This homemade Fettuccine Alfredo recipe makes a quick, easy, and spectacular pasta and cream sauce that’s ready in just 20 minutes!
Serve this delicious dish with a warm loaf of Homemade Garlic Bread and a simple vinaigrette salad for the perfect Italian meal!
This fantastic recipe has been tested and perfected. It’s made with fresh, simple ingredients.
It’s a beautiful sight to see as the cheese melts into the cream and forms this smooth, luxurious coating on the fettuccine. It truly is heaven on a plate!
Why This Recipe Works
- Adding a clove of garlic to the cream adds an extra layer of mild flavor
- Allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce allows the sauce to stick to the fettuccine
- The Parmesan cheese adds a kick of flavor that can’t be beat.
Ingredient Notes
- Fettuccine: Use anything from egg Fettuccine noodles to fresh pasta.
- Cream: Cream with high-fat content is best as it thickens as it cooks with the cheese without the need for thickening agents like flour or cornstarch. Whipping cream is a good global choice. In the US, use heavy cream. In the UK double cream works best, and if you’re in Australia thickened cream is the best choice.
- Garlic: A peeled garlic clove left whole adds an extra layer of subtle flavor to the dish without overpowering it.
- Butter: I use salted butter in all of my cooking, but that’s a personal choice. Unslated works just as well in this recipe.
- Nutmeg: Adds a spiced nuttiness to the dish. I recommend freshly grated for the best possible flavor.
- Grated Cheese: Hard Italian Cheeses with plenty of flavor work best for Alfredo sauce as they taste great and melt easily into the sauce. Freshly grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Asiago, or Grana Padano cheeses are perfect.
- Salt and black pepper: I use shaved sea salt and freshly grated black pepper.
- Parsley: The parsley is optional. I love fresh herbs in all of my cooking. I recommend chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or Italian parsley.
How To Make Fettuccine Alfredo
- Cook the Fettuccine in a pot of salted water.
- Heat the cream and garlic (if using) over low-medium heat.
- Add butter and whisk until melted. Then Mix in the nutmeg and cheese.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce.
- Top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately
Step by Step Instructions
In a large pot, cook the Fettuccine according to the package instructions until just underdone.
Save some pasta water – The pasta water is full of flavor and velvety starch that can be used to thin out the sauce.
While the pasta is cooking, add the cream to a deep saute pan.
Add the garlic (if using) and cook over low-medium heat. Add butter and whisk gently until melted.
Add the Parmesan cheese.
Remove and discard the garlic. Add the nutmeg and freshly ground pepper, taste for seasoning, and add salt if needed.
Add the Fettuccine to the pan. Gently toss the pasta to coat in the Alfredo sauce and finish cooking.
Let the fettuccine finish cooking in the sauce. It will absorb the flavor and coat it better.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Serve and enjoy every last bite!
Be sure to serve immediately as the sauce will dry out as it cools.
Other Italian Dishes You’ll Love
Tips For Best Results
- When cooking pasta, add enough salt to the water so that it seasons the pasta. The best sauce in the world cannot fix bland pasta. Chefs will tell you that the cooking water should taste like the ocean so don’t be shy. If you’re not sure – taste the water!
- Cook the pasta until just underdone and allow it to finish cooking in the sauce so it can absorb the flavors and marry with the sauce.
- Save some pasta water -The pasta water is full of flavor and velvety starch that can be used to thin out the sauce.
- Don’t use oil – Adding oil to the pasta water makes the sauce to just slip off the pasta instead of coating it.
- Use Cream with high-fat content as it thickens when cooked without the use of a roux or thickening agent.
- Some Parmesan cheese is quite salty, so be sure to taste before seasoning.
- Don’t Have Parmesan Cheese? Use Cheeses with lots of flavor and melt easily into the sauce like Pecorino Romano, Asiago or Grana Padano.
- Serve imminently As the sauce cools, it thickens and if left too long the pasta will clump together.
- Variations: Add steamed or roasted vegetables, cooked chicken, shrimp, or crispy bacon for a whole new dish.
FAQs
If you need to substitute heavy cream in Alfredo sauce you can use non-dairy substitutes, sour cream, Greek yogurt, or cream cheese. They can all be mixed with stock or milk to achieve the correct consistency.
The best way to freeze Fettuccine Alfredo is to freeze the sauce (in a freezer-safe, airtight container) and then defrost before using. Heat the sauce through, make the pasta separately, and add it to the sauce before serving.
The best way to make Fettuccine Alfredo ahead is to make the sauce, chill in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Re-heat, cook the pasta, and add it to the sauce before serving.
Alfredo sauce clumps when the sauce is overcooked resulting in curdling or grainy consistency. Remove the sauce from the heat once the cheese has melted in.
To Keep Alfredo Sauce creamy, serve imminently.Alfredo sauce dries out as it cools, and if left too long the pasta will clump together.
Add steamed or roasted vegetables, cooked chicken, shrimp, or crispy bacon for a whole new dish.
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Let’s Make Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 pound Fettuccine
- 2 cups heavy cream (UK double cream)
- 1 clove garlic peeled and left whole (optional)
- 1 stick salted butter softened
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the Fettuccine until just undercooked. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a deep saute pan, heat the cream and garlic (if using) over low-medium heat.
- Add butter and whisk gently until melted. Remove and discard the garlic. Mix in the nutmeg and cheese. Season with freshly grated black pepper.
- Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Add it to the pan, gently toss the pasta to coat in the Alfredo sauce (adding some of the pasta water if needed to loosen).
- Top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Tips + Notes
- When cooking pasta, add enough salt to the water so that it seasons the pasta. The best sauce in the world cannot fix bland pasta. Chefs will tell you that the cooking water should taste like the ocean so don’t be shy. If you’re not sure – taste the water!
- Cook the pasta until just underdone and allow it to finish cooking in the sauce so it can absorb the flavors and marry with the sauce.
- Save some pasta water -The pasta water is full of flavor and velvety starch that can be used to thin out the sauce.
- Don’t use oil – Adding oil to the pasta water makes the sauce slip off the pasta instead of coating it.
- Use Cream with high-fat content as it thickens when cooked without the use of a roux or thickening agent.
- Some Parmesan cheese is quite salty, so be sure to taste before seasoning.
- Don’t Have Parmesan Cheese? Use Cheeses with lots of flavor and melt easily into the sauce like Pecorino Romano, Asiago or Grana Padano.
- Serve imminently As the sauce cools, it thickens and if left too long the pasta will clump together.
- Variations: Add steamed or roasted vegetables, cooked chicken, shrimp, or crispy bacon for a whole new dish.
Nutrition Information:
Want a great Healthy Option? Check out this Healthy Chicken Alfredo with Spaghetti Squash recipe from 40 Aprons
Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2014, but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and FAQs in September of 2018.
Robyn says
Absolutely the best! Very similar to my favorite Italian place. Best thing besides the taste is that this recipe has no egg in it! Good even without the parmesean added at the end.
Erren Hart says
That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe so much! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Pam Woods says
This was always favourite dish growing up and making it with this recipe was easy and better than I remember. Thank you!
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m so glad you liked it Pam 🙂
Owen says
So easy, everyone enjoyed it and fun to make with the kids. We added mushrooms, spinach and a slash of white wine.
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m so glad you like it, yes it’s so versatile too, that sounds delicious 🙂