This pasta recipe is the real deal! With parmesan, butter, heavy cream, and pasta mixed together right at the table, it's one of those perfect family dinners and good for feeding a crowd.
It's close to "real" fettuccine Alfredo, though I think reports vary as to what is "real" fettuccine Alfredo. I remember reading the original recipe, which was made by a man in Rome named Alfredo. Isn't that just a CRAZY coincidence? Anyway, Alfredo's wife had morning sickness and couldn't keep anything down, so he mushed together a bunch of softened butter and grated parmesan cheese, tossed it in warm pasta, and she ate herself through her entire pregnancy.
Or so the story goes.
The first time I had "real" fettuccine Alfredo I was in New York City, which might as well have been the fettuccine Alfredo capital of the world because it was so darn divine. I was in the seventh grade and I watched as the waiter wheeled a cart to our table—a cart holding four ingredients: a platter full of piping hot pasta (drained only seconds earlier), a plate of butter, a pitcher of cream, and scads of freshly grated parmesan cheese. And I watched a miracle occur as the waiter carefully added the ingredients to the piping hot pasta, swirling the pasta gently with a large fork and its heat melted and warmed the other ingredients into a sauce the likes of which I'd never imagined was possible on this earth.
I've been attempting to recreate the experience ever since. This is pretty close! Plus, it's only four ingredients (if you don't count the salt and pepper).
Is fettuccine Alfredo easy to make?
Yes! Fettucine Alfredo is so easy that you'll want to whip it up even on nights when the last thing you want to do is whip up anything. All you have to do is boil the pasta, grate the cheese, warm the butter and cream, and toss everything together. It takes 30 minutes or less.
Is fettuccine Alfredo better with heavy cream or whipping cream?
This recipe calls heavy cream which has a slightly higher fat content than whipping cream. It makes the sauce exceedingly rich and creamy. Whipping cream works well too, though, if that's what you have on hand.
Can you make fettucine Alfredo with half-and-half?
Heavy cream is definitely the better choice for this dish. Half-and-half will work, but it tends to form an Alfredo sauce that's not quite as thick and creamy. While we're on the subject... skip the milk! It's too thin.
How do you get Alfredo sauce to stick to the pasta?
The key is to not rinse the pasta so that it has some starch left on it. The only time you should ever rinse pasta is if you're making a cold dish like pasta salad. Adding some pasta water to the sauce can also help it coat the pasta a little better.
What can I add to fettuccine Alfredo?
There are dozens of variations of fettuccine Alfredo out there. You could sprinkle in fresh herbs and lemon zest or juice to cut the richness of the cream. You could also top servings with cooked shrimp or chicken for some protein, or toss in a vegetable like cooked asparagus! Crispy bits of bacon certainly wouldn't lighten the dish up, but it would be so tasty.
I made this for my daughter yesterday because she’d requested it for her twelfth birthday back in June and I’d told her “No! You’ll get nothing and like it!” Then yesterday, three weeks after that dark day, I felt a little bad. So I decided to make her favorite pasta in the whole world. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that I was craving Fettuccine Alfredo like a sonofagun.
Fettuccine Alfredo. There's nothing good about it, except for how good it is. It’s evil, ridiculous, and an affront to good sense... but look at the bright side: one recipe will feed over 800 people! It’s true. One bite pretty much fulfills a 200-pound human’s daily caloric requirements.
(And could I please say “Fettuccine Alfredo” one more time today?)
Are you ready?
Are you sure?
You need butter. Regular, salted butter.
FYI, I never use unsalted butter except in the occasional cake or cookie recipe. But cooking? NEVER!
Cream. Heavy cream. Not milk. Not half and half.
You need plenty of Parmesan cheese. Aside from the obvious inconvenience of making me go up a jean size, I love Fettuccine Alfredo because it allows me to clean my fridge out of all the miscellaneous Parmesan pieces.
You’ll also need…Fettuccine!
I’ve talked before about my weakness when it comes to collecting fancy, artisan dried pasta. It hasn’t gotten any better.
Okay, go ahead and grate the Parmesan. You’ll need about 2 cups.
Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta, and cook the pasta until al dente.
Then grab a skillet or saucepan and set it over medium-low heat. (Low if your stove gets hot.)
Melt 1 stick of butter in the skillet…
Then pour in an equal amount of cream.
You might as well just surrender and let this happen.
Whisk it together gently, and just allow the mixture to warm up and get happy.
At this point, I’ll season the sauce a bit—a dash of salt (though with all the Parmesan, it doesn’t need much), plenty of freshly ground black pepper. I don’t like to do much more than that, as the standalone flavor of the Parmesan is enough!
I do sometimes sprinkle in just a little bit of nutmeg if I’m not making it for my girl. But she’s not a big fan of nutmeg in savory dishes.
Ungrateful little urchin!
Just before the pasta is ready, stick in a metal measuring cup and retrieve some of the pasta water. We’ll use it later to thin the sauce if it’s a little gloopy.
Now, grab a big serving bowl. We’re just gonna do this right here.
Sprinkle half the Parmesan right into the bowl.
Then just pour the warm, creamy butter/cream mixture right in.
This is so criminal.
Don’t stir it. Just let it sit and get acquainted.
Now drain the pasta…
And immediately pour it, steaming hot, right into the bowl with the other ingredients.
Then, with tongs, gently toss it to combine.
After you give it a couple of tosses, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan.
For obvious reasons, this is really fun to make for company. Just mix it all up right at the dinner table!
Important: if it gets overly thick and gloopy, splash in some of the warm pasta water. It’ll bring it to the perfect consistency.
I give it a sprinkle of black pepper just before serving. You could certainly sprinkle it with chopped parsley or chives…but I really like just leaving it unadulterated.
Keep in mind that this is very, very rich. Honestly, as a main dish, this quantity would serve at least six. As an accompaniment for tenderloin, steaks, or grilled chicken, it’ll go even farther.
If you like Fettuccine Alfredo, you’ll fall in love with this one.
Enjoy!
