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! 🙂
Looks delicious!!
Thanks so much Barb!! It really is…AND not as guilty as one expects!! That’s why I wanted to share it. I kept seeing all these recipes for Alfredo made with way more cream than I use and I kept thinking “that’s completely unnecessary!”. I wanted to show people that making Alfredo properly means a lot less calories! N x
Hi Nagi! I’m going to have to wait to make this until it either cools down or I break down and turn on the air conditioning! I like peas in my Alfredo – okay, I’m strange, but we are getting fresh shell peas from the garden right now and they are so good! Dozer has such a sweet face! It must be hard to resist him, but I don’t give my dogs people food either.
That’s not strange! I actually toss lots of extra things into my Alfredo – broccoli and chicken is one of my faves. 🙂 I just wanted to share the classic version first.
How hot is it where you are?! I’m like you – I hold out as long as I can re: air conditioning!!!
Hi Nagi! It’s been in the mid to high 80’s with humidity to match! I did break down today and make bread simply because we were out. Banana bread was on my list, but NOT today! We’re having grilled brats with onions and peppers tonight, with a nice COOL salad!
I just made gyros for lunch. That’s a GREAT summer grilling recipe for the kind of weather you’re experiencing! I’ll share it soon 🙂
Alfredo is my all time favorite, ever! If I have a choice of red sauce or alfredo, I always choose alfredo. Your recipe has me craving a giant bowl for breakfast. The pictures are mouth watering! And Dozer is one handsome fella!
Really??! Actually, you know, I would choose Alfredo every time too. Only reason I don’t is because it is so much unhealthier than red sauce!! N x
Ummm NAGI…I just choked on my breakfast sandwiches when I saw this picture. I was sitting in traffic devouring a homemade egg sammie, when I saw this in my Facebook feed!!! (you see we both eat eggs in traffic 🙂 ) I am OBSESSED with alfredo! And you are right… it’s not AS bad if you just eat one serving 🙂 It’s eating the one serving that’s the hard part 🙂 I love how you explained the emulsifying 🙂 When I learned a classic alfredo from my Italian chef in culinary school he spoke of that as well as one other little secret 🙂 I make a killer lemon alfredo that is a copycat of one of our favorite sauces from a restaurant and it’s about time I photographed it. Speaking of which… that photograph of the tablescape is just ridici! It makes me feel like I’m in Tuscany! Would you ever consider doing a behind the scenes of a shot like that! It’s glorious 🙂
Hey Mila – your description of sitting in traffic when you saw this CRACKS me up!! And we are two peas in a pod, seriously, I just got back from doing a drop off and I jumped out the car only the realise I was COVERED in crumbs from my egg toast sandwich I was munching in the car!!!
Tablescape? Really? I rarely include them because I don’t think they are that great. 🙂 All I do is set up the table literally as though I’m serving it up then snap away!! I’ll definitely do a behind the scenes. Oh, I think the only trick is having two reflectors instead of one. That’s all! N x
You hilarious! Covered in crumbs! Umm, you are nuts your tablescapes are gorg!!! I think you should do a post JUST on tablescapes and where you find your gorgeous props!
Oh Nagi, you vixen! 🙂 This looks like pure, decadent heaven. And I’m all about balance anyway, salad one day means alfredo the next – hooray!! And you keep teasing me with your beautiful doggie…you two should hop a plane and come see me. 🙂
I meant your sticky drumstick recipe! And that was
a 5 star for your Fettuccine Alfredo!
THANKS Debbie!! Ooh, it’s been a while since I had this. I must make it again VERY soon!! N x
I can’t help it! I just started taking shots of him because he’s IN half the shots anyway because he’s always hovering around. He just gets cropped out!! N x
Wow, I had no idea that alfredo sauce could be both authentic AND not super unhealthy (I’ve seen “no calorie” “alfredo” sauce at the store and refuse to believe that it’s even food)! This looks like the ultimate comfort food, and I can’t wait to try it. And once again, those dog pictures just made my morning – what an awesome action shot!
No calorie Alfredo? That is terrifying. So just all plastic? Must be! I fell quite ill at the thought!! 🙂