White Garlic Pizza Sauce – Creamy & Perfect for Homemade Pizza
Honestly, This Sauce Might Ruin You for Red Sauce
You know those times when you really want pizza but just can’t face another tomatoey mess? That was me last winter. Power flickered, snow everywhere, so I started busying myself in the kitchen with a little jazz in the background (Nina Simone, just to set the scene) trying not to burn the garlic. My first white garlic pizza sauce attempt was a hilarious disaster—clumpy, weird, but wow did it smell good. Since then, I’ve gotten better—and now, every time I make it, I feel a bit smug. Like, hey, this is so much better than delivery. My kids literally do a happy dance, except for the youngest; he mostly wiggles like a confused worm. Win-win!
Why Do I Keep Making This?
I make this creamy white garlic pizza sauce every single time I want to impress someone. Or, to be honest, when I need to use up that half-and-half before it becomes a science experiment (you ever let that go too long? Don’t!). My family’s absolutely wild for this—especially when I pile it high with mushrooms and spinach. And, if I’m feeling extra, a little sprinkle of chili is magic. Oh, and don’t get me started on how it rescues leftover chicken for pizza night. I’ll admit it, I once tried to use only garlic powder… let’s just say the vampires would’ve been fine with that pizza. Stick with fresh!
What You’ll Need (and What I Sometimes Cheat With)
- 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted; I sort of just grab whatever’s closest)
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced (you can go rogue here; I’ve used pre-minced in a pinch, though Grandma would give me The Look)
- 2 tablespoons plain flour (all-purpose, not fancy bread flour)
- 1 and 1/4 cup milk (I swap in half-and-half when feeling decadent; I’ve even used oat milk—works!)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (or a funky hard cheese—my neighbour swears by pecorino)
- Salt & cracked black pepper, to taste (I mean, who even measures pepper?)
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional, but gives it a little mystery)
- Handful of chopped parsley for color (totally skippable—sometimes I don’t bother, honestly)
Here’s How I Make It (No Stress Approach)
- Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Toss in all your garlic and just, you know, stir a bit. If it’s turning golden, you’re doing it right. (If you burn it, just laugh and start again. Been there.)
- Sprinkle in the flour; mix until it forms a sort of paste—this is where I usually sneak a taste, not that it’s especially appetizing yet. Give it a minute to cook off that raw flour vibe. It’ll look gloopy, that’s normal!
- Slowly add the milk, whisking as you go. Or stirring frantically with a fork if, like me, you sometimes misplace your whisk. It’ll start thickening up in about 2-3 minutes—sometimes longer if you get distracted by a text.
- When you see it’s nicely creamy (coats the back of a spoon, if you wanna get fancy), stir in the Parmesan and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Salt and pepper, as you like. I’m generous with the pepper most nights—something about the smell is oddly comforting.
- Take it off the heat. If adding parsley, now’s the time. But sometimes I just sprinkle it over the pizza later. Or not at all, because, life is busy.
A Few Notes That Might Save You Some Swear Words
- If your sauce gets too thick (happens to me every other time!), just stir in a splash of milk. Better to go slow than panic-dump a cup in at once (trust me)
- Grate your own Parmesan if you can, because those pre-shredded bags sometimes taste like sawdust (no offense to big cheese companies)
- If you see lumps, grab a whisk and go to town, or honestly, a fork works in a pinch
Variations (And One Oops Moment)
- Added a handful of chopped basil—really good, almost too summery for winter pizzas though
- Once tried smoked cheddar instead of Parmesan, and… yeah, nobody asked for seconds. Live and learn
- I’ve thrown a pinch of Italian seasoning in, when I can’t be bothered to chop herbs
- Mix in sautéed onions if you want it a little sweet—I swear it works
Do You Really Need Fancy Tools?
I use a medium saucepan and a wooden spoon or whisk (depending on what the dishwasher hasn’t claimed). If you don’t have a whisk, a fork’s honestly fine—it just needs a little extra muscle. I’ve even made this in a nonstick frying pan when the saucepan was MIA, didn’t notice a difference.
Storing Your Sauce (If There’s Any Left!)
Let it cool and pop it into a jar or airtight tub in the fridge. It lasts about 3-4 days, though honestly, in my house it never makes it past pizza night. If it turns weirdly thick after chilling, just warm it gently and stir. Or add a splash of milk—works a treat.
How I Like to Serve It (Plus a Weird Tradition)
Slather it on pizza dough, obviously! But I also use it as a dip for crusts (don’t judge me). Sometimes we’ve poured it over roasted veggies, or even tossed leftover pasta through it. And on rainy Saturdays, it goes on homemade focaccia, topped with whatever’s in the garden. Not technically pizza, but close enough.
If I Could Go Back & Do It Again—My Pro Tips
- Don’t walk away once you add the flour – it’ll catch and go lumpy so fast (I once tried to rescue it by blending—bad idea)
- Add cheese off the heat; otherwise, it goes clumpy. And nobody likes clumpy sauce, honestly
- Be generous with garlic, but don’t skip sautéing first unless you love that raw bite
FAQ, Because Apparently People Actually Read These
- Can you freeze this sauce? Sort of. It’s a bit of a faff though; it’ll separate a little on defrosting so just be ready for a good stir. I’d rather make it fresh, but do your thing!
- Is there a dairy-free version that actually tastes good? I’ve had luck with oat milk & vegan butter, plus nutritional yeast for ‘cheesiness’ (sometimes I add this recipe from Nora Cooks, actually). Totally decent.
- Can I make it ahead? Yep. Just pop it in a lidded container, keep it chilled, and give it a good stir before using. Oh, and try not to eat it all with a spoon the night before. I’ve failed at this more than once.
- How garlicky is this, really? If you follow the recipe, it’s got a nice, gentle kick—not vampire-threatening. For full-on garlic fiends, go wild! My mate Dan adds even more and claims it’s not enough (he’s wrong, obviously).
- Does it work as a pasta sauce? Absolutely—just thin it out with a splash of pasta water and you’re golden.
For a quick refresher on basic roux sauces, check out Serious Eats’ bechamel primer. Also, if you want a really classic Neapolitan crust recipe, I don’t even try to compete with Maurizio’s pizza dough here. His is the real deal.
So… that’s my white garlic pizza sauce. Not perfect, but irresistibly good—and, apparently, impossible to mess up so badly you can’t still brag about it. Try it your own way, steal bits of the recipe, or just use it as an excuse to eat more pizza. No judgement here.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
Instructions
-
1In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
-
2Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic.
-
3Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute to form a roux.
-
4Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream, ensuring there are no lumps. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens, 3-5 minutes.
-
5Stir in the Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and Italian herbs. Cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
-
6Remove from heat and let cool slightly before spreading on pizza dough. Use as a base for your favorite pizza toppings.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!
