Creamy, rich, perfectly seasoned, cheesy, warm and easy to boot! This Best Ever Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe is a dish you will make again and again!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS.
- It's made with FOUR simple ingredients. Nothing (and I really do mean, NOTHING) could be easier than this recipe.
- You probably have everything you need in the fridge.
- So creamy that you'll want it again and again.
How To Make Fettuccine Alfredo....
First melt the butter and cream cheese in a saucepan over low heat...
Then add the parmesan cheese to the mixture.
Finally add the cream, continue to heat over low heat until melted and ready to serve.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FETTUCCINE ALFREDO (FAQ's)
WHERE DID FETTUCCINE ALFREDO ORIGINATE?
According to Wikipedia, Alfredo di Lello prepared this dish table-side with great fanfare in Rome in the early 20th Century.
CAN REAL FETTUCCINE ALFREDO HAVE TOPPINGS?
Yes, Alfredo Pasta Sauce can BUT that usually turns it into a different dish. For example:
- Alfredo Pasta Sauce with Chicken becomes Chicken Alfredo (see how that works?)
- Alfredo Pasta Sauce with Shrimp becomes Shrimp Alfredo (there's a pattern emerging).
- Fettuccini Alfredo with Vegetables becomes Pasta Primavera (you got a curve ball on that one).
WHAT OTHER TOPPINGS CAN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO SAUCE HAVE?
Probably just about any that you can imagine in a cream mixture, but some I would recommend...
- Bacon
- Ham
- Steak
- Mixed vegetables
- Tofu
- Chicken
- Shrimp
- Spinach
- Peas
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Sausage
- Ground Beef
- Scrapple (How to cook Scrapple)
HOW TO I MAKE THIS ALFREDO SAUCE RECIPE FOR 2, 4, 6, 10, 20 PEOPLE?
This Fettuccine Alfredo is going to cause a frenzy no matter how many you are cooking for and personally, I believe the real beauty of this dish is that you can scale up or down for as many servings as you want.
When making for two people, use ½ stick butter, ½ block cream cheese, ½ cup milk and ½ cup of parmesan. Adjust your noodles accordingly.
If you want to make this dish for 15 people, then double the Alfredo Pasta Sauce Recipe that is listed in the recipe card below. Be sure to use a Large Pot for boiling enough pasta for this many people.
Get the idea?
HOW LONG DOES THIS ALFREDO RECIPE LAST?
- You can leave this sauce sitting out at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Cover the sauce and place it in the refrigerator and it will keep for up to 5 days.
CAN I FREEZE THIS ALFREDO PASTA SAUCE?
No, I don't recommend freezing this sauce. When thawed, it separates and looks gross.
HOW DO I REHEAT THIS FETTUCCINE ALFREDO?
To reheat this fettuccine Alfredo:
- Put the sauce in a sauce pan
- Add a small amount of milk
- Heat over low heat on the stove top, stirring frequently.
- If the sauce is thicker than you like, add more milk until it is as thin as you like.
- Season with salt and pepper.
WHAT DO I SERVE WITH THIS ALFREDO PASTA SAUCE?
Because this is a more heavy meal, I find that serving this with a light side dish is always best. One of these will work very well...
A bright green salad made of lettuce, onion, carrot and cucumber.
Coconut Custard Pie topped with Pickled Blackberries (YUM!)
IS ALFREDO PASTA SAUCE HEALTHY?
- This is not a health site and I don't claim any special knowledge about specialty diets (except for what really tastes good). BUT....
- This particular dish is high in calories and fat.
- It IS low in carbohydrates.
- There is nearly zero fiber in this recipe.
- Because of the salty nature of cheese, this recipe is somewhat high in sodium.
- My family uses this recipe for special occasions and we recommend that to you as well.
CAN I EAT FETTUCCINE ALFREDO WHEN I'M PREGNANT?
That depends entirely on what your doctor has told you about what you can and can not eat during your pregnancy.
CAN VEGETARIANS EAT FETTUCCINE ALFREDO?
That depends...
- If you are vegan vegetarian, then this recipe has way too much dairy for your tastes.
- Pescatarian vegetarian, then likely yes, if you can eat dairy, we are all good.
- Lacto-Ovo vegetarian? Yep, you are good.
- Other vegetarian diets? Check the ingredients in the recipe, do you eat those? If so, all good.
CAN BABIES EAT FETTUCCINE ALFREDO?
Does your baby eat pasta and cheese and butter? If so, then yes. If no, then best find something else.
**Just a note, as a mom.... noodles are long and strangly. Please cut them up very small for small children who are eating noodles.
CAN MY DOG EAT THIS ALFREDO PASTA SAUCE?
Your dog CAN eat just about anything. One time, my dog managed to eat GLASS! That doesn't mean that this is the best food for your dog.
That said, I have no special knowledge of dog diets and this shouldn't be construed as dog diet advice.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
SUBSTITUTIONS ARE FINE!
