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    Home » Recipes » Sauces, Toppings, Dips and Dressings

    Modified: Feb 20, 2023 · Published: Nov 29, 2020 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income from ads.

    Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce is the ultimate, garlicky white pizza sauce. The creamy, cheesy topping is an excellent alternative to red sauce on pizza. It's super easy to make from scratch and is ready in about 10 minutes. It is especially delicious on a veggie pizza, chicken or even turkey pizza. Once you've enjoyed this creamy garlic parmesan sauce, you may never go back to your regular pizza routine. 

    White pizza sauce on a large pizza crust in a pan.
    White pizza sauce is the perfect start to veggie, chicken or turkey pizzas.
    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients to Have on Hand
    • 💭The Benefits of Garlic Parmesan Sauce
    • 📋 How to Make a Roux
    • 👩🏻‍🍳Step-by-Step Instructions
    • 🍕Top Toppings for White Pizza
    • 💭Recipe FAQs
    • 🥗More Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    🥘 Ingredients to Have on Hand

    • unsalted butter
    • flour
    • milk
    • garlic
    • parmesan cheese
    • dried oregano

    It just takes a few kitchen staples to create this garlicky, creamy white pizza sauce. You'll also need a little salt and pepper. If you enjoy this recipe, I think you'll also enjoy Cheesy Baked Ziti and Spicy Chicken Alfredo Sauce.

    See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    💭The Benefits of Garlic Parmesan Sauce

    Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce is fast to fix and is a delicious white sauce topping for your next pizza. 

    This recipe makes enough creamy garlic parmesan sauce to cover a family-sized large pizza, so you can make the white sauce fresh any time and right before you assemble the pizza. Even on a busy work night. 

    A small jar on a cutting board, full of garlic parmesan white pizza sauce.

    📋 How to Make a Roux

    Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce starts in a medium-sized saucepan on the stove, you'll being by making a roux. 

    Never feel intimidated by a recipe that calls for a roux. (It's pronounced, "ROO.") You can do this. 

    A roux is simply flour and fat cooked together - usually whisked, and then used to thicken a cream sauce. In this case, our creamy, cheesy, white pizza sauce. 

    A roux is the starting point for so many great made-from-scratch recipes. It is the base of most white sauces, many gravies and chowders, to name a few and it's step one in making this wonderful creamy garlic parmesan sauce. 

    👩🏻‍🍳Step-by-Step Instructions

    This creamy garlic parmesan white sauce starts on the stove. But it doesn't spend much time there. In about 10 minutes your white sauce will be ready to spread on the pizza crust. 

    1. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium-sized pan on the stove. 
    2. Add garlic and cook in the hot butter for about 30 seconds. 
    Butter and flour mixed together with a whisk in a pan on the stove.
    Whisk the butter and flour until thickened and well-combined as a roux.
    1. Add the flour and whisk until the flour is combined with the butter and garlic. 
    1. Continue whisking for about a minute, be careful not to brown the butter.
    White sauce with parmesan and oregano and a whisk.
    Once the sauce thickens, add the oregano, salt, pepper and shredded parmesan cheese.
    1. Add milk and continue whisking until the sauce starts to thicken.
    2. Add oregano, salt, pepper and cheese. 
    3. Stir until all the ingredients are combined.
    4. Spoon the sauce over the pizza crust, and bake according to the directions for your pizza.

    🍕Top Toppings for White Pizza

    If you and your family enjoy the flavors of buttery garlic and parmesan then this white pizza sauce is for you. 

    We often think of a creamy, garlic parmesan sauce as a topping for pasta, and it's delicious served that way. But many pizza toppings are outstanding complements to this garlic cream sauce. 

    Experiment to find a combination that's perfect for your family, here are some combos I recommend, just mix and match. 

    Leftover turkey, sweet potatoes and stuffing spread out on white pizza sauce.
    All of our favorite leftovers from a holiday meal taste delicious on a white pizza sauce.

    Once you've selected three or four toppings (or more) you'll be good to go:

    • sliced olives
    • thin slices of green pepper
    • thin slices of red pepper
    • thin slices of red onion
    • diced green onion
    • chopped broccoli florets
    • diced, cooked chicken
    • diced, cooked turkey (leftover from a holiday meal)
    • chopped, cooked bacon
    • sliced, fresh mushrooms
    • chopped, fresh spinach
    • chopped, fresh tomatoes
    • sun-dried tomatoes
    • thin slices of fresh zucchini
    • mozzarella cheese
    • ricotta cheese
    • parmesan cheese

    If you love a homemade pizza crust, make this Homemade Pizza Crust as the base for your favorite white pizza sauce recipes. 

    White pizza sauce in a small glass jar.
    This recipe makes just over a cup of white sauce, perfect for one large pizza.

    💭Recipe FAQs

    What type of milk should I use?

    I highly recommend using either 2% or whole milk. You will still get good results using skim or 1% milk, but there's a creaminess that really can't be beaten by using milk with a slightly higher fat content.

    Is white pizza sauce the same as Alfredo sauce?

    In this case, it's very close, yes. Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce is super close to being an Alfredo sauce. The only difference is, I've adjusted the ratio of milk to the flour and butter so the sauce will be thicker and more creamy than what we usually use to top our pasta.

    What exactly is a garlic parmesan sauce?

    This sauce is a spin on a classic Alfredo sauce, it's made with just a few ingredients and the herb flavoring isn't overdone. That way the garlic and cheese flavors come through. There's no mistaking what's flavoring this white pizza sauce: garlic and parmesan cheese. 

    🥗More Recipes

    Here are a few additional options for preparing with your Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce. From a homemade crust to a few side salads, this combination of flavors goes great together.

    Or if you are in the mood for pasta instead of pizza, try Tomato Cream Sauce or Fresh Pesto as the perfect topping to any pasta recipe.

    • Leftover turkey pizza in a pizza pan before baking.
      Leftover Turkey Pizza
    • A slice of cheese-stuffed crust pizza being scooped up from a pizza pan.
      Homemade Stuffed Crust Pizza
    • Pesto pasta salad being served from a bowl with parmesan cheese on top
      Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas
    • A serving of crunchy cole slaw in a bowl
      Crunchy Cole Slaw

    If you tried Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

    Recipe

    White pizza sauce in a small glass jar.

    Garlic Parmesan Pizza Sauce

    Garlic and parmesan flavor this smooth white sauce. It's a perfect change of pace from traditional red sauce on pizza.
    4.99 from 319 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
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    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 81kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tablespoons butter - unsalted
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic - about two - three cloves
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • 1 cup milk - 2% milk is best
    • 1 teaspoon oregano - dried
    • 1 cup parmesan cheese - grated
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions

    Melt Butter, Add Garlic and Milk

    • Melt butter in a medium-sized pan on the stove. Add garlic and cook in the hot butter for about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk until the flour is combined with the butter and garlic. Continue whisking for about a minute, be careful not to brown the butter.
    • Add milk and continue whisking until the sauce starts to thicken.

    Add Spices and Cheese

    • Add dried oregano, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. Stir until all the ingredients are combined.
      Spoon the sauce on top of the pizza crust and spread evenly to cover the entire surface, leaving about a half inch of crust uncovered just around the edges.
      Top with your desired toppings.
      Bake as directed in the pizza recipe.

    Notes

    Garlic lovers in your family will also want to check out Blue Cheese Vinaigrette, Sweet Corn Pasta Salad and my recipe for Bread Dipping Oil. All of those recipes are full of great garlic flavor! Please note, that the nutritional information for this pizza sauce is calculated based on the approximate amount of sauce on one slice of pizza if a large pizza is cut into 10 slices. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 81kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 287mgPotassium: 41mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 188IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 1mg

    Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database. The data above is a rough estimate, not an exact science.

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below or @crinkledcookbook on Instagram, snap a photo and tag it #crinkledcookbook

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    Comments

      4.99 from 319 votes (299 ratings without comment)

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    1. Elizabeth says

      April 23, 2024 at 7:52 am

      5 stars
      This pizza sauce is divine! I loved the flavor and it is perfect for those days we don't have marinara in our pantry.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        April 23, 2024 at 9:45 am

        Thanks Elizabeth!

        Reply
    2. Nicole says

      April 22, 2024 at 11:34 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is easy and delicious! A great way to spice up pizza night!!

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        April 22, 2024 at 5:26 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it Nicole! Thanks for the five star rating. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Bernice Hil says

      April 22, 2024 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      True story: I just won an Ooni pizza oven so I'm foreseeing a lot of pizzas in my future. Absolutely THRILLED to find this white pizza sauce recipe because sometimes, regular tomato pizza sauce just won't do.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        April 22, 2024 at 5:27 pm

        Wow, you won a pizza oven! That's wonderful. Yes, I do believe some delicious pizzas are in your future. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Martyne says

      December 16, 2023 at 9:06 pm

      4 stars
      Full of flavor! Sauce seems quite thick though. Is it supposed to be that way or did I do something wrong?

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        December 17, 2023 at 9:16 am

        It is a thick sauce, thicker than a traditional Alfredo sauce. That helps the sauce stay in place on the pizza crust, but if it turned out super thick then I recommend cutting back on the amount of cheese next time. Try using 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup of Parmesan. I'm glad you liked the flavor, this is my favorite white sauce for pizza!

        Reply
    5. Crystal says

      November 29, 2023 at 8:32 am

      5 stars
      Does this freeze well? I want to make extra to save myself some time.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        November 30, 2023 at 7:19 am

        Hi Crystal, Yes, garlic parmesan pizza sauce freezes well. After cooking the sauce, let it cool and place it in freezer bags. To ensure the texture is creamy when you are ready to spread it on a pizza crust, defrost the sauce and reheat it on the stovetop for a few minutes.

        Reply
    6. Jennifer Hollowell says

      July 08, 2023 at 2:07 pm

      5 stars
      It was so good!! Didn't change a thing and it was absolutely fantastic!!

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        July 09, 2023 at 8:47 am

        Thanks Jennifer! I'm happy to hear it and thanks for the five star rating.

        Reply
    7. Jackie says

      May 21, 2023 at 10:10 am

      5 stars
      Make this for my vegetable pizza and it was awesome!!! Had some leftover how long will it last in the fridge? I have it stored in a Mason jar

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        May 21, 2023 at 12:22 pm

        Hi Jackie, I'm glad you enjoyed the garlic parmesan pizza sauce, thank you for the five star rating! This pizza sauce can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so your Mason jar will be perfect. To heat it up, you may need to add a tablespoon or so of milk just in case it thickened up after cooling.

        Reply
    8. Mina says

      March 28, 2023 at 12:13 am

      5 stars
      I love this garlic parmesan pizza sauce. It looks so delicious and creamy. Perfect for Friday movie nights!

      Reply
    9. Rob says

      March 22, 2023 at 8:24 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy and delicious to make! I make a lot of pizza and often, and this sauce has quickly become a regular on my pies!

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        March 25, 2023 at 9:20 am

        So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Rob! Thank you for the five-star rating. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Jessica Formicola says

      March 22, 2023 at 11:22 am

      5 stars
      We had a homemade pizza night last night and used this sauce. It was delicious and we will definitely be using it again!

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        March 25, 2023 at 9:20 am

        Wonderful to hear, Jessica! I'm glad it was a hit.

        Reply
    11. Elizabeth says

      March 22, 2023 at 7:43 am

      5 stars
      So creamy and good! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    12. Gloria says

      March 22, 2023 at 7:11 am

      5 stars
      I would use this on pizza and more. Love the fact you can make it at home.

      Reply
    13. Nancy C says

      January 31, 2022 at 4:39 pm

      5 stars
      WOW! So easy to make and delicious! This would be great with homemade Italian bread and use the sauce to dip your bread in. 🇮🇹

      Reply
    14. Dennis Littley says

      December 29, 2021 at 8:10 am

      5 stars
      I tried your sauce on some homemade pizzas and everyone loved them. Thanks for a delicoius recipe!

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        December 29, 2021 at 8:48 am

        Thank you Chef Dennis! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the white sauce on pizza. 🙂

        Reply
    15. nancy says

      December 27, 2021 at 7:15 pm

      5 stars
      yummy white sauce

      Reply
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