When you mention Fettuccine Alfredo, you get a variety of responses. You can immediately see some people diving face-first into the memory, savoring the moment they last tasted the delightful flavors of that classic Italian dish…..sigh.
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While there are ways to cut back on the fat and calories, making Fettuccine Alfredo less artery-clogging, you also need to remember that this isn’t a dish that you’ll eat very often.
That being said, an occasional splurge isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And of course, you can enjoy it as a side dish instead of the main course, reducing the portion to a more manageable splurge.
Our creamy fettuccine Alfredo is comfort food at its best. Some refer to it as adult mac and cheese. I promise it couldn’t be easier to make the silky alfredo sauce tossed with fettuccine noodles to create a dish rivaling your favorite Italian restaurant.
Try our Cacio e Pepe and Pasta Aglio e Olio recipes if you love easy-to-make, delicious pasta dishes.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our homemade Fettuccine Alfredo recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I change up the recipe?
I do have a few tips and tricks for making this classic Italian dish a little less fattening if you can’t handle the cream. One way to make this dish acceptable is to swap out about ¾ of the cream for Greek Yogurt, but there is a trick to making it work.
Now, there is a trick to this method because if you’ve never tried heating Greek yogurt, I’ll tell you right now it doesn’t work.
Greek Yogurt turns to water when heated, so the trick is to let it come to room temperature, then blend it together with the hot noodles immediately after you’ve drained them. Add a touch of cream and the grated Romano Cheese, and you’ll have a very tasty low-fat version of the creamy sauce.
The recipe calls for Parmesan cheese, but that is not the cheese we use in the restaurant. Romano cheese has more flavor and is my grated cheese of choice, especially the Locatelli brand.
How to Make our Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make our fettuccine alfredo recipe in your home kitchen.
- Cook the fettuccine al dente in boiling, lightly salted water according to the package directions. Reserve some of the starchy pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.
- While fettuccine is cooking, begin preparing your sauce.
- Add the heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer to reduce the cream.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the fettuccine Alfredo sauce.
- Stir to combine and keep the heat on the low setting.
- Add the fettuccine pasta and chopped parsley to the homemade Alfredo sauce.
- Toss to combine and serve with additional grated cheese, black pepper, and a sprinkle of parsley.
You’ll find many different interpretations of Fettuccine Alfredo, some without mushrooms, some with nutmeg, and of course, the original without any cream at all, just butter and grated Romano.
It’s easy to add mushrooms to the dish. Just add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to the saute pan and 1-2 cups of sliced mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes then continue the recipe as written.
Wouldn’t you love to sit down to a bowl of this decadent, creamy fettuccine alfredo? Its not only delicious, its easy to make and can be on your dinner table in less than half an hour.
Any leftover fettuccine alfredo should be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. I would not suggest freezing it, as the sauce and pasta will break down.
Recipe FAQs
No, it is not. The original recipe did not include cream. At Alfredo’s in Rome, the traditional Alfredo sauce was created using two ingredients: grated pecorino Romano cheese and unsalted butter.
Grated cheese and butter are tossed masterfully with homemade pasta to create a creamy sauce without using cream. If needed, a little starchy pasta water is added to make the consistency of the silky sauce creamier.
Italian Americans later added heavy whipping cream to the sauce, making fettuccine Alfredo a more decadent dish.
Yes, you can. You can cut chicken breasts into small pieces and saute them before adding the cream to make chicken alfredo. You can also make shrimp alfredo, or a seafood version using shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat.
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love!
Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine
- 12 oz white mushrooms sliced
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups grated romano cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Cook fettuccine per instructions on package in boiling lightly salted water
- While fettuccine is cooking begin preparing your sauce
- In a large skillet saute mushrooms in half the butter until cooked through
- Add the heavy cream and remainder of butter and bring to a light boil
- Reduce heat and continue to simmer until the pasta is done.
- Drain pasta and add to the cream mixture along with the romano cheese and black pepper.
- Toss pasta in mixture until completely blended and serve immediately with a sprinkle of chopped Italian parsley and crusty bread!
Cadence says
Can this be reheated?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Just add a little water or milk to it when reheating.