Can you freeze alfredo sauce – let’s get into the topic. Alfredo sauce is something that I find can either be great or quite terrible. It is one of those foods that has no middle ground. The result often depends on the patience of the cook in preparing the sauce. Often when preparing foods that contain sauce, we sometimes make too much sauce for the food we are prepping.
Does that mean that leftover sauce is waste? What are your options for that half jar of leftover Alfredo sauce you now have sitting in your fridge? Do you toss it out and throw out your hard-earned money? Can you even freeze Alfredo sauce? Your immediate answer is yes, you can freeze Alfredo sauce, but as with most foods, there are certain things that you need to know when it comes to freezing your ‘Fredo sauce leftovers.
The varying factors are going to depend on things like whether your Alfredo sauce is homemade or store-bought.
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What Is The Difference Between Homemade & Store-Bought?
The main difference is that store-bought was massed produced on a food plant, and you did not have to worry about the mess, ingredients, or clean-up. Either version of Alfredo sauce freezes pretty well. The only real thing of note is that homemade sauce will reach a point where it can get lumpy, and curds may form. This is a completely normal part of the freezing process with homemade Alfredo sauce.
The reason, this occurs is due to one of the main ingredients being cream. Do not panic though, this does not mean that your Alfredo sauce has gone bad. It just means that you will need to thaw and warm it slowly. Now, as far as freezing that half jar of store-bought commercially made Alfredo sauce.
Well, the jury is still out on that topic of discussion. Mostly, this is because commercial foods are usually processed differently and in mass quantities. Which in turn means that you have no control over the ingredients or their quantity. This may have a great impact on the freezing of that commercially produced sauce. What does this mean when it comes to freezing Alfredo sauce? Use caution when putting store-bought sauce in the freezer. But your Nona’s homemade Alfredo recipe is okay to be stored and put away in the freezer for a later day.
What Is the Best Way To Thaw Alfredo Sauce?
Now that we have discovered that it is okay to freeze Nona’s special Alfredo sauce; how do we handle the thawing out process, and get it back to the way it should be? The best way to let Alfredo sauce is to place it in the fridge and let it thaw. Once it is thawed out completely, you are going to want to grab yourself a saucepan, so you can set out to warm it up.
By introducing heat at a lower setting, and carefully, and slowly stirring it; the coagulated particles, or curds, will begin to separate, and the sauce will begin to thicken back up. The reason we introduce the heat slowly is that we do not want to exceed a temperature of 165F on your reheated Alfredo sauce.
One thing that you may notice when you thaw and reheat your sauce is the texture. It may appear thinner than what it originally was when you first put it into the freezer. Do not panic though, there is a fix for this dilemma. Take a 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch and dilute in a small amount of water. Once you have this mixed up, simply pour it into your sauce and simmer until it thickens up.
Can You Freeze Alfredo Sauce With Chicken In It?
The most popular way to enjoy Alfredo sauce is, of course, chicken alfredo. I mean who does not enjoy a nice plate of chicken fettuccine alfredo with some parmesan and hot sauce? The battle, of course, is trying to make just the right amount so there is not a pile of leftovers to deal with. But here is the good news for you… You can still freeze it once it cools. Heck, you can even make it just for the sole purpose of freezing it for a later time.
If you are freezing the sauce with chicken and pasta, here are a couple of tips for you. Because your chicken alfredo contains dairy products; it is best to not let it sit too long after it is prepared. You really do not want to let it sit out more than an hour or so. If you are making it for the sole purpose of freezing it, be sure to leave the noodles undercooked a little. They will absorb moisture as they freeze, then when they thaw and get reheated, they will oft and mushy.
When it is time to thaw out and enjoy your chicken fettuccine alfredo, make sure you thaw it out by placing it in the refrigerator; instead of just leaving it on the counter. When food is left out to thaw at room temperature it gets warm and gives way to bacteria growth within the food. These bacteria may cause illness, and indigestion, as well as change the flavors of your meal.
Final Thoughts…
When you are dealing with any food that has dairy as its ingredients; you must take care to not let it sit too long before freezing. When you plan on making Alfredo sauces that you are going to be freezing; opt to make it with cream over milk. Although it may curdle during the freezing process when you make it with cream; you gently stir your sauce and the curds will dissipate, while milk will likely curdle further during reheating.
Now you have the knowledge to properly debate the topic of can you freeze alfredo sauce? Not only that, but now you know and understand the process; so you will be confident in whipping up a big batch to freeze and enjoy at a later day. Go ahead and throw that leftover sauce in the freezer, sit back and relax, knowing that it will be edible in a couple of months from now.
