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Home > Condiments, Sauces & Seasonings > Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce
40 minutes minutes

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Published: Aug 22, 2024

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roasted garlic Parmesan sauce stirred with pasta with text on top.

This outrageously delicious garlic Parmesan sauce has wonderful rich flavors from roasted garlic and cheese. Toss with pasta, pour it over roasted veggies, and use it as dipping sauce or pizza sauce.

Are you a garlic lover? You have to try our favorite garlic recipes – creamy garlic pasta, roasted garlic mashed cauliflower, and garlic spaghetti.

roasted garlic parmesan sauce in a ceramic bowl.
Jump to:
  • Roasted garlic Parmesan sauce
  • Ingredients
  • How to roast garlic
  • Step-by-step Instructions
  • Best Tips
  • Ways To Use The Sauce
  • Storage and Reheat
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Garlic Inspired Recipes
  • 📋 Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Roasted garlic Parmesan sauce

One of the simplest sauces you’ll ever make. It’s smooth, light, and finger-licking good! Adding roasted garlic makes this cheesy sauce rich in flavor and brings out the sweetness of garlic making it outrageously delicious!

It’s not too buttery or dense. The sauce starts with a roux – cooking butter & flour mix. Roux is a thickener for creamy garlic Parmesan sauce.

Add Italian seasoning, milk, cheese, and a little heavy cream at the end.

It’s a great make-ahead sauce.

Ingredients

creamy Parmesan garlic sauce ingredients
  • Garlic – for extra flavor and taste use roasted garlic.
  • Parmesan cheese – for best results I recommend you use freshly grated parmesan from block cheese over pre-grated cheese from a bag.
  • Cream – this rich sauce is best made with heavy cream or whipping cream. I do not recommend any other substitutions.

How to roast garlic

Method 1:

The easiest method is to roast whole garlic packed in aluminum foil in the oven. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt over garlic, pack whole garlic head in aluminum foil, and roast in a preheated oven at 350 F for 25-35 minutes.

Do not roast longer, garlic will turn brown.

Remove roasted garlic from the oven. Let it cool down a bit. Squeeze the garlic out of its peel. If it doesn’t come off peel by squeezing, hold the peel, and pull it off.

Roasted garlic can be stored in the fridge for about a  week and used in any dish you want.

roasting garlic steps

Method 2:

Alternatively, you can peel the skin off the garlic and put whole cloves in small baking ramekins. Pour olive oil over garlic. Cover the ramekin with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for about 20-25 minutes.

Remove the ramekin from the oven, and let it cool down a bit. Remove garlic from olive oil, mash/finely chop it. Use in your favorite dish.

Step-by-step Instructions

picture collage of cooking flour for garlic sauce.

Step 1: Melt butter, and add roasted mashed garlic. Saute for a couple of seconds.

Step 2: Add flour and cook whisking constantly on low heat.

picture collage of cooking roux for parmesan sauce.

Step 3: Continue to whisk and cook flour until fragrant.

Step 4: Pour chicken stock slowly into the saucepan, whisk continuously and cook for few seconds.

picture collage of cooking roux for parmesan sauce.

Step 5: Pour in milk and heavy cream, stir, and cook sauce on low flame.

Step 6: Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. You can add dried herbs of your choice to the sauce. Dried oregano, basil, and dried thyme add the best flavors.

picture collage of cooking roux for parmesan sauce.

Step 7: Cook with constant stirring for about 5 to 8 minutes on low flame.

Step 8: Once the sauce thickens, add heavy cream, and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook until the cheese melts.

The sauce continues to thicken as it rests. Don’t overcook.

Best Tips

  1. Using roasted garlic in the sauce brings out a rich, sweet taste of garlic making the sauce tastier.
  2. While making roux, keep whisking flour and butter mix to avoid lump formation and burning flour. Cook on low flame.
  3. For the vegetarian option, use vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock.
  4. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Keep this in mind while you simmer the sauce. When it turns slightly thick you can stop cooking. Also, if the sauce seems too thick when done, adjust the consistency by adding a little chicken stock or water.
  5. I recommend you use a Parmesan cheese block and grate it fresh before use.

Ways To Use The Sauce

  1. Toss pasta in the sauce,
  2. Dress roasted/baked veggies with this luscious sauce,
  3. Use it as a dipping sauce with chicken wings,
  4. Use it as a base for mac n cheese,
  5. For pizza sauce.
spaghetti pasta tossed in garlic Parmesan sauce

Storage and Reheat

You can make the sauce ahead and store it in the fridge for about a week. I do not recommend freezing the sauce as it contains dairy and can alter the texture of the sauce when frozen.

