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.
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How do you make sure the sauce doesn’t split when re-heating?
Hi Katrina, if you’ve already tossed the sauce with pasta, it won’t be super saucy when you reheat, as the pasta will absorb a lot of the moisture. If you’d like to make the sauce ahead and then reheat, I’d warm it gently over low heat on the stove to prevent splitting.
Can the sauce be frozen?
Hi Alison, I haven’t tried, but I have a feeling it would be grainy when it thaws.
I love pasta, one of my favorite dishes. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll make it for lunch
Absolutely delicious! I used three garlic cloves instead of two and will use two next time as our garlic my husband grows is pretty strong. Thanks for a great meatless meal recipe!
This was ridiculously good! The taste was amazing and we were so surprised it tasted as if there’s loads of cheese in there without being heavy. The only things I changed was adding more garlic and only using 1 tbsp butter. Definitely will make this again and again. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I loved this recipe! Really recommend!
So glad you loved it, Abbie!
This was amazing! My daughter loved this healthier version! Can we freeze the sauce for later?
This was AMAZING!!!!!! Made it per the recipe’s instructions without modifications. I just could not believe how incredible it was!!!! Going to be making this A LOT.
Hi Jeana, so glad you loved it!
This was the bomb. We read the comments before me made it. So we precooked the garlic. We do love garlic. We used a full fresh lemon and it was a little tart but not bad. Its a family favorite already. Thank you!