic parmesan sauce is a 5 ingredient, 5 minute sauce that is perfect for pizza, veggies, and potatoes. It’s delicious for dipping, drizzling, and adding to my famous garlic parmesan wings and garlic parmesan pasta.

I love parmesan and garlic. Turns out this recipe is made for me. It tasted delicious, I ate it with pasta and chicken pieces, yum!

– elle –
A silver sauce pan full of garlic parmesan sauce
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Garlic parmesan sauce is a simple sauce made with butter, garlic, salt, pepper and parmesan that is incredibly versatile. It is loaded with garlic flavor and coats everything beautifully. It’s truly amazing on almost everything!

I love to skip bottled dressings and sauces and mix up this homemade creamy garlic parmesan sauce! I can make it on a whim with ingredients I have on hand.

A silver sauce pan on a marble counter, filled with pasta in a garlic parmesan sauce

Ingredients

  • Butter – Melted butter coats well and adds rich, buttery flavor.
  • Minced Garlic – Fresh minced garlic offers the most robust flavor, but these garlic substitutions also work well.
  • Salt – I always love thick flakes of sea salt from a grinder for added texture or use kosher salt in a pinch.
  • Pepper – Thick flakes of fresh cracked pepper offer robust flavor, color and texture.
  • Parmesan – I like to grate cheese from a block for the best flavor and texture.
Ingredients for garlic parmesan sauce laid out on a marble surface

Tips from my Test Kitchen

Medium Heat: Cook the sauce over low to medium heat to prevent burning and ensure even cooking.

Constant Stirring: Stir the sauce constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan and to achieve a smooth texture.

Fresh Parmesan: It melts so much better. Store-bought grated parmesan tends to be dry and has a tendency to clump.

A silver sauce pan full of garlic parmesan sauce

Serving Suggestions

  • Chicken – Toss with wings, and drizzle or dip kabobs, skewers, spiedini, baked chicken breasts, chicken strips and all of your favorite chicken recipes!
  • Seafood – It’s delicious on salmon and shrimp!
  • Veggies – Drizzle on favorite vegetables; fresh, roasted or steamed. I love it on roasted cauliflower and asparagus.
  • Pastas – Toss with your favorite noodles for an easy family friendly dinner.
  • Pizza – In lieu of traditional pizza sauce spread garlic parmesan sauce on as a base.
  • As a Dip – Dip foods like artichoke, toasted raviolis, cheese curds and breadsticks. For a healthier option, try crisp veggies like cauliflower, broccoli or carrots.
Wings in a white bowl, coated in garlic parmesan sauce
A silver sauce pan full of garlic parmesan sauce
5 from 9 votes
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Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Garlic parmesan sauce is made with 5 ingredients in just 5 minutes. This versatile sauce adds amazing flavor on pasta, wings, pizza, vegetables and so much more!
Prep: 3 minutes
Cook: 2 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients  

  • ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
  • 2 teaspoons garlic finely minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ cup parmesan grated

Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan, melt butter on medium heat.
    ½ cup unsalted butter
  • Add garlic and sauté, stirring continuously for approximately 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in salt and pepper and remove from heat.
    2 teaspoons garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
    Melted butter in a stainless steel pan being stirred with a wooden spoon on a stovetop, transforming into a rich garlic parmesan sauce.
  • Whisk in parmesan and toss with wings, pasta, veggies, top pizza, drizzle or enjoy as a dipping sauce!
    ½ cup parmesan
    A silver sauce pan full of garlic parmesan sauce

Julie’s Tips

  • Thickening: If the sauce is too thin, let it simmer gently until it reaches the desired consistency. Avoid boiling.
  • Thinning: If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a bit of milk, chicken broth, or a little cream.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Garlic – 4 garlic cloves = 2 teaspoons of minced garlic.
  • Make it Creamy – Add up to 1 cup heavy cream to achieve the desired consistency.
  • Spice it Up – Add Italian sSeasoning, fresh parsley, basil or green onion for a variation.
  • Fresh or dried herbs like parsley, basil, or thyme can also add a nice flavor.
  • A little lemon zest can brighten the flavor of the sauce.
  • A splash of white wine can add depth to the sauce. Add it after sautéing the garlic and let it reduce slightly.

Storage Notes

  • Airtight Container: Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently over low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of milk or cream to restore its creamy consistency.

Video

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 538IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

Explore More

More Garlic Recipes

Garlic is so flavorful it lends itself to so many amazing dishes. It’s one of my favorites! I can’t wait for you to try more of my easy garlic recipes!

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5 from 9 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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14 Comments

    1. Hi Pat,
      The storage directions are in the post as follows:
      At Room Temperature โ€“ Keep at room temperature while using, but transfer to the refrigerator after a couple of hours.
      Refrigerate โ€“ Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to a week.
      Freeze โ€“ Do not freeze this garlic parmesan sauce.
      Enjoy!
      Julie

  1. 5 stars
    I love parmesan and garlic. Turns out this recipe is made for me. It tasted delicious, I ate it with pasta and chicken pieces, yum!

    1. See the printable recipe at the bottom of the post or simply click “jump to recipe”. Enjoy.

  2. Do you not post reviews for this recipe? I see how many stars but I do not see where people wrote about their experience with this recipe.

    1. Yes, I received and responded to your email as well. We do not require readers to comment to leave a rating. Some do, others prefer to simply select their rating. However, we do not approve ratings when the reader did not make the recipe and rate based on whether or not comments are required.