With a handful of ingredients, creamy Fettuccine Alfredo takes just minutes to make. It’s an easy, cheesy family favorite!
Fettuccine Alfredo is a classic dinner that is quick and perfect for picky eaters! Add chicken to make this even heartier or for a crowd, or try our Alfredo Casserole. You can never go wrong with this simple meal!
QUICK + EASY = WIN!
Fettuccine Alfredo happens to be one of the recipes that everyone has a version of. It also happens to be one of my kids’ favorite dinner recipes.
My kids love chicken but not all of them love chicken mixed in, so I thought I would make this Easy Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe without it (although Baked Chicken or Parmesan Crusted Chicken would be great with this pasta dish).
The recipe is the best and ends up making a delicious Alfredo sauce that everyone loves. And did I mention that it can be made in about 15-20 minutes?
Quick and Easy – my favorite kind of meal!
What’s the Difference?
What’s the difference between Alfredo and Fettuccine?
- Alfredo is the Italian-American white sauce we all know and love.
- Fettuccine is the long, skinny pasta most of us like to enjoy with our Alfredo sauce.
Most pasta works well with this delicious white sauce. Fettuccine is a classic, but I also like Linguine or Penne Pasta.
What’s the difference between Alfredo Sauce and White Sauce (Bechamel)?
Both sauces are dairy-based, but White Sauce is thickened with a roux made with butter and flour while Alfredo Sauce uses heavy creamy and is thickened by reduction on the stovetop and not with a roux.
The good thing is both are delicious and both are winners with the family because they’re so yummy!
How to make Fettuccine alfredo
To make this Best Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe from scratch, you only need a few ingredients:
- butter
- minced garlic
- whipping cream
- Parmesan cheese (grated)
- garlic pepper (with Parsley flakes) and salt
PASTA. In a large pot, boil and drain fettuccine noodles according to the package instructions (until al dente).
SAUCE. While the noodles are cooking, add 2 TB butter to a large skillet and medium heat and let melt. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add whipping cream and bring it to a simmer. Lastly, add 1 cup Parmesan Cheese and mix well. (Sauce will thicken up.)
COMBINE + SERVE. Add pasta to the cream mixture and stir until covered. Top with garlic pepper (salt if needed) and more Parmesan Cheese.
Recipe Tips
Thicken the sauce. We typically add a little bit more Parmesan cheese to thicken the sauce, but you can also add flour. To make it more thick and cheesy, add ½-1 cup shredded Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese before serving.
Thin the sauce. Add a little pasta water or more heavy cream to thin out the sauce.
Make it without cream. For a lighter version of Alfredo Pasta, substitute the heavy cream. Some good substitutions for heavy cream are milk, half ‘n half, greek yogurt, or cream cheese.
Variations. Mix in cooked veggies (broccoli is our fav) or top with grilled chicken breast, sliced sausage, or shrimp. Garnish or sprinkle with fresh herbs (fresh parsley or thyme) to make the dish look even more delicious.
Serving and Storing
When it comes to sides for this dish, most Italian-style appetizers, sides, and salads work. Here are some of the favorites we like to serve with Fettuccine:
STORE. Place Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe in an airtight container or covered bowl and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
FREEZE. I have successfully stored this dish in the freezer many times. I often make a double batch so I have enough to freeze for another day.
- Place the pasta into a Freezer Ziploc, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop
To reheat. It’s a little tricky, but it’s best to reheat it slowly over low heat. Low and slow on the stove. This will help prevent the sauce from separating.
Make sure to stir it continuously to keep the sauce together. Add a little bit of milk to smooth it up a bit, if needed. If you’re on the go, easily use the microwave to heat up the pasta.
For more pasta dishes:
- Three Cheese Pasta Bake
- Chicken Scallopini
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Italian Sausage Pasta
- Chicken Alfredo
- Sausage Alfredo
- Mac And Cheese With Ham
Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine pasta
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
Instructions
- Cook noodles as directed on the package.
- While the noodles are cooking, add 2 TB butter to a pan and let melt. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add whipping cream and bring to a simmer. Add 1 cup Parmesan Cheese and mix well. (Sauce will thicken up)
- Add pasta and mix until covered. Top with garlic pepper (salt if needed) and more Parmesan Cheese.
Video
Recipe modified from Love, Pomegranate House.
Recipe sounds great! Can I substitute condensed milk for the cream?
This recipe was fairly easy and smells delicious… we’ll see… I’ll report back 😁
Followed directions exactly only because i had all the ingredients. Absolutely delicioso !! Molto Grazie
I’m glad you had the ingredients! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
This is Amazing!! I’ve made it quite a bit with homemade rolls! It’s usually always gone afterwards. No leftovers. I have company coming tonight so I wanna double the recipe. Is it best to make it twice to equal doubling the recipe? I know that sometimes, doubling all at once can mess things up.
Sorry for all the “doubling”. Lol!
Yep, that should work just fine to double the ingredients all together. So glad you enjoy the alfredo!
So easy, and tastes amazing!