If you're looking for a sauce that instantly upgrades literally anything, this easy garlic parmesan sauce is it. Rich melted butter, roasted garlic, and salty parmesan cheese come together in a silky, flavor-packed sauce that tastes like it came from your favorite restaurant. All you need is six ingredients and a few minutes to whip it up!
Jump to:
Looking for more easy ways to add a bunch of flavor to your meals? Be sure to check out our full collection of easy sauces, dips and kitchen staples. From quick seasoning recipes like homemade Cajun or taco seasoning to cozy, flavor-packed sauces like our creamy buffalo sauce, honey garlic sauce, or homemade teriyaki sauce. These are the kind of simple additions that turn everyday meals into something special.
Why You'll Love This
- This easy garlic parmesan sauce is made in under 10 minutes with only six simple ingredients.
- It is perfect for crispy chicken wings, pasta dishes, veggies, and dipping. And it can be served warm or cold, depending on the pairing.
- There is no cream required to make this garlic and parmesan sauce.
- It is easy to customize the flavor by adding extra herbs or spices.
Summarize and Save This Recipe Using:
Ingredients You'll Need
- Parmesan Cheese - Use freshly grated parmesan for this recipe. Pre-shredded or bottled parmesans have additives that throw off the flavor balance and can cause the sauce to become clumpy.
- Roasted Garlic - Using freshly roasted garlic gives this sauce a deep, bold flavor.
- Butter - Salted or unsalted butter works for this recipe. Use unsalted if you want to control the saltiness, and add extra salt if needed.
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Variations & Add-Ins
- Spicy - Add chili pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or white pepper to make this garlic parm sauce spicy.
- Cream - If you want a richer sauce, stir in up to ¼ cup of heavy cream.
- Herbs - Add any extra herbs you'd like! Some good options are fresh basil, thyme, oregano, or dill.
If you love garlicky sauces, you have to try my roasted garlic aioli and spicy sriracha dipping sauce, too!
How To Make Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Step 1
In a small saucepan or frying pan, melt the butter over low heat.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Step 2
Stir in the roasted garlic, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.
Step 3
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before stirring in the grated parmesan cheese.
Optionally, for a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce (the sauce in the photo has been blended with an immersion blender).
Stir in any extra spices and herbs that you'd like to add.
Serve garlic parm sauce warm or cold, depending on what you are serving it with.
Step 4
To make garlic parmesan wings, follow my recipe to make the crispiest oven baked chicken wings and then toss them with warm sauce.
This parmesan and garlic sauce also pairs well with crispy air fryer cauliflower wings or lightly breaded oven baked tofu, too!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use freshly grated parmesan. Pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking additives that will give this sauce a grainy texture.
- Don't overheat the butter. All you need to do is melt the butter, overheating it could cause it to burn. Adding the cheese while the butter is too hot will cause clumping, too.
- Roast the garlic ahead of time for a deeper, more developed flavor.
- Blend the garlic and parmesan sauce with an immersion blender for a smoother, more restaurant-style texture.
How To Store & Reheat
Store in a fully sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat or using a microwave in 15-second bursts. Give the sauce a quick stir or blend it if it has separated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This version uses butter and parmesan for richness without heavy cream, making it lighter but still packed full of flavor.
This usually happens if the butter is too hot when adding the cheese or if pre-shredded cheese was used.
No. Alfredo sauce is cream-based, while garlic parmesan sauce is typically butter-based and lighter.
If you're looking for a delicious Alfredo recipe, try my garlic shrimp fettuccine Alfredo!
Absolutely! Garlic parmesan wing sauce is one of the most popular wing sauces and coats crispy chicken wings beautifully.
Yes, it works as a dip or spread when it has cooled, though it will thicken. Try using it as a butter replacement to make a grilled cheese sandwich, it is truly divine!
How To Use
This easy garlic parmesan sauce is an extremely versatile sauce. Try it as a pizza base on homemade pizza dough, toss it with crispy baked french fries, serve it over tender velveted chicken or tossed with roasted veggies like crispy broccoli or roasted kalettes.
Or try it on any of these recipes:
If you made this Easy Garlic Parmesan Sauce or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Easy Garlic Parmesan Sauce
↑ click the stars to rate this recipe ↑
Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Saucepan
- Cheese Shredder
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter
- ½ head Roasted Garlic mashed
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 1 Tablespoon Parsley minced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter until fully liquified.
- Stir in the roasted garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper until well combined.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Gradually stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it is fully combined.
- For a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender to blend that sauce until it is creamy.
- Stir in optional herbs like parsley or Italian seasoning, if desired. Serve warm or chilled.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
- Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated parmesan for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheeses contain additives that will produce a grainy-textured sauce.
- Roasted Garlic: Roasted garlic gives this sauce a deep, bold flavor. It is best to roast the garlic ahead of time to let the flavors fully develop before using it in the sauce.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted can be used. If you're using unsalted butter, you may need to add some additional salt.
- This garlic parm sauce is super versatile. Add red chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or white pepper to make it spicy. Add up to ¼ cup of heavy cream to make it creamier, or add additional fresh herbs to match the flavor of the dish you are cooking.
- Don't overheat the butter. The butter only needs to be melted, it doesn't need to be hot. Overheating the butter can cause it to burn or your cheese to clump.
- Blend the sauce with an immersion blender for a smoother consistency, if preferred.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat or use the microwave in short bursts. Give it a quick stir if it has separated.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Jessica says
This garlic parm sauce is literally what dreams are made of. We tried this on baked chicken wings, and they were the best chicken wings we've ever tasted!
Corrine says
So delicious