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Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine pasta topped with a homemade rich decadent alfredo sauce
There are certain recipes that are essential to have in your recipe box and one of them has to be a phenomenal Fettuccine alfredo recipe. Years ago, when I was teaching kids’ cooking classes, this was one of the first things I taught them. Almost every single kid around goes crazy for alfredo sauce! It is so easy to make a homemade alfredo sauce that you will never buy the jarred variety again!
This homemade alfredo sauce is made with simple ingredients — butter, parmesan cheese, garlic, heavy cream, and salt. It’s a 5-ingredient alfredo sauce that is beyond easy!
If you are looking for a lighter version, I created a low-fat fettuccine alfredo version called Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo. You can find the recipe HERE.
This homemade alfredo sauce can be tossed with the pasta so the pasta soaks up all of the sauce or it can be spooned over hot, fresh pasta. I love to use fresh refrigerated fettuccine noodles because it tastes that much better. If you want the fettuccine alfredo to be a little more “saucy” toss the sauce with less than one pound of pasta (you may start with 12 ounces of fettuccine).
Tips for making PERFECT FETTUCCINE ALFREDO:
- Start by bringing water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt to the water to season the pasta. Once it is boiling, add pasta and cook according to package instructions.
- Saute the garlic and butter together until softened — about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and let simmer over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add half of the parmesan cheese to the mixture and whisk well until smooth.
- Save some pasta water. The pasta water is full of flavor and can be used to thin out the sauce.
- Toss alfredo sauce with fettuccine pasta and add half of the parmesan cheese. Once it is tossed, garnish with the remaining parmesan cheese. Add a little pasta water if it needs to be thinned out.
- Garnish with Italian parsley, if so desired.
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Fettuccine Alfredo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fettuccine Pasta
- 6 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Garlic Clove (minced)
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Italian Parsley (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat water over high heat until boiling. Add salt to season the water. Once it is boiling, add fettuccine and cook according to package instructions.
- In a large skillet or pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.
- Let heavy cream reduce and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Add half of the parmesan cheese to the mixture and whisk well until smooth. Keep over heat and whisk well until cheese is melted.
- Save some pasta water. The pasta water is full of flavor and can be used to thin out the sauce.
- Toss alfredo sauce with fettuccine pasta and add half of the parmesan cheese. Once it is tossed, garnish with the remaining parmesan cheese. Add a little pasta water if it needs to be thinned out.
- Garnish with Italian parsley, if so desired.
Video
Notes
- Use real parmesan cheese, which is refrigerated.
- If you like it to be more "saucy", you may use less than 1 lb. of fettuccine pasta.
- Leftover pasta water may be used to thin out pasta sauce.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I hope you love this fettuccine pasta with homemade alfredo sauce. Happy Cooking, my friends!
Where does the heavy cream come from?
Has no taste benefits and is only fat. Rather focus on the Orginal and choosing top pasta and Parmesan
Any idea of the Calorie content?
You are correct that pasta water can add flavor to a sauce. However, pasta water is used to emulsify and THICKEN a sauce– not thin it out since the pasta water has starch in it. Like you mentioned, it is a good idea to add pasta water to the sauce.
You are correct that pasta water can add flavor to a sauce. However, pasta water is used to emulsify and THICKEN a sauce– not thin it out since the pasta water has starch from the pasta that was cooked in it.
I beat up an egg white to soft peaks on the side and gently fold it into the sauce when it is off the heat and before it goes on the pasta. It gives it a lovely volume and lifts some of the heaviness.
I love this idea, Connie! So brilliant. I think it would bring a nice balance to the sauce. I will have to try it out. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, great idea! I’m going to do just that when I make this dish for dinner tonight!
This is the best Alfredo I’ve had, and is so easy to make. It’s not to saucy which I like and has lots of flavor! So good!
I literally just made this and have my bowl sitting right next to me as I type. This recipe is great and its not incredibly saucy (which I like) if the instructions are followed as given. For the record I am a VERY VERY and I stress the word VERY amateur cooker and this was simple for me!
Holy WOW!! This was the first time I ever made fettuccine alfredo and WOW! Followed the recipe, ended up gone!!
Very tasty. I have tried to make fettuccine alfredo several times and haven’t had it come out well, but this was very much like Olive Garden’s. The only problem that I have is that as always it separates quickly, leaving me with a greasy plate and not quite the same taste/texture. How do I get a creamy, homogenized sauce??
Made this tonight! It was delicious! Paired it with garlic butter steak bites and a side salad with texas toast.