My easy fettuccine alfredo sauce recipe is buttery, cheesy, and oh-so creamy! Thoroughly outshining its jarred counterparts, homemade fettuccine alfredo requires just a few pantry staples and very little time and effort. This pasta dish gets its classic flavor from 3 main ingredients- butter, heavy, cream, and parmesan cheese- so be sure to use good-quality ingredients.
Simple enough for any home cook, tender fettuccine pasta tossed in a creamy cheese sauce is a rich, decadent dinner sure to delight your family! While it’s perfect as is, you can dress it up with your favorite cooked veggies, and even add chicken or shrimp. If you’re in the mood for more homemade pasta recipes, try my lobster mac and cheese, seafood pasta, or chicken scampi recipe.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Pasta — while fettuccine noodles are the popular choice in this pasta dish (it’s in the name, after all!), you can really use any pasta you like.
Butter — I opt for unsalted butter so the alfredo sauce doesn’t become too salty. But if you only have salted butter on hand, just be sure to taste the alfredo before using additional salt.
Garlic — adds a robust, subtly nutty flavor to the sauce that complements the cheese very well.
Cream — heavy cream is the best option since it has a higher fat content than regular whipping cream or half and half, so it yields a rich, decadent sauce.
Parmesan cheese — grab a wedge of parmesan cheese and grate it yourself instead of using pre-grated cheese. The packaged shredded cheese at the store contains anti-clumping agents, so it won’t melt well.
How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water that’s boiling. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining the hot pasta.
2. While the pasta cooks, make the alfredo sauce. Melt butter in a large saucepan or large skillet over medium heat. Then add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
3. Pour in the heavy cream and cook until the cream is warm and bubbling. Be sure to stir often while the cream heats up.
4. Add the grated parmesan cheese, black pepper, and salt and whisk until the cheese is melted and you have a smooth sauce. Continue cooking to allow the sauce to thicken a bit.
5. Drop the al dente pasta into the creamy sauce and toss to coat.
6. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Serve immediately with additional parmesan cheese and black pepper.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
- Timing: Check the directed cook time of your pasta before you start cooking. Try to cook the pasta and sauce so that both are ready within a minute or two of each other.
- Reserve pasta water: When cooking your pasta, save a little water for the best fettuccine alfredo. The starch in the water can help fix a broken sauce or thin out the sauce if it gets too thick — without sacrificing flavor.
- Add fresh parsley: To amplify the flavor or add a colorful garnish, chop up some fresh herbs like Italian parsley, chives, or basil, and add them to the sauce.
- Use up vegetables. This creamy cheese sauce is so versatile! Cook up some broccoli, chopped asparagus, or mushrooms, and add them to the dish for bulk.
- Make chicken fettuccine alfredo: If you want to add extra protein to the pasta dish, cook a chicken breast to your liking, slice it, and serve it on top of the pasta and cheese sauce. Or, follow my simple recipe for chicken alfredo.
- Try shrimp fettuccine alfredo. Cook peeled shrimp in butter and garlic and top the pasta. You can also follow my easy recipe for shrimp alfredo, which comes together in about 30 minutes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Fettuccine pasta is the typical choice for this dish, but the creamy cheese sauce works well with most pasta types. Feel free to use spaghetti, tagliatelle, penne, macaroni, or whatever you have in your pantry.
Simply allowing the alfredo sauce to cook for a few extra minutes is usually enough to thicken it. But if that doesn’t work for you, add more grated parmesan cheese to the sauce and whisk it in. Alternatively, make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with an equal amount of water or milk. Add just a teaspoon of the slurry to the sauce at a time, and give it enough time to cook and thicken the sauce before adding more. Just be aware that alfredo sauce thickens as it sits, so it might end up becoming too thick with the addition of a slurry if you don’t eat the sauce immediately.
While this is a very filling and satisfying meal on its own, I like to make pasta night a bit more special by starting off with my simple but elegant tomato bruschetta. A few slices of garlic bread alongside the pasta dish are a wonderful way to make sure none of that delicious cream sauce goes to waste! Colorful kale salad makes a tasty, crunchy side dish.
Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container.
Add leftovers to a saucepan with a splash of milk or cream to help loosen the thick sauce. Reheat it gently over medium-low heat. Once it starts to simmer slightly, transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this fettuccine alfredo recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Fettuccine Alfredo
Video
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) package fettuccine pasta (454g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced (1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (240mL)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (113g), plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta well.
- While the pasta cooks, In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cream. Cook, stirring often, until the cream is warm and bubbly, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the parmesan, pepper, and salt until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. (If pasta is not cooked yet, reduce heat to low to keep warm, whisking occasionally.)
- Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Stir in the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is your desired consistency. Serve immediately as the sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. Serve with additional parmesan and black pepper, if desired.
Notes
- Timing: Check the directed cook time of your pasta before you start cooking. Try to cook the pasta and sauce so that both are ready within a minute or two of each other.
- Reserve pasta water: When cooking your pasta, save a little water for the best fettuccine alfredo. The starch in the water can help fix a broken sauce or thin out the sauce if it gets too thick — without sacrificing flavor.
- Add fresh parsley: To amplify the flavor or add a colorful garnish, chop up some fresh herbs like Italian parsley, chives, or basil, and add them to the sauce.
- Use up vegetables. This creamy cheese sauce is so versatile! Cook up some broccoli, chopped asparagus, or mushrooms, and add them to the dish for bulk.
- Make chicken fettuccine alfredo: If you want to add extra protein to the pasta dish, cook a chicken breast to your liking, slice it, and serve it on top of the pasta and cheese sauce. Or, follow my simple recipe for chicken alfredo.
- Try shrimp fettuccine alfredo. Cook peeled shrimp in butter and garlic and top the pasta. You can also follow my easy recipe for shrimp alfredo, which comes together in about 30 minutes!