Take the portion of cheese sauce you want to use in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Add a splash of water depending on the quantity of sauce you use. Reheat on low heat, stirring continuously until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Use it in your favorite dish.

Recipe FAQs

Can you substitute roasted garlic with raw minced garlic?

Yes, you can. Adding roasted garlic enhances the flavor and taste of the sauce.

Why did my sauce turn way too thick?

The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Keep this in mind while you simmer the sauce. When it turns slightly thick you can stop cooking. Also, if the sauce seems too thick when done, adjust the consistency by adding a little chicken stock or water.

More Garlic Inspired Recipes

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    Easy Garlic Rice (Filipino Garlic Fried Rice)

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spoon in garlic Parmesan sauce in blue bowl
5 from 19 votes

📋 Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Jyothi Rajesh
This outrageously delicious garlic Parmesan sauce has wonderful rich flavors from roasted garlic and Parmesan cheese. Toss with pasta, pour it over roasted veggies, use it as dipping sauce or even as pizza sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Sauces
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 489

Equipment

  • Sauce Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 head 10-12 garlic cloves, roasted in oven and mashed/minced
  • ¼ cup plain flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock or water
  • 1 cup milk (plus extra as needed if sauce turns thick)
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon dried herbs oregano, basil, thyme
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions
 

  • Place whole garlic head over aluminum foil over baking tray. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt over garlic, pack whole garlic head in aluminum foil and roast in preheated oven at 350 F for 25-35 minutes.
  • Remove roasted garlic from oven. Let it cool down a bit. Separate each garlic clove and squeeze it holding the tip. Garlic comes out off the peel easily. If it doesn’t come off, simply hold the peel and pull if off.
  • Note – You can make a big batch of roasted garlic and store in fridge for about a week. Use in any dish you want.
  • Melt butter in sauce pan over low heat. Add roasted garlic and plain flour and cook flour on low heat with constant stirring.
    Keep stirring continuously to avoid lump formation and burning flour.
  • Pour chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian options) in slow steady streams while whisking the flour. Next pour in milk and cook the sauce on low flame with frequent stirring.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste. Add dried herbs of your choice to the sauce. Dried oregano, basil and dried thyme adds best flavors.
  • Cook the mix for about 10-12 minutes on very low flame, stirring constantly.
  • Once sauce has thickened, add heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce pan. Whisk and cook on low flame until cheese melts.
  • Pro-Tip – This creamy garlic Parmesan sauce continues to thicken as you stir and cook further. It thickens really fast as it sits as well. So remove the sauce off the stove even BEFORE it reaches the desired consistency.
  • Serve the sauce with any dish of your choice. Toss with pasta, use it as dressing over roasted veggies, use it as pizza sauce, can also use garlic Parmesan wing sauce for dipping chicken wings.

Video

Notes

  1. Using roasted garlic in the sauce brings out a rich, sweet taste of garlic making the sauce tastier.
  2. While making roux, keep whisking flour and butter mix to avoid lump formation and burning flour. Cook on low flame.
  3. For the vegetarian option, use vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock.
  4. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Keep this in mind while you simmer the sauce. When it turns slightly thick you can stop cooking. Also, if the sauce seems too thick when done, adjust the consistency by adding a little chicken stock or water.
  5. I recommend you use a Parmesan cheese block and grate it fresh before use.
Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 21gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 822mgPotassium: 304mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1404IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 576mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Follow @CurryTrail and tag #CurryTrail to share your creation!

Created by Jyothi Rajesh

Thank you for stopping by.

I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2014 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.

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    5 from 19 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Long says

    December 16, 2020 at 8:37 am

    5 stars
    I just made this and it is wonderful! It is so easy. Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipes!

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      December 17, 2020 at 9:47 am

      I’m so glad you are loving the recipe. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  2. Anna says

    August 12, 2020 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    This sauce is amazing! I will never use another parmesan/ Alfredo sauce again! Roasting the garlic makes all the difference.

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      August 12, 2020 at 6:47 pm

      Anna, i’m so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you for your feedback.