HERE ARE SOME TO TRY...
- Make Fettuccine Alfredo with milk by using whole milk instead of cream. The sauce will be thinner and less creamy, but it works in a pinch.
- Use different hard cheeses for slightly different flavors. Try making Fettuccine Alfredo with Pecorina Romano or other hard cheeses.
- Garlic isn't your thing? Leave it out entirely.
- Don't have oregano? Just leave it off.
- Use margarine instead of butter? OK.
MAKE SURE TO HEAT ON LOW HEAT
If you heat over higher heat than low, be sure to stir almost constantly because it will want to stick to the bottom of the pot.
OTHER TIPS
- If you notice lumps that won't stir out, use a whisk and whisk it very quickly. The lumps will go away.
- You will want to serve this in the fashion of the person who invented Fettuccine Alfredo. Prepare the hot pasta and the sauce. At the table, pour the sauce over the noodles and stir gently then serve immediately.
- This sauce starts to clump up as soon as it starts to cool. Just heat back up to thin back out.
- When reheating, add milk to thin it to the consistency you want.
YA’LL HELP ME OUT
Please leave me a 5 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 comment below in the comment section , all right? I would LOVE to know if you made this recipe or even if you are planning to! Of course, head on over to Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram and tag me with some photos of your creation!
I can't wait!
Ya'll know I love your comments!! ❤
If You Enjoyed This Pasta Recipe, You Might Also Enjoy These Other Pasta Recipes...
Best Ever Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 8oz block of cream cheese – cut into 1 inch cubes.
- ¼ cup of Parmesan Cheese
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 small box of fettuccine noodles enough for 8 servings
- Fresh oregano for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste the tasting is very important – see the instructions
Instructions
- In a heavy medium sized sauce pan, heat the butter and cream cheese over low heat.
- Add the parmesan cheese and cream. Stir frequently. Whisk briskly if there are lumps.
- Add garlic powder, black cracked pepper and dried oregano.
- Stir frequently so that sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan. If it is starting to stick, turn the temperature down.
- While the ingredients in step one are melting, cook the fettucini noodles according to package instructions except DO NOT SALT THE WATER.
- When ready to serve, TASTE the sauce. Add salt if needed. Salt likely won't be needed because parmesan is usually so salty on it's own. THEN, dip one of the cooked noodles into the sauce and taste that to see if it is salty enough. Add salt to the sauce if needed to make the combination taste right.
- At the table, pour the sauce over the noodles and mix gently and serve immediately.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS ARE FINE! HERE ARE SOME TO TRY...
- Make Fettuccini Alfredo with milk by using whole milk instead of cream. The sauce will be thinner and less creamy, but it works in a pinch.
- Use different hard cheeses for slightly different flavors. Try making Fettuccini Alfredo with Pecorina Romano or other hard cheeses.
- Garlic isn't your thing? Leave it out entirely.
- Don't have oregano? Just leave it off.
- Use margarine instead of butter? OK.
- You can substitute the light cream cheese if needed.
- Try to use a better quality parmesan cheese, but if all you have is the kind in the green can, that works too.
- You can use half and half instead of cream if needed.
MAKE SURE TO HEAT ON LOW HEAT
If you heat over higher heat than low, be sure to stir almost constantly because it will want to stick to the bottom of the pot.OTHER TIPS
- If you notice lumps that won't stir out, use a whisk and whisk it very quickly. The lumps will go away.
- You will want to serve this in the fashion of the person who invented Fettuccini Alfredo. Prepare the noodles and the sauce. At the table, pour the sauce over the noodles and stir gently then serve immediately.
- This sauce starts to clump up as soon as it starts to cool. Just heat back up to thin back out.
- When reheating, add milk to thin it to the consistency you want.
Nutrition
***This recipe for Best Ever Fettuccine Alfredo first appeared on Loaves and Dishes on May 11, 2015 and has been republished with NEW content!***
***Photos in this post are credited to Christine Rooney***
A VERSE TO SHARE
When a friend is going through something horrible, what do you say? I am forever stumped on this.
Just about the only thing I know to say is, "I'm so sorry you are going through this. What can I do to help you?".
As I was looking up verses about friendship and how to support friends I stumbled upon this verse.
Just before this, we are encouraged to carry each other's burdens.
When we see so much that is awful in the world, it gives me courage to keep trying to do what is right.
I hope it does you too...
Gallatians 6:7-10
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers
Lynn says
Hey Wendy, I’m you NC friend living in Texas ! Your website makes me a little homesick! Just love your recipes and often use the one that dress up canned vegetables ! May God continue to bless you and your business ! He’s so GOOD to us !
