Fettuccine Alfredo is my favorite pasta dish. Tender fettuccine coated in a luxurious garlic parmesan alfredo sauce. One of the simplest yet delicious pastas!
Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
Fettuccine Alfredo doesn’t need much of an introduction. We all know and love the tender ribbons of pasta coated in a creamy garlic infused sauce! Serve with a crusty piece of garlic bread and you have a perfect plate!
There are countless variations of fettuccine alfredo. Mine features a milk based sauce with cream cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. By using milk instead of cream the sauce is a bit lighter but still super creamy thanks to the addition of cream cheese.
Parmesan cheese and garlic complement each other perfectly in this creamy sauce. I love garlic so I load my alfredo sauce with both fresh garlic and garlic powder. The garlic powder is more subtle and the fresh garlic really kicks the sauce up a notch!
Serve the pasta topped with your favorite grilled chicken, shrimp or steak for an easy Italian dinner at home!
What is in Fettuccine Alfredo?
- Fettuccine Pasta - technically we can't make fettuccine alfredo without fettuccine pasta. Fettuccine is on the thicker side of pasta. It is thicker than both spaghetti and linguine, but you can substitute with these and I promise I won't tell Nonna.
- Milk and Cream Cheese - traditionally alfredo is made with cream, however I like using milk and cream cheese. Using milk keeps the sauce a bit lighter. The cream cheese not only thickens the sauce but it adds a deep cheesy flavor
- Butter - is part of the base of the sauce
- Parmesan Cheese - is the perfect light and salty cheese for alfredo sauce. It adds both a salty and cheesy flavor but also helps thicken the sauce
- Herbs and Spices - Italian Seasoning, Garlic, Salt, Garlic Powder - it wouldn't be a garlic alfredo sauce without loads of fresh garlic! Italian Seasoning (oregano, basil, parsley) add a subtle flavor to the sauce
- Pasta Water - the secret ingredient needed to get pasta sauce to cling to pasta. Once the pasta is cooked before straining, reserve a cup of pasta water. I like using a mug and just scooping a cup full out. The pasta water has starch that is cooked out of the pasta. By adding this to the sauce it adds the starch into your pasta sauce and it acts like a magnet sticking the sauce right to the pasta!
How to make Fettuccine Alfredo
Full printable recipe at bottom of page
1 In a medium saucepan add butter, milk and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted.
2 Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated Parmesan cheese.
3 Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 5-10 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
4 Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a generous spoonful of salt added in. Once the water boils add in the pasta and cook according to package directions, or until al dente.
5 Before draining the pasta reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
6 Drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Gradually add in a splash of pasta water until your desired sauce consistency is reached. The pasta water will help thicken the sauce and the sauce will cling to the pasta.
Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!
Variations
Serve this delicious fettuccine alfredo topped with:
- Grilled chicken
- Blackened fish
- Cajun shrimp
- Chicken cutlets (try my Chicken Romano Recipe (Linked Here)
Looking for More Easy Dinner Ideas?
- Pork Souvlaki - the ultimate Greek skewers! When I tell you these are amazing I mean they are AMAZING! You have to try this recipe.
- French Onion Pork Chops - pork chops often get a bad rep of being dry and boring. These are far from that. Tender pork chops in a creamy French onion gravy then covered in cheese!
- Spicy Crispy Chicken - wow this list has a lot of my favorites... this is one of my all time favorites dishes!
Enjoy!
- Sab
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine pasta
Alfredo Sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- 1.5 cups milk
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (optional)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated )
Garnish
- fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan add butter, milk and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted.
- Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 5-10 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a generous spoonful of salt added in. Once the water boils add in the pasta and cook according to package directions, or until al dente.
- Before draining the pasta reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Gradually add in a splash of pasta water until your desired sauce consistency is reached. The pasta water will help thicken the sauce and the sauce will cling to the pasta.
- Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!
Annie says
This was the best I’ve ever made!