5 Ingredient Creamy Garlic Sauce Recipe
Introduction
This 5 Ingredient Creamy Garlic Sauce is a quick and delicious way to elevate any meal. With simple pantry staples, you can create a rich, flavorful sauce perfect for chicken, pasta, or potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves (grated or minced)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth (or stock)
- 1 cup cream or half and half (warmed)
Instructions
- Step 1: Warm the cream or half and half. Grate or mince the garlic cloves to prepare them for sautéing.
- Step 2: Heat a large pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and sauté for about one minute, stirring until fragrant. Stir in the Italian seasoning to toast the herbs slightly.
- Step 3: Pour in the chicken broth and the warmed cream. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Step 4: Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to thicken. You can use the sauce as is or thicken it further if desired.
- Step 5: To thicken more, make a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water in a small dish. Add the slurry to the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Step 6: Serve the creamy garlic sauce over chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, or toss it with cooked pasta for a delicious meal.
Tips & Variations
- For a vegetarian option, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Add freshly chopped parsley or basil for extra freshness just before serving.
- If you prefer a thinner sauce, skip the cornstarch slurry and simmer for less time.
- Use garlic powder if fresh garlic is unavailable, adjusting to taste.
Storage
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently. If the sauce thickens too much after cooling, add a splash of cream or broth when reheating to loosen the texture.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use milk instead of cream or half and half?
Milk can be used but the sauce will be less rich and creamy. For better results, use whole milk and consider adding a small amount of butter to increase richness.
How can I make the sauce thicker without cornstarch?
You can simmer the sauce longer to reduce the liquid and thicken naturally. Alternatively, a small amount of flour mixed with butter (a roux) can be used before adding liquids to achieve thickness.
Print5 Ingredient Creamy Garlic Sauce Recipe
This 5 Ingredient Creamy Garlic Sauce is a rich and velvety sauce perfect for elevating chicken, pasta, or mashed potatoes. Made with simple pantry staples like butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, and cream, it delivers comforting flavor with minimal effort. The sauce is easy to make on the stovetop and can be thickened to your preferred consistency using a cornstarch slurry.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: About 1.5 cups sauce, serves 4 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup cream or half and half, warmed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
- 3 tablespoons cold water (optional, for thickening slurry)
Instructions
- Prep: Warm the cream or half and half in a small bowl or microwave. Grate or mince the garlic cloves finely for maximum flavor release.
- Heat Butter and Sauté Garlic: Place a large pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the grated garlic and sauté while stirring for about one minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Add Italian Seasoning: Stir in 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning into the garlic butter mixture and toast the herbs briefly to enhance their flavor.
- Add Liquids: Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth and the warmed cream into the pan. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Simmer and Reduce: Reduce heat and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly, enhancing the flavors.
- Optional Thickening: If a thicker sauce is desired, prepare a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water. Add this slurry to the simmering sauce and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Then remove from heat.
- Serve: Use the creamy garlic sauce immediately by combining it with cooked chicken breasts, pouring it over mashed potatoes, or tossing it with cooked pasta for a delicious meal.
Notes
- The sauce can be customized to be dairy-free by substituting cream with coconut cream or another plant-based alternative.
- Italian seasoning can be replaced with fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano, or rosemary if available.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- If not thickening with cornstarch, the sauce will be thinner but still flavorful and suitable for pouring over dishes.
Keywords: creamy garlic sauce, easy garlic sauce, chicken sauce, pasta sauce, simple creamy sauce, garlic cream sauce
