Alfredo, replace butter with margarine?

Question

Would that help or just make things go upside down? Because all I really have in this house is basically margarine.

Would the same go in baking?

Answer 1

Been cooking Alfredo sauce almost every week since 1972. Butter or margarine, it doesn't really matter unless you try melting the margarine in the microwave, what a mess. There is a subtle difference in taste, but I haven't found much difference in the consistency of the sauce. Personal preference; butter.

I can't believe people thicken the sauce with flour (icky starchy yuck). The cheese is supposed to thicken the sauce. This isn't cheese sauce, it's Alfredo sauce. Butter/Cream/Parmesan Cheese, salt & pepper to taste (optional, egg yolk mixed in last). It is kind of fun with garlic, if you love garlic (I do) but it is not authentic. And always use whipping cream or heavy whipping cream otherwise things will separate.

Follow your recipe, unless you have time to experiment.

:) But if all you have is margarine and no cream or parmesan cheese, then you won't have much of a sauce :)

Oh, MOST IMPORTANT, take a capsule of Omega 3 Fish oil. Alfredo Sauce could raise your cholesterol level just by looking at it :)

Answer 2

Until I read the other answers, I would've said Yes, definitely - use marg in all circumstances instead of butter. Source - I have used marg in most of the baking, pasta sauces etc I've made for a long time, without anything going badly wrong, so it can be done.... if its all you have I'd give it a go. Otherwise, buy a pack of butter and keep it in your freezer to use a bit of whenever you need it and don't want to use margarine. That way it won't go off or start tasting funny like it does when its left in the fridge for too long, (like it does in my fridge - that's the main reason I went off using butter, because I'm hardly ever home)

Answer 3

No. You need butter. You will get a better product if you use butter. In baking too. Butter has certian properties in it that contribute to the baking process in whatever you're baking. So unless the recipe calls for margarine, use butter. Butter is better.

Answer 4

If you are going to use a roux(flour and fat) to thicken the sauce no problem.keep it basic use equal portions of margarine and flour and slowly cook in sauce pot.then add liquid and stir it and bring to simmer and then whisk in cheese.
If you try to make it with just the margarine,cream,spices,and cheese in a traditional method without the roux it will not thicken and the cheese will seperate from cream.

Answer 5

Only a true terrorist would substitute margarine for butter in any recipe.

Answer 6

Never do that. Ever.
Butter is butter.
Margarine is margarine.