Perfect, creamy, classic, restaurant quality Fettuccine Alfredo. Indulgent – definitely. Everyone thinks it is SO unhealthy. But it’s only 420 calories for a decent size serving – did you know that?! Sure, not the most nutritious meal. But you won’t go up a jeans size! (Unless you eat 3 servings for yourself….)
Fettucine Alfredo
I triple checked the nutrition analysis because I couldn’t believe my eyes when it came out with only 420 calories for a good size serving of this pasta. I have it in my head that Alfredo is so bad for you because it’s made with cream. Sure, there’s a high fat content. But the calories are a lot less than I expected. A LOT less.
Maybe because this is a recipe that uses the classic Italian method of emulsifying the pasta (which is the magic that happens when you briefly cook the sauce with the pasta + some pasta water).
By doing this, the sauce gets thick, rich and glossy so it clings lusciously to every single strand (take a close look at the photo above!). So you don’t need to use an entire tub of cream to make a beautiful, restaurant quality Alfredo pasta.
I have seen recipes around that use double the amount of cream I use. It’s completely unnecessary and makes it sickeningly rich. If anyone tells me they don’t think this is rich enough, I’ll honestly fall off my chair. 🙂
I was 24 before I had my first Alfredo pasta. Seriously. My mother never, ever cooked with cream – it’s just not the done thing in Japanese home cooking! And now I believe to my very core that cooking with cream for midweek meals is just not acceptable. Which is why you see so many “creamy but made with no cream” recipes here on RecipeTin Eats. I grew up learning all the other ways to make creamy sauces other than using cream.
I think my mother will actually be quite shocked when she sees that I’m sharing an Alfredo pasta. And once she gets over that, the next thing she’ll do is send me an email asking me “who ate all that pasta?”. Hmph!
So I was well into my twenties before I tried Alfredo at a restaurant. Of course I loved it. I mean, who wouldn’t? All that creamy, buttery sauce coating every strand of pasta. Just. So. Good. And SO EASY to make (with just a few simple but critical tips 🙂 ).
So now that you know Alfredo is not as guilty an indulgence as you previously thought….on the menu for dinner this week? Just plonk some raw carrots on the side to make it a complete meal! 😉 Nagi x
PS Truly, this is what it should look like – each strand with sauce clinging to it, not swimming in cream sauce! The only way to achieve this thick glossy sauce that sticks to the pasta is with step 7 in the recipe – emulsifying. Learn it, love it, and use it for every pasta you make. 🙂
More ways to get your creamy pasta fix!
Baked Mac and Cheese – and try the Shrimp version!
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Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 8 oz / 250g dried fettuccine
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot , very finely minced (eschallot in Australia) (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan (Notes 3 and 4)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Good grind of black pepper
Garnish
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Extra Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente (still firm but just cooked through). (Note 5)
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a deep fry pan over medium high heat. (Note 6)
- Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes or until tender.
- Add the cream and bring to boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove the fry pan from the heat and stir through the Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper until the sauce is smooth.
- TAKE OUT 1/4 cup of pasta water PLUS scoop out an extra mug (extra, just in case). Then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Transfer the pasta and 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water into the fry pan with the sauce. Return the fry pan to the stove over medium high heat. Toss very gently to coat the pasta in the sauce and allow the sauce to emulsify (Note 6) for 1 minute. (Note 7)
- Remove from the stove and serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley, if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
And to finish up…a peek into Dozer’s hard life. Morning at the beach (is it winter?!). Afternoon eyeing off the Alfredo pasta. Yes I managed to resist that face. Took a lot of will power! 🙂
Beautiful. Easy to make and delicious!
This recipe was so simple but tasted expensive. The sauce was the perfect amount — light and not too cloying. I didn’t need to use any extra pasta water — it was perfect as is.
Yuuuum this is just the thing for a midweek treat. I used penne pasta, and I added some chopped up champagne ham and a handful of baby peas. Meat and vegetables makes it a balanced meal you know.
Hi Nagi, I made this sauce and it was great. I’m wanting to make a blue cheese sauce to go with gnocchi do you think I could substitute the parmesan for blue cheese please?
