Domino’s Garlic Parmesan Sauce vs. Alfredo: Differences

Anyone who’s ever ordered anything from Domino’s knows that the pizza giant offers two types of white sauces: Garlic Parmesan and Alfredo sauce. I have a friend who always makes a scene because he can never make up his mind; we call him Dramino, by the way (short for Drama Domino’s). But, the last time we were out ordering, the worker told us that this made no sense, as the two taste almost the same, but they don’t. So how can you tell which one tastes better?

Domino’s Garlic Parmesan sauce is made primarily from Parmesan cheese and garlic, while their Alfredo sauce is made with cream and a combination of Parmesan and Asiago cheese. As a result, their Alfredo sauce has a thicker consistency than Garlic Parmesan.

Now that we know what sets the two sauces apart, let’s look further into how the sauces are used and how you can make your copycat version at home.

What Are the Differences Between Garlic Parmesan Sauce and Alfredo?

At a glance, Garlic Parmesan and Alfredo sauce can look the same, but their taste is vastly different. Their ingredients list might look similar(with both sauces using Parmesan cheese as a main ingredient), but their texture and consistency couldn’t be any less different. Even their uses are different, with each being more suitable for particular items.

Here I’ll break down each difference to tell them apart.

Ingredients

Thankfully, Domino’s has a dedicated page listing the ingredients of almost any item on its menu, including its sauces. If you want to know the main ingredients, here’s what Domino’s has to say for each one:

• Garlic Parmesan sauce ingredients
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Buttermilk
  • Butter
  • Egg Yolk
  • Garlic
  • Soybean Oil
  • Distilled Vinegar
• Alfredo sauce ingredients
  • Cream
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Asiago Cheese
  • Butter
  • Garlic Puree

It’s worth mentioning that the Alfredo sauce’s use of garlic puree is mainly for flavor enhancement, as opposed to how heavily reliant the Garlic Parmesan sauce is on this ingredient. In fact, Domino’s uses garlic twice for the Garlic Parmesan sauce: once as actual garlic pieces for flavor and another as dehydrated garlic.

The trace amounts of salt or sugar needed to adjust each sauce to your preference are not included on this list. Here’s a video reviewing the Garlic Parmesan sauce pizza.

Uses and Applications

Although Domino’s states that you can use both sauces on any of their pizzas, it’s better to differentiate each one based on their best uses. For example, some people might find Alfredo sauce too rich for a pizza, while others might find Garlic Parmesan too overwhelming for a pasta dish.

The best way to determine each sauce’s compatibility is to see how the company advertises each sauce. Garlic Parmesan is hailed primarily as a pizza sauce, while Alfredo works better with pasta.

And that’s how most people use the sauce at home as well. Because Garlic Parmesan has such a robust and in-your-face flavor profile, it works better when paired with bread as a sauce base or dip.

Meanwhile, a rich Alfredo sauce is always a delight when coating long strands of al dente pasta. This is my favorite dinner to eat and to make, it’s simply a joy!

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Nutrition Facts

Believe it or not, Domino’s has a handy calory counter accommodating pizza customization options. But for our comparison, we will base the nutritional values on a thin-crust, 10-inch pizza with a regular amount of cheese and no other toppings. That amounts to 210 calories per slice, which is about a fourth of a small pizza.

Here’s a table comparing their nutritional values [1] [2]:

Which Sauce Is Easier to Make at Home?

Just because the nutritional values of each sauce look scary doesn’t mean you have to avoid them. Remember that those sauces are mass-produced and loaded with salt and other preservatives to prolong their shelf life. There’s still a way for you to enjoy these sauces while keeping things reasonable.

Thankfully, recreating Domino’s Garlic Parmesan and Alfredo sauce is easy. Not only do you get to control what ingredients go in your sauce, but you also save money by using ingredients that are already in your pantry. It’s a win-win!

To recreate the Garlic Parmesan sauce, you just have to melt some butter in a small pot or skillet. Once melted, add your minced garlic and cook it without burning it. After about three minutes, remove from heat and add Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and other seasonings you prefer. Stir them together until it creates a paste, and that’s it!

Recreating (or creating your own) Alfredo sauce requires you to be a bit more involved, but it’s not as complicated as you think. For this, you’ll need to heat and melt some butter on some oil, then add flour. After a minute, keep stirring in milk until the lumps disappear. Add your grated cheese and continue stirring until the consistency thickens to your liking.

The beauty of recreating these sauces at home is the freedom to add or remove any seasoning. You want less salt? You can do that. Maybe you prefer a more pronounced garlic flavor? You can do that too.

“My kitchen, my rules” works amazingly well here — I like to season to my taste, and I like to adjust the consistency to what I need at the moment. So, anything goes, as long as it’s reasonable.

Which One to Choose?

Both sauces are easy to make at home and are incredibly tasty, so it can be hard to choose the better one. So how do you pick one of them?

The best way to do so is to consider how you intend to use the sauce. Do you want to use it as a dip or coating for breadsticks and the like, or do you want a heartier sauce for a filling meal? Garlic Parmesan is your best friend if you want to use a sauce with bread. But if you want a fool-proof sauce that goes with any pasta dish you can think of, then Alfredo is the way to go.

So what are you waiting for? Get cooking and be ready to have your tastebuds tingling!

Also, I would love it if you could tell me how you tailor your sauces to fit your needs! What are the rules in your kitchen like? Tell me in the comments!