Ready in less than 20 minutes, this easy fettuccine alfredo recipe uses simple ingredients to create an Olive Garden copycat recipe. A simple recipe for alfredo sauce on top of fresh pasta that is one of the most delicious pasta recipes… I’m so thankful alfredo made its way from Italy to the states!
This is a simple Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe, try my Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Recipe for a family friendly, fast, jazzed up pasta recipe.
Have you ever made homemade pasta? This Fettuccine Alfredo recipe lets the pasta be the star of the show and is PERFECT for using your homemade pasta. Make it a family night…make homemade pasta and then Fettuccine Alfredo.
This is the pasta recipe that repeatedly makes its way to our weekly menu. Even my picky eaters love this simple recipe. Sometimes I’ll add chicken, pancetta, or mushrooms to the fettuccine pasta to add variety. Honestly, though, can you ever go wrong with a hot pasta and creamy sauce? Nope. You really can’t.
Ingredient List for Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe:
- Fettuccine pasta. Be sure to cook your fresh pasta al dente so it doesn’t overcook while it absorbs the creamy sauce.
- Unsalted butter. You can certainly use olive oil, if you prefer. Truly…this recipe isn’t the same without real butter! You aren’t using a whole stick of butter, just a couple tablespoons. But it adds so much!
- Heavy cream. I have used low-fat milk with success, it won’t give you as thick of a cream sauce as the cream will but is still tasty! If you are looking to make this a skinny fettuccine alfredo recipe try using Greek Yogurt as a swap for the cream.
- Parmesan cheese. Parmigiano reggiano or romano cheese also taste amazing!
- Fresh garlic. This is such a simple recipe with only a few ingredients, using fresh garlic is important to give you the best flavor.
- Black pepper & salt.
How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo:
- Firstly, boil the fettuccine pasta in boiling water until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, in a large skillet, melt the butter on medium heat.
- Add the heavy cream, grated cheese, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Add 1/2 cup of the pasta’s boiling water and mix well with a wire whisk.
- Add the boiled pasta and gently mix to coat the pasta in the sauce. Let it rest for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with parmesan cheese on top.
Tip for Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe:
- For an extra creamy sauce, mix in a couple ounces of cream cheese to your sauce when you mix in the reserved pasta water.
- Add some cooked, chopped chicken breasts. Cut them into small pieces and stir them in when you add the hot pasta to the cream sauce.
- Saute some diced onion or shallots in the butter before adding the cream and other ingredients.
- Serve this up with some fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon if you have them on hand.
- A good rule of thumb is about 2 oz of dry pasta per person. So if you want to make this for a large number of people use that math to help figure out how much to make.
Store/Freeze Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe:
- Honestly, Fettuccine Alfredo doesn’t freeze well. But that’s okay…it’s so fast to make up you can make it fresh when you need it.
- It DOES keep in the fridge quite nicely. I would recommend mixing any leftover pasta with the creamy sauce and storing them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat it on the stove, if you can, with a bit more heavy cream added to the pot. You can microwave it, but stir well afterwards. Serve leftovers with freshly grated cheese.
What to serve with Fettuccine Alfredo:
Anything ;). Or nothing. Truly, this is so tasty everyone will be wanting seconds and not care about sides.
- Creamy Green Pea Salad
- easy Marinated Tomato Salad (great for garden produce!)
- Cheesy Ranch Pull Apart Bread (3 ingredients)
- Bacon and Cheese Dinner Rolls (using Rhodes Bake-N-Serv)
Ingredients
- 8 oz Fettuccine pasta cooked (equals about 3 1/4 cups cooked)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- Black pepper & salt
Instructions
- Firstly, boil the fettuccine pasta in boiling water until al dente.
- In a separate pan, melt the butter on medium heat and add cream, grated parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Add 1/2 cup of the pasta's boiling water and mix well with a whisk.
- Add the boiled pasta and gently mix to coat the pasta in the sauce. Let it rest for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Other pasta recipes to try:
- How to Make Homemade Pasta (tips, tricks, & recipe)
- easy Chicken broccoli fettuccine Alfredo recipe
- Creamy, Decadent Seafood Manicotti Recipe
- Ravioli Lasagna (aka Bachelor’s Lasagna)
- One-Pot 30 Minute Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese.
- Baked Ziti or Penne
- homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni Recipe
- easy Macaroni and Cheese pizza