Hi Cheryl, I haven’t tried with this one sorry – One for me to add to my recipe requests page! N x
Hi Nagi,
I’m 12 years old and this is the first meal I ever made by myself. It was fun to make and delicious to eat! You are a very talented chef! <3
Woah go girl!!! I love hearing this!!! N x
AMAZING! loved it ! thank you for all the great tips too !
You’re so welcome Sheryl!!! N x
Loved it. Added grilled asparagus and salmon.
YUM! The perfect combo Terri! N x
You have found your calling, for that I am forever grateful.
great!
Thanks Brenda!
wow, this is great!
Thank you so much for making the new feature to save recipes! Already started!! 😁
WOOT! Thanks Sandra – N x
Sooooooo good. Best Alfredo sauce I’ve ever had and I made it myself! Thank you!
That’s great to hear Emily! – N x
Absolutely unbelievably yummy and took the amount of time it takes to cook the pasta. I added some crispy bacon and baby spinach for the win!
Excellent : )
Thanks so much Ryan!
Worth every calorie and so easy to prepare! Believe in the power of the pasta water! I might have doubled the sauce and added sauteed shrimp 🙂 Another winner!
That’s so great to hear Erica! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
I’ve never made an Alfredo sauce before, always assumed it would be high in fat (cream ). And I also thought it would be more labour Intensive. This recipe broke both of those assumptions!
This really was easy and so good. Next time I will try the chicken Alfredo.🙂
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it Sandra! Thank you very much for your message – N xx
Follow up. I reheated the leftovers for lunch today (saved about a quarter cup of the pasta water as well).
It was just as good today as it was last night for dinner! I used a frying pan and added a small amount of the pasta water at a time to break up the pasta and heat through. Just needed a grind of pepper and it was done.
Yum!
You saved the pasta water? I LOVE that!!
Nagi – yet another successful recipe. I have made several of your dishes and they are all top shelf!
I followed this recipe to the letter and it was delicious! We LOVED it!!!!!
I’m so pleased to hear that Kath, thank you for letting me know! N xx
This is so DELICIOUS, we make it weekly!! My 8 year old son asked me “Did Nagi teach you to make this????” You are his hero!! Thanks!
Awww what a compliment!! 🙂 I love your son! ? N xx
My daughter loves Fettuccine Alfredo, but lately she has been disappointed.
She’s gone to different restaurants and just not liking it. I took a chance to
see if she would like your recipe, Well I have to say it was a sure HIT. I am
going to be adding this to her recipe book, She has me making a recipe book
for all her favorite foods so when she goes away to college she can try and
cook for herself. Thank you, so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
I also tried your stick chicken that was another hit. Will be trying more.
YAY! I’m so glad Debbie! So so glad your daughter loved it. Can’t think of a better recipe to add to her recipe book for college, it’s so simple!! I keep meaning to create a “Super Easy Recipes”, perfect for college students! 🙂 I must think of a better name. That is not very catchy!!
I meant your sticky drumstick recipe! And that was
a 5 star for your Fettuccine Alfredo!
YUMMMMMYYY. Made this last night, you will have seen my instragram pic I tagged you in 🙂 I added chicken breast chunks to get in our protein.
Nagi, this is my fourth time following your recipes and am so impressed. Also love that you include nutrition info in all your recipes, even though I end up eating twice the suggested 🙂 So happy I stumbled upon your blog. Many thanks from Toronto!
Hi Marti!! I’ll check IG – I want to see! I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes. Wow, all the way from Toronto! 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful weekend! (And PS I add chicken into Alfredo too! And yes, portion control is an issue I have too… 😉 Hey, we only live once!)
Just made this with pasta shells and fresh peas…ughh so good! thanks for the recipe!
SO GLAD YOU LOVED IT!! PS How good are pasta shells? 😉 Brings out the kid in me!!
NAGI, I DID IT!
This was AMAZING, made it for the whole house tonight (4 adults). We were all pleased!!
I’m SO glad!!! YUM!!!! Wish I was there!! 🙂