Does Alfredo Sauce Have Dairy?

The fettuccine alfredo we known today was invented by Alfredo di Lelio in Rome in the early 1900s. According to the Cookist, the dish became extremely popular when the actors Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford visited di Lelio’s restaurant in 1920 on their honeymoon and fell in love with the dish. The couple brought the recipe back to the United States and spread the word about its deliciousness. But, did the original recipe have dairy and does modern alfredo contain dairy? Let’s find out.

Does Alfredo Sauce Have Dairy?

Yes, true alfredo sauce has dairy. Its common modern ingredients include cream, butter, and parmesan cheese. The original recipe called for heavy butter and finely grated parmesan. There are some dairy-free options out there as you will see at the end of this article. However, the majority of alfredo sauces you find at grocery stores have dairy.

Here are some of the popular store-bought alfredo sauces and their primary dairy ingredients.

Bertolli – cream, butter, parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, whey

Prego Homestyle Alfredo Sauce – cream, butter, parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, whey, modified cheese paste, cheddar cheese.

Ragu Cheesy Classic Alfredo Sauce – cream, parmesan cheese, whey, Romano cheese, whey protein concentrate.

Classico Creamy Alfredo Pasta Sauce – heavy cream, parmesan cheese, whey protein concentrate, flavored butter, pasteurized milk, cheese culture.

Rao’s Homemade Alfredo Sauce – light cream, butter, parmesan cheese, Romano cheese.

Newman’s Own Alfredo Sauce – cream, parmesan cheese blend, butter, Romano cheese blend.

Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce Options

Where there are food products with dairy, there are often alternatives that have no dairy. This is the case with alfredo sauce. Here are a few dairy-free options for you to consider if you wish to avoid dairy but love alfredo sauce:

  • Primal Kitchen No-Dairy Alfredo Sauce
  • Primal Kitchen No-Dairy Garlic Alfredo Sauce
  • Victoria Vegan Alfredo Sauce
  • Do Anything Cauliflower Alfredo
  • Plant Based Pantry Vegan Alfredo Sauce