Buzz
Garlic cream sauce is one of those rare dishes that always leaves a lasting impression every time it's made. Another surprising fact is that this rich, creamy sauce, which complements a variety of dishes, can be made quickly and effortlessly. You can either make the traditional garlic cream sauce or roast the garlic beforehand to soften it. Prepare the garlic cream sauce in advance to enhance many meals, from pizza and pasta to steak and seafood.
Ingredients
For the garlic cream sauce:
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- A few garlic cloves (enough to make 2 tablespoons of minced garlic)
- 2 cups of heavy or whipping cream (note: not whipped cream)
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable, beef, or chicken seasoning
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the garlic cream sauce with roasted garlic:
- 1 bulb of garlic
- tablespoons of olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup of heavy or whipping cream (note: not whipped cream)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Steps
Making the garlic cream sauce
Melt the butter with olive oil. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
Chop the garlic. Peel the garlic and then finely chop it until you have 2 tablespoons of minced garlic.
Add the garlic to the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted into the olive oil, carefully add the minced garlic and stir well.
- The garlic will soften and become aromatic. Avoid cooking it until it turns brown.
Make the butter and flour mixture (roux). Add the flour to the butter/oil/garlic mixture and stir well. Make sure the flour is fully incorporated. Continue to cook and stir the mixture over medium heat for about 1 minute.
- You will notice the mixture starting to thicken and darken slightly.
Heat the heavy cream and seasoning. You can warm the cream in the microwave or heat it on the stove in a pan. Be careful not to let the mixture come to a boil.
Add 2 cups of heavy cream and seasoning. Carefully pour the warm cream with seasoning into the roux mixture, stirring continuously with your other hand. Keep stirring and cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer gently or bubble.
Stir well and season to taste. Keep stirring the sauce continuously to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste. The sauce will begin to thicken after a few minutes.
- The sauce will still bubble. However, avoid allowing it to boil too vigorously.
Add Parmesan cheese and remove the mixture from the heat. Stir the mixture well to melt the cheese. Continue cooking if you prefer a thicker sauce. If not, you can remove it from the heat and serve.
Making garlic cream sauce with roasted garlic
Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 200°C. Tear a square piece of aluminum foil, approximately 10x10 cm in size.
Prepare the garlic. Place the garlic bulb in the center of the square of foil. Drizzle 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil over it. Then, wrap the foil tightly around the garlic to form a small packet.
Roast the garlic. Place the garlic packet in the oven, directly on the grill rack. Roast for about 30 minutes. The garlic will be soft when done. Remove the garlic from the oven and the foil. Let it cool down.
Squeeze the roasted garlic into the olive oil pan. Each clove of garlic will be soft enough to squeeze into the pan. Repeat this process until all the garlic cloves are added. Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for about 1 minute over medium heat.
Make the roux mixture. Add the flour to the pan and stir, making sure to fully incorporate the flour into the oil and garlic mixture. Continue stirring while cooking. The roux will start to darken.
Heat 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth. You can heat the broth in the microwave or on the stove while preparing the roux mixture. Be careful not to bring it to a boil.
Stir the broth into the roux mixture. Slowly pour the hot broth into the roux mixture, stirring with your other hand. This step should be done slowly to ensure the broth is absorbed into the roux without clumping.
Continue stirring and cook the sauce. Keep the heat on medium or low if the sauce starts to simmer. The sauce will quickly thicken.
- You will notice steam rising, as the sauce will reduce by half. Stir constantly to prevent the sauce from burning.
Stir in the fresh cream. Mix the broth and garlic mixture with the fresh cream. Then, remove the pot from the heat.
Blend the sauce. You can use either an immersion blender or a regular blender. If using an immersion blender, transfer the sauce into a bowl and blend until smooth. If using a regular blender, pour the sauce into the blender and blend until smooth.
- Blending the sauce helps break up any lumps of flour that were not fully incorporated.
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the sauce immediately, or return it to the pan to warm it over low heat.
Serve the garlic cream sauce
Use as white pizza sauce. This sauce can replace red sauce and adds a creamy richness to your pizza.
- Feel free to top it with: shallots, mushrooms, spinach, bacon, artichokes, chicken, or broccoli.
Pair with pasta. Stir it into fettuccine, penne, linguine, or add it to lasagna.
- If using with pasta, you can grate some lemon zest into the sauce. This will add a refreshing flavor and balance the richness of the sauce.
Pour over steak. While butter or rich sauces are commonly used on steak, swapping it for garlic cream sauce will elevate the flavor to perfection.
Drizzle over seafood. Shrimp, scallops, and clams are fantastic when paired with garlic cream sauce.
- Stir a bit of this sauce into your seafood pasta for a truly harmonious combination.
Use as a dip. Dip bread, crackers, or vegetables into the sauce. For an appetizer or party spread, prepare a tray with bread, veggies, sausages, and a bowl of garlic cream sauce for dipping.
Tip
- Store garlic cream sauce in a sealed container or jar to keep it fresh for up to one week.