Wendi Spraker says
Amen. Yes he is Lynn! This site wouldn't be here except for the great blessings of Jesus himself. I'm tickled to death that you are enjoying the recipes and I've got some more coming this week. Thank you Lynn. 🙂
Etna says
Súper fast and came out very creamy. My family loved it
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Etna, Thank you so much for leaving a comment and I am tickled that your family loved it! 🙂
Connie Greco says
Why call this Alfredo sauce? It is not. I have been to the original Alfredo and know what the sauce is. You can make pasta anyway you like but why call this "Alfredo"? Americans have a tendency to make up recipes and call them "Alfredo". For an Italian ordering from a menu, this is very misleading. Why don't you call your recipe "pasta a la Wendi? That would be moreaccurate.
Why won't you print my comments?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Connie,
I didn't print your comments because I wasn't sitting here at my computer at 8:38pm 10:38pm and 10:39pm EST (when you sent your repetitive messages - I did not print them all because they are copies of each other) waiting for mean spirited comments like this. In fact, I am going to refer you to the policies for this website. To address your question, Wikipedia has a pretty good history of alfredo written on its pages. Here is a brief quote from the Wikipedia page: "The dish became popularized and eventually spread to the United States, where it remains popular. The recipe has evolved and its commercialized version, with heavy cream and other ingredients, is now ubiquitous." I would categorize the recipe I have posted here as an American version involving other ubiquitous ingredients. The reason I keep this recipe on these pages is because it is ding dang delicious, which you would know if you had tried it. It is an EASY version for a home cook to try and will absolutely have the family banging the table for more - which is what I promise with all of my recipes. What I don't promise is a dish that is true to its roots or the actual original recipe. Other websites have those recipes, go look there. I'll take a moment to remind you that you are a guest here. This website is like my own home. In fact, I spend more time here than I do my own home and I have built this place from scratch, myself. This site is offered to the general public FOR FREE. If you don't like what you see, then leave and go to a different website. Because this is my home and you are a freely welcome guest, I have the responsibility and prerogative to remove those who are rude. I do this so that it remains a nice place for the others who visit and like what they find. This comment is very close to the line that I consider rude and something that I wouldn't tolerate in my own kitchen.
Mary says
I agree that Connie is a very rude person, why can't people just keep their negative comments to themselves. I agree if you don't like the recipe because YOU KNOW better that it is not original, don't comment just go on about your business and leave this site, no one ask you to stay on it and get rude.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Mary! Thanks for the comment, I appreciate your support so much.
Shane Jones says
Wendi Wendi Wendi,
It REALLY is the very best Fettuccini Alfredo you will ever put in your mouth. And to be so simple. I impressed myself. Thank you for making this possible!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Shane! You are adorable! Thank you for letting me know by leaving a comment. :). Enjoy!
Wendi Spraker says
Just remember that NOW you won’t like restaurant Alfredo and you’ll say to yourself “I could have done better than that at home”. So find a different dish to order. 🙂
Marilyn says
Just love your recipes and your cheerful video instructions. They are AWESOME!
Wendi Spraker says
Tha is Marilyn! I appreciate you leaving a comment!!
Katina says
Thank you so much for such a decadent recipe, it was super simple and yummy! I always add peas to fettuccine and it was delicious with this sauce, thanks again!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Katina! Thanks and you are welcome! Thanks for leaving me a comment!
Jerri Turner says
My family loved your recipe and I look forward to making it again! How would you suggest thinning the sauce if it becomes too thick?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Jerri! This sauce does get too thick if it sits or if the cream cheese is a slightly more dry consistency (sometimes store brands are like this). Just add a little milk and whisk it or add more cream and whisk it. It will thin right out.
francesco caselli says
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! i love it
Moxie says
Perfect Recipe!
Kitta says
This recipe was sooooo easy and packed with flavor! I didn't have any cream cheese so I used the rest of the feta cheese I had and wow!!!!!
Wendi Spraker says
So glad you liked it!!
Barb says
This recipe looks amazing, however you don't mention how much cream cheese. you just say " a block" . could you please clarify?
Thanks,Barb
Wendi Spraker says
Thanks for the question. A block of cream cheese is 8 oz. Hope this helps.
Ines Di Lelio says
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO”, NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
With reference of your article, I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “fettuccine all’Alfredo” in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi).
More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo", this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome (via della scrofa) on the basis of a rental contract signed by my grandfather, November 19, 1914.
In 1943, during the war, Di Lelio sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 "Il Vero Alfredo" (“Alfredo di Roma”), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by his nephew Ines, with the famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See also the website of “Il Vero Alfredo” http://www.ilveroalfredo.it,
I must clarify that other restaurants "Alfredo" in Rome (including “Alfredo’s Gallery) do not belong to the family tradition of "Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma" in Rome.
I inform you that the restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo –Alfredo di Roma” is in the registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence” of the City of Rome Capitale.
Best regards Ines Di Lelio
wendi.spraker@yahoo.com says
Thank you Di Lelio! Quite a history! I am sure that my rendition of Fettuccine Alfredo probably tastes nothing like the historic and classic version your restaurant serves! Wouldn't that be fabulous to visit one day? Thank you so much for your input! ~ Wendi