      Reply
  3. Hello says

    March 24, 2020 at 6:25 am

    Too much chicken stock! Mine was so runny and I’ve made loads of sauces previously 🙁

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      March 24, 2020 at 1:05 pm

      Sorry your sauce was runny. But the sauce won’t really turn runny when it starts cooking the flour in milk and also adding cheese will thicken the sauce as it cools. Did you use the same cup measurements for all ingredients?

      Reply
  4. Brenda Jensen says

    February 13, 2020 at 12:12 am

    Just a quick question for clarification, is it really only 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 cup of flour for the roux? When I attempted to make the recipe, it didn’t seem like a roux, more like I was just heating the flour, so I felt like I was missing something. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      February 13, 2020 at 8:05 am

      Sorry for the confusion Brenda. It’s 2 tablespoon flour, I corrected the recipe. Thank you for bringing it to my notice. Hope you give it a try again.

      Reply
  5. Kita says

    August 26, 2019 at 6:30 pm

    I was already crushing on this recipe when you mentioned it as a pizza sauce, but then you said that I could dip chicken wings I got super excited! And that I can make it ahead is a total bonus. Swooning!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 26, 2019 at 7:11 pm

      Thank you

      Reply
  6. Analida Braeger says

    August 26, 2019 at 7:32 am

    5 stars
    I cant begin to think of all the things this would pair with, so endless! Your recipe is greatly detailed! , sometimes sauces can be a little daunting, not this time !

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 26, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      Give it a try Analida

      Reply
  7. Amanda Mason says

    August 26, 2019 at 12:49 am

    5 stars
    I love how versatile this recipe is!! It goes perfect with pasta, vegetables, chicken, etc! Super helpful post, as well. All the tips are super helpful! I’ll be making this dish for sure!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 26, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      Absolutely. It’s an amazing sauce to have to put on almost every meal!

      Reply
  8. Claire says

    August 25, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    5 stars
    I used this sauce to mix through some spaghetti and shredded chicken. It was so packed with flavor and everyone demolished it!
    I cannot wait to make it again and try it as a base for a white pizza!!!
    Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 25, 2019 at 9:22 pm

      Glad you liked it

      Reply
  9. Paula Montenegro says

    August 24, 2019 at 6:49 pm

    5 stars
    I’m so glad you posted this parmesan sauce! It sounds amazing. A great recipe to add to my weekly rotation. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 25, 2019 at 9:22 pm

      Thank you Paula

      Reply
  10. Anne Lawton says

    August 24, 2019 at 3:01 am

    5 stars
    THis is the perfect sauce for pasta! I love that you roasted the garlic, I’m ready for a bowl of pasta with this sauce now!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 25, 2019 at 9:22 pm

      Thank you Anne

      Reply
  11. Anna says

    August 23, 2019 at 2:42 pm

    5 stars
    This sauce looks so creamy and so flavoursome! I can think of sooo many dishes I could use it on, especially pasta! Great instructions and tips, thanks for sharing! Just looking at these photos makes me hungry!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 23, 2019 at 6:49 pm

      Thank you Anna

      Reply
  12. Debbie says

    August 23, 2019 at 9:04 am

    5 stars
    I have to agree there is nothing better than the combination of garlic and Parmesan. Thanks for including your method of roasting the garlic , you make this seem so easy . This Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce is so versatile and can’t wait to make it and toss it with some angel hair pasta and shrimp. YUM!!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 23, 2019 at 1:24 pm

      Thank you Debbie

      Reply
  13. Kelly Anthony says

    August 22, 2019 at 6:49 pm

    5 stars
    This roasted garlic parmesan sauce will be amazing on just about anything. I’m also a lover of garlic and parmesan and I can’t resist the two together especially in a creamy sauce.

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 22, 2019 at 9:45 pm

      Thank you Kelly

      Reply
  14. Elena says

    August 21, 2019 at 7:54 pm

    5 stars
    This sauce looks incredibly creamy. I love roasted garlic – it gives a sweet and pungent note to the food, much more subtle than raw garlic. Would fit perfectly to roasted veggies or pasta.

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 21, 2019 at 10:31 pm

      Thank you Elena

      Reply
  15. Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says

    August 19, 2019 at 10:24 pm

    5 stars
    This sauce sounds creamy delicious. I know LOTS of places I could use this. Pasta, and a condiment, potatoes, rice…just to name a few.

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      August 20, 2019 at 2:12 pm

      Oh yes, so many ways to use this sauce. Thank you Gloria!

      Reply
Newer Comments »

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

More About Me
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