Hi everyone, Emily here! If there is one recipe you need in your “culinary emergency kit” this year, it’s this one. We’ve all been there—you’ve cooked a piece of chicken or a bowl of pasta, and it just looks… lonely. This Easy 5-Ingredient Creamy Garlic Sauce is the ultimate glow-up. It is silky, deeply aromatic, and takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. Think of it as the culinary equivalent of a silk scarf—it just makes everything look and feel more expensive.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
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Five-Ingredient Magic: You likely have every single one of these in your kitchen right now.
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Bistro-Quality Texture: By simmering and reducing the cream, you get a luxurious thickness without needing a culinary degree.
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Zero Stress Versatility: It’s a base sauce that plays well with almost any protein or roasted vegetable.
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Naturally Inclusive: It’s vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free, making it a safe bet for hosting.
Equipments
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Large Non-Stick Sauté Pan: Provides enough surface area for the sauce to reduce quickly.
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Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula: Essential for constant stirring to prevent burning.
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Small Saucepan: For gently warming the cream before it hits the pan.
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Fine Grater or Microplane: To turn the garlic into a smooth paste.
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Measuring Cups and Spoons: For the perfect broth-to-cream ratio.
Ingredients
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Unsalted Butter: 1 tablespoon; for that rich, foaming base.
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Garlic: 3 cloves; grated or finely minced. Fresh is absolutely king here.
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Italian Seasoning: 1 teaspoon; a pre-blended shortcut to herbal complexity.
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Chicken Broth: 1 cup; provides savory depth. (Sub vegetable broth for vegetarians).
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Double Cream: 1 cup; (or heavy cream), warmed gently to prevent curdling.
Instructions
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Prep the Cream: Gently warm your cream or half-and-half in a small saucepan on low heat. Mince your garlic so it’s ready to hit the pan.
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Sauté the Garlic: Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat until foaming. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
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Bloom the Herbs: Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and stir briefly to release the fragrance of the dried herbs.
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The Combine: Pour in the chicken broth, followed by the warmed cream. Stir to combine the layers.
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The Reduction: Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Maintain the simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken naturally.
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Optional Thickening: If you want a “gravy-like” consistency, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 45 ml of cold water to create a slurry. Stir this into the sauce and simmer for 5 more minutes.
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Final Touch: Remove from the heat. Pour over your favorite dish and enjoy!
You Must Know
Technique Alert: Always warm your cream before adding it to the pan. Adding ice-cold cream to a hot broth can sometimes cause the sauce to “break” or separate. Ingredient Note: If you’re out of fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder works, though the flavor will be more mellow.
Storage Tips
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Fridge: Store in an airtight jar for up to 3 days.
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Reheating: The sauce will thicken in the fridge; simply reheat on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen it.
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Avoid Freezing: Cream-based sauces often separate and become grainy after freezing and thawing; I recommend making this fresh since it’s so quick!
Ingredient Substitutions
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The Herbs: Use 1 teaspoon of dried oregano or 0.5 teaspoon of dried thyme if you’re out of Italian seasoning.
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Vegetarian Swap: Use a high-quality vegetable stock instead of chicken broth.
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Fresh Herbs: To use fresh herbs instead of dried, finely mince them and use 2 teaspoons (double the quantity).
Serving Suggestions
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The Classic: Pour over pan-seared chicken breasts and serve with mashed potatoes.
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The Side Lift: Drizzle over roasted cauliflower, grilled asparagus, or steamed green beans.
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Pasta Night: Toss with freshly cooked penne or fettuccine and a handful of baby spinach.
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Appetizer Style: Serve in a small bowl as a dip for warm focaccia or crusty breadsticks.
Cultural and Historical Context
While this specific 5-ingredient version is a modern 2026 “shortcut” classic, its roots lie in the French Sauce Allemande and traditional velouté bases. Cream sauces have been a staple of European cuisine for centuries, originally used to mask the flavor of less-than-fresh proteins. Today, we use them for the exact opposite: to highlight the quality of our fresh ingredients.
Seasonal Adaptations
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Spring: Stir in some lemon zest and fresh chives at the end.
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Summer: Add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes to the pan during the reduction.
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Autumn/Winter: Use a pinch of ground nutmeg or fresh sage to deepen the earthy notes.
Perfect Occasions
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Weeknight Rescue: When you have 20 minutes to make dinner happen.
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Impressing Guests: It looks and tastes like a restaurant-style “velouté.”
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Holiday Sides: The perfect topper for a holiday green bean casserole or roasted turkey.
Freezer Meal Conversion
To prep this ahead, you can freeze a “Flavor Puck”:
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Sauté the garlic in butter and Italian seasoning.
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Let it cool and freeze the mixture in an ice cube tray.
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When ready to cook, drop the puck into a pan, add your broth and cream, and simmer as directed!
Pro Tips
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The “Back of the Spoon” Test: The sauce is done when it coats the back of a wooden spoon and a line drawn with your finger stays clear.
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Avoid the Burn: Garlic is delicate. If the butter is browning too fast, pull the pan off the heat for 10 seconds.
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Emulsion Secret: Use a whisk instead of a spatula for the last 2 minutes of simmering to get the smoothest possible texture.
FAQs About Recipes
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Can I use milk instead of cream? Yes, but the sauce will be much thinner. You will definitely need the cornstarch slurry to get it to a “sauce” consistency.
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My sauce is too salty! This often happens if the chicken broth is highly concentrated. Add a splash of water or a pinch of sugar to balance it out.
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Why did my sauce curdle? This usually happens if the heat is too high or the cream was too cold. Keep the simmer gentle!
Easy 5-Ingredient Creamy Garlic Sauce
A versatile, herb-infused cream sauce that elevates any protein or side dish with minimal effort.Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Instructions in Bulk
- Prep: Gently warm 1 cup of double cream in a small saucepan. Grate or finely mince 3 garlic cloves.
- Sauté: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and golden.
- Season: Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and stir for 30 seconds to release the oils.
- Combine: Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth and the warmed cream. Stir well to incorporate.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Maintain the simmer for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.
- Thicken (Optional): For a heavier consistency, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 45 ml of cold water to create a slurry. Gradually stir into the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from heat and pour immediately over your favorite chicken, pasta, or vegetable dish.
Video
Notes
- Freshness First: While garlic powder is a handy pantry staple, fresh garlic is the heart of this recipe. Grating it with a microplane allows the garlic to dissolve into the sauce, providing a punchy, aromatic base that powder simply can't replicate.
- Temperature Control: Always warm your cream before adding it to the pan. Introducing ice-cold cream to a hot broth can cause the fats to separate, leading to a "broken" or grainy sauce rather than a silky one.
- The "Back of the Spoon" Test: To know if your sauce is ready without a thermometer, dip a wooden spoon into the mixture. If the sauce coats the back of the spoon and you can draw a clear line through it with your finger that doesn't fill back in, you've reached the perfect emulsion.
- Sodium Awareness: Depending on the brand of chicken broth you use, the salt content can vary wildly. Always taste your sauce after it has reduced for 5 minutes before adding any extra salt.
- Thickness Hacks: If the sauce becomes too thick while sitting, don't panic! Simply whisk in a tablespoon of warm broth or water to loosen it back to your preferred consistency.
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Avoid the Burn: Garlic is delicate. If you see it turning dark brown, it has burned and will taste bitter. If your pan feels too hot, pull it off the burner for 10 seconds to regulate the temperature.
