Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine Alfredo is the ultimate comfort pasta! Butter, cream, and Parmesan make a rich, velvety sauce that clings to every strand. Simple, creamy, and absolutely irresistible.
I first shared this Fettuccine Alfredo back in 2016, and I’ve made it more times than I can count. It’s quick, cozy, and perfectly portioned for two – It’s what I crave when only something comforting will do.
Ingredients
- Fettuccine: Linguine would work well, too. I’ve never tried it with a short pasta shape, but penne pasta and rotini would work, too.
- Butter
- Cream
- Cheese: Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano is traditional, but I’ve also made it with other hard Italian cheeses, like Romano and Asiago. They’re delicious, too.
- Garnishes: black pepper and chopped parsley
But before we get too far down the track, I’d like to point out that this is not a traditional Alfredo sauce. Classic Alfredo is made with hot pasta tossed with butter, cheese, and some starchy pasta water. There isn’t any cream. Done right, you get a creamy, cheesy sauce, but it can be a little tricky to pull off.
So, I add cream to make it easier. It’s also the type of Alfredo sauce you’ll find at many Italian-American restaurants in the US. So, consider this an American-style Alfredo.
How to Make It
☑️ Boil the Pasta
Get the pasta going in a pot of boiling water. While it cooks, you can make the sauce in a separate pan.
☑️ Make the Alfredo Sauce
Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Once it’s melted add the cream and adjust the heat to medium. Whisk until the butter and cream are incorporated.
Add the grated cheese and whisk until the sauce is smooth.
☑️ Add the Pasta
I like to transfer the pasta with tongs from the pasta water straight to the pan. That way some of the starchy pasta water goes with it which helps the sauce.
Toss the pasta in the sauce until it’s evenly coated.
☑️ Garnish and Serve
Sprinkle black pepper and chopped parsley over each serving.
I love it with some garlic toast and a lightly dressed green salad on the side, but I’ve also been known to twirl the creamy, cheesy pasta onto my fork straight from the pan.
More Alfredo Recipes
Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 6 ounces fettuccine
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Garnishes: chopped parsley and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of boiling water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to package directions.
- While the pasta is boiling, melt the butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the cream and increase the heat to medium. Whisk the butter and cream until well combined.
- Once the cream is steaming hot, add the cheese and whisk until it’s melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Using tongs, transfer the pasta from the pot to the Alfredo sauce. Toss it around in the sauce for a minute or until it’s well coated. Add the garnishes, if using, and it’s ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
More Pasta Recipes for Two
- Balsamic Mushroom Pasta
- Pasta with Steak and Spinach
- Bucatini all’Amatriciana
- Truffle Mushroom Pasta
I hope you treat yourself to this homemade fettuccine Alfredo! It never disappoints.
Happy cooking,
This fettuccine Alfredo post was first published in March 2016.
Simple to make, yet tastes like authentic restaurant quality! Absolutely delicious!! Thank you so much for sharing.
I’m so glad you liked it, Nicole!
How would you add shrimp to this?
Shrimp cooks pretty fast so you could cook it in the pan first (before the sauce) in some butter (season them with some salt/pepper, too). Remove them from the pan and then make the sauce and add the shrimp at the end.
Great basic recipe! You can dress this up with anything.
l added asparagus and garlic.
Love that!
Made this a couple of times, it’s a great basic and it’s so easy to build up.
I made it with sauté asparagus, garlic. Great comfort food for sure!