FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

Fettuccine Alfredo or Fettuccine Al Burro is one of the classic & rich  Italian pasta recipes that is creamy, buttery, and cheesy, and where fettuccine pasta is tossed in the best and easy homemade alfredo sauce.

My family loves pasta and especially my little one demands it every other day. I generally prepare broccoli garlic pasta or orzo with basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. Also, I make sure that I add one or two veggies when I make pasta to have a balanced diet for my kids.

Fettuccine Alfredo is prepared during special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's day, or other parties. Yes, this pasta is super-rich, creamy, and cheesy. So I wouldn't recommend making it every night or if you are health conscious or if you are on a weight loss program.

But when you are craving for something rich or want to up your mood or treat yourself with something special then you should definitely prepare this recipe. Also, if you love fettuccine alfredo from the Olive Garden, then you will love this recipe for sure because this is much better than that 🙂

If you are addicted to Alfredo sauce after preparing this recipe, make sure you cut down butter, cheese and cream to half and thin down the sauce with pasta water 🙂

How to make Alfredo sauce from scratch at home?

Rich, creamy alfredo sauce is prepared using just 5 ingredients - cream, butter, garlic powder, pepper powder, and cheese. In a pan on medium heat add butter and heavy cream and whisk until butter is melted. Now add pepper powder, garlic powder, and cheese till cheese melts and sauce thickens. The sauce is ready. You can add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or fresh herbs to the sauce if desired.

Is Carbonara and Alfredo the same?

Alfredo is a very basic sauce prepared using butter, cream, and cheese. Nothing can be easier than this. Carbonara is a little different. You need onions, pancetta, egg yolks, cheese, and cream.

Is white sauce and Alfredo sauce the same?

Alfredo sauce is made with butter, cream, and cheese, mainly Parmesan cheese. White sauce starts with the preparation of roux using flour and butter. Then the milk is whisked in and simmered until the sauce thickens.

What kind of cheese tastes good for Alfredo?

