White Garlic Pizza Sauce – Creamy & Perfect for Homemade Pizza Recipe

This White Garlic Pizza Sauce offers a truly luscious base to warm your soul and elevate your homemade pizza game. If you’re a garlic lover (and who isn’t?), this sauce is about to become your new obsession! Forget the basic marinara; this velvety, rich, and intensely flavorful cream sauce comes together in just 15 minutes. It’s perfectly thick and creamy, skips the heavy cream in favor of a dreamy combination of milk, Parmesan, and a touch of butter, giving you that savory, cheesy goodness that is absolutely UNREAL.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 15-Minute Magic: This sauce is ready to go in just 15 minutes, making it faster than ordering delivery!
• Velvety Texture: It uses a classic roux method to create a thick, smooth, and perfect sauce without a single lump.
• Big Flavor: You get a wonderful savory depth from the fresh garlic, a salty kick from the Parmesan, and a classic herbaceous scent from the Italian seasoning.
• Better Than Store-Bought: Seriously, once you taste this homemade version, you’ll never go back to the jarred stuff. It’s truly a game-changer!

Ingredients

All you need for this dreamy White Garlic Pizza Sauce is a medium saucepan and about 15 minutes! Yes, it’s that easy. But first, gather up these must-haves:

• Unsalted Butter: The foundation! This is what we’ll use to sauté the garlic and build the roux, which is the key to a super thick, non-lumpy sauce.
• Garlic, Minced: The star of the show! We’re using a generous amount because this sauce is all about that beautiful, mellow, fragrant garlic flavor. Just be sure not to let it brown!
• All-Purpose Flour: This combines with the butter to create the roux, which is essential for thickening the sauce without adding a ton of heavy cream.
• Whole Milk: The main liquid base. Using whole milk ensures a richer, creamier texture compared to skim milk.
• Heavy Cream: Just a touch adds an incredible luxuriousness and makes the final sauce feel extra special and decadent.
• Salt & Black Pepper: Your basic seasonings. Seasoning as you go is what makes the flavor pop!
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Optional): A little secret ingredient! This gives the sauce a subtle warmth and just a tiny, delightful kick that makes it even more addictive.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: The cheesy, salty element that makes this sauce absolutely craveable. It melts into the sauce, making it silky smooth.
• Dried Italian Herbs: Adds that classic pizza aroma—a blend of oregano, basil, and thyme works perfectly here.

How to Make the White Garlic Pizza Sauce

This simple sauce comes together in just a few steps. You’ve got this!

Step 1: Infuse the Butter with Garlic

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add your minced garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes. You want it fragrant and lightly golden, but be very careful not to let it brown, or the flavor will become bitter!

Step 2: Whisk in the Flour to Form the Roux

Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Keep stirring until you have a smooth paste. This is your roux, and it’s what ensures a perfectly thick sauce!

Step 3: Whisk in the Milk and Thicken

Gradually pour in the milk while whisking constantly. This constant whisking is the trick to avoiding any lumps. Continue stirring until the mixture starts to thicken, about 3–4 minutes.

Step 4: Simmer with the Cream and Seasonings

Add the heavy cream, salt, black pepper, and the optional red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and let it gently simmer on low heat for 2–3 more minutes until it’s beautifully smooth and creamy.

Step 5: Stir in the Cheese and Herbs

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and Italian herbs until they are completely melted and perfectly incorporated.

Step 6: Cool Slightly and Use

Let the sauce cool slightly before spreading it over your pizza dough. It should have a gorgeous, thick, velvety texture that spreads like a dream!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Mind the Garlic: The single most important tip! Do not let your garlic brown. If it starts to turn deep brown, it will be bitter. You want it fragrant, soft, and just lightly golden.
• Whisk, Whisk, Whisk: When adding the flour and especially when adding the milk, whisk constantly! This prevents lumps and guarantees that super-smooth, velvety texture we’re aiming for.
• Don’t Rush the Roux: Cooking the flour and butter mixture for a full minute helps cook out the raw flour taste, resulting in a cleaner, better-tasting sauce.
• Adjust Thickness: If your sauce is too thick, simply whisk in a splash more milk until you reach your desired spreading consistency.

How to Serve

This glorious sauce is not just for pizza! Here’s how you can make the most of it:

• The Classic Pizza: Use it as the base for a chicken bacon ranch pizza, a classic white pie with mozzarella and ricotta, or a simple spinach and mushroom pizza.
• Garlic Bread Dip: Serve it warm in a small bowl as an unbelievably decadent dipping sauce for cheesy breadsticks or homemade garlic bread.
• Pasta Sauce Starter: Use it as the foundation for a quick weeknight pasta dish—just toss with cooked noodles and maybe add some grilled chicken!
• Veggie Side: Drizzle it over steamed asparagus, roasted broccoli, or baked potatoes for an immediate flavor boost.

Make Ahead and Storage

This sauce is fantastic for meal prepping! You can make a batch ahead of time and keep it ready for a spontaneous pizza night.

Storing Leftovers

Place any leftover sauce in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezing

Due to the dairy content, freezing cream sauces isn’t always recommended as it can sometimes separate when thawed. However, if you must, freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Note: You may need to blend or vigorously whisk it during reheating to recombine the sauce.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently. If it’s too thick after chilling, whisk in a tablespoon of milk or cream at a time until it’s smooth and spreadable again.

FAQs

Can I use a different type of milk for this sauce?

You can, but I highly recommend sticking with whole milk! Using 2% or skim milk will still result in a delicious sauce, but it will be noticeably thinner and less rich. The whole milk, combined with the heavy cream and butter, is what gives this sauce its incredible luxurious, velvety body.

What is the best kind of cheese to use in this recipe?

The best cheese is freshly grated Parmesan cheese! The stuff in the green shaker container doesn’t melt as smoothly and can make the sauce grainy. Take the extra minute to grate a good quality block of Parmesan; it melts beautifully and has a much more complex, salty flavor that truly elevates the sauce.

Why did my sauce turn out lumpy?

Lumps almost always happen when you add the liquid (milk) too quickly to the flour/butter mixture (the roux). To fix this, simply use an immersion blender or a regular blender to quickly blitz the sauce until it’s perfectly smooth. If you don’t have a blender, you can press the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve with the back of a spoon!

Can I add other seasonings to this white pizza sauce?

Absolutely! This recipe is incredibly versatile. For an extra kick, you can add a pinch of dried oregano or basil or a dash of onion powder. For a bolder flavor, try adding a tiny squeeze of lemon juice at the end to brighten it up!