Fettuccine Alfredo was my all-time favorite food as a kid—the only thing I ever ordered when I went out to dinner with my parents. Back then, I didn’t think twice about calories; I was just all about that rich, creamy, and cheesy sauce and perfectly tender pasta. Originally from Rome, this dish started as a simple mix of butter and Parmesan, but the American version we know and love takes it up a notch with the addition of cream. It’s still a favorite, and kids—okay, pretty much everyone—loves it! The best part is that it’s one of the easiest pasta dishes to make, coming together in just 30 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients.
Fettuccine Alfredo is rich and satisfying on its own, but it pairs beautifully with simple sides. A light arugula salad adds a fresh, peppery contrast, while garlic bread is perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce. For extra protein or nutrition, try adding grilled chicken or roasted broccoli. And of course, a crisp white wine goes nicely.
What You’ll Need To Make Fettuccine Alfredo
- Fettuccine: The perfect pasta for Alfredo sauce, its wide, flat shape holds the creamy sauce beautifully. You can go with dried pasta, homemade pasta, or grab fresh noodles from the refrigerated section at the supermarket for an extra tender texture.
- Butter: The base of the sauce; adds richness and flavor.
- Garlic: Adds depth and aromatic flavor to the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: The key to the velvety texture of the sauce.
- Grated Nutmeg: A classic touch that adds warmth and a hint of complexity to the sauce.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: This cheese adds much of the rich, nutty flavor that makes the dish so delicious. Be sure to use the authentic kind—the rind should be embossed with the name—rather than domestic Parmesan, which just isn’t the same. It’s fine to buy it pre-grated, just make sure the packaging is labeled “Parmigiano Reggiano.” For a sharper, saltier bite, Pecorino Romano is a great alternative.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Cook the fettuccine by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil (add enough salt so the water tastes like the sea). Add the pasta and cook until al dente, following the package instructions.
Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water—you’ll use this to thin the sauce later—then drain. It’s easy to forget to save the water, so I always set a liquid measuring cup next to the strainer as a little reminder.
Make the sauce: In the same pot (no need to wash it), melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant (don’t let it brown). Stir in the cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and bring to a gentle simmer.
Let it thicken slightly, then stir in the cheese until melted.
Toss the drained fettuccine with the sauce until well coated.
Add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to get the consistency you like. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. If the sauce thickens too much as it sits, stir in more pasta water and reheat gently over low heat. You can add a little fresh parsley for color, if you like. Serve the pasta immediately and enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Fettuccine Alfredo
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Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch grated nutmeg
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the fettuccine.
- In the same pot (no need to rinse), melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes to thicken slightly. Gradually stir in the cheese until melted.
- Add the drained fettuccine to the sauce, tossing everything together with tongs until the cheese is melted and the pasta is well coated and warmed through. Gradually add the reserved pasta water a little at a time to achieve your desired sauce consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then serve. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits, so stir in more pasta water as needed. If the sauce becomes too thin, cook over low heat, tossing frequently, until thickened.
Nutrition
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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