This fettuccine Alfredo recipe is creamy pasta at its best! The homemade Alfredo sauce is rich, silky, and easy to make with simple ingredients.
This fettuccine Alfredo recipe is for those nights when only creamy pasta will do. Think Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or when you’re craving something that’s comforting and quick.
It calls for 8 basic ingredients and comes together in 20 minutes, but it still tastes like it could have come from a restaurant. Simple, flavorful, and indulgent—that’s this fettuccine Alfredo.
My Homemade Alfredo Sauce
For the last few years, I’ve always made this cauliflower Alfredo sauce when I’ve had a fettuccine Alfredo craving. But I recently found myself with some extra cream in the fridge (testing a tiramisu recipe will do that to you), and I decided to work on a traditional Alfredo sauce recipe.
When I say traditional, I mean Italian-American traditional. The original Alfredo sauce dates back to early twentieth century Rome, and it was made with just Parmesan cheese and butter.
But as American cooks adapted Alfredo sauce to their ingredients and tastes, it came to include cream. The cream adds richness, thickens the sauce, and makes it easier to incorporate the cheese. Jack and Ollie both totally love this version—it’s rich, velvety, creamy pasta perfection. I hope you do too!
Fettuccine Alfredo Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this fettuccine Alfredo recipe:
- Fettuccine, of course! Another long pasta shape, like linguine or tonnarelli, would also work well. For an extra-special treat, use fresh homemade pasta instead of dried.
- Butter and heavy cream – They create the sauce’s rich base.
- Garlic and Parmesan cheese – For nutty, savory depth of flavor.
- Fresh parsley – I love this fresh garnish on this rich, creamy pasta.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo
You can find the complete fettuccine Alfredo recipe with measurements below, but for now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:
Start by cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. Before you drain it, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. You’ll use it later!
Next, simmer the sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the cream while whisking, then whisk in the garlic and salt. Simmer until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.
Add half the cheese and stir until melted.
Then, toss the pasta with the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the remaining cheese and toss until melted, adding pasta water as needed to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve!
Recipe Tips
- Grate the cheese yourself. Whenever you want cheese to melt into a smooth and creamy sauce, it’s best to grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is often drier and coated in anti-caking agents, which can result in a clumpy, uneven texture.
- Add the cheese in two parts. This will help it incorporate evenly. Whisk some into the sauce before adding the pasta, then add the rest after you toss the pasta with the sauce. If necessary, add a little pasta water to help the second addition of cheese melt.
- Thin the sauce with pasta water if needed. Make sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta! The sauce can become fairly thick after the cheese is added. The starchy, salty pasta water is a flavorful way to thin it to a silky consistency.
- You can add veggies! We love this recipe as written, but it’s great with veggies mixed in too. Fold in fresh spinach, thawed frozen peas, sautéed asparagus, or even steamed broccoli.
What to Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo
This fettuccine Alfredo pairs perfectly with a fresh salad or side of green vegetables to balance the richness. Try serving it with any of these recipes:
If you like, round out the meal with homemade focaccia or garlic bread for sopping up any sauce left at the bottom of your bowl.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
If you love this fettuccine Alfredo recipe, try one of these pasta dishes next:
Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 pound fettuccine pasta
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into pats
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat. While whisking, pour in the cream. Add the garlic and salt and cook, whisking occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until thickened. Add half the Parmesan and whisk until melted.
- Add the pasta and toss to coat, then add the remaining cheese and toss again until it melts into the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, add the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen it. I typically add around ½ cup.
- Season to taste and serve topped with freshly ground black pepper and parsley.
Delicious and extremely easy! My new go to pasta dinner!!
I am usually not a fan of alfredo sauce, but I loved this lightened up version! It was much easier to make than I expected and would not have thought to make cream sause in my vitamix. I enjoyed the garlic flavor and served with roasted broccoli. I had a some extra sauce so I am going to try to freeze to see how it holds up.
Wow — this was actually WAY easier than I expected! Such a great way to incorporate veggies into a yummy pasta dinner! I will 100000% be making this again SOON! Also loved that there was so much leftover. Stuck about half in the freezer for next time!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Yum. Loved the lightened cauliflower sauce. We added some cooked chicken breast. The whole family finished the meal before I told them it was cauliflower.
I really enjoyed this recipe! My boyfriend likes Field Roast’s Italian Sausage, so we added a few links of that into the recipe. We will definitely be making this again!
Creamy and delicious! The kids liked it too!
Love how simple and delicious this was to make!
Just made this tonight. It was delicious, very creamy. My four year old had two plates! Thank you very much!
This recipe is a favorite of mine! Always creamy, the sauce holds up well in the fridge, and makes for an easy weeknight dinner. Had to make it with spaghetti this time because that’s all I had and it came out great!
Made this for dinner the other night, huge hit! Served it with a salad and garlic bread – yum 🙂 I had a ton of cauliflower sauce leftover, so I saved it to try in a baked “mac & caulicheese” later this week.
I made this last night for dinner. It was really easy and rich. I agree with an earlier comment “comfort food with less guilt”. Yum!
I made the Vegan version and it was delicious!! Served with a side of green to round it out it was a quick and easy meal on a busy day.
I didn’t know what to expect from this recipe. We loved it! It reinforced for me what a versatile vegetable cauliflower is. I will definitely make this recipe again. Thank you.
Comfort food that feels less guilty! This recipe is easy and my husband and I loved it. Really great flavor.
I like how the cooking club has such a variety of recipes. This one was delightful.
Surprised by how much I enjoyed this! The cauliflower added a new dimension and the sauce was lighter than traditional Alfredo as promised. I pretty much use bechamel when I want to go for an Alfredo vibe but this is definitely a great option and has more of the classic Alfredo flavor and texture
This is a delicious recipe! I love a creamy pasta dish, but they are often too rich. This is a perfect balance of the veggies and creaminess. I served roasted butternut squash with it. I saved the extra pasta water to mix with the little bit of leftover pasta.
Literally the best alfredo sauce to top Love & Lemon’s homemade pasta with! So flavorful and rich!
Loved this healthy alternative to one of my favorite meals. Added some shrimp for additional protein/flavor!
Made this as part of the February cooking challenge, my daughter helped. Alfredo is her favorite and this did not disappoint. I really liked the bit of lemon, would do less garlic next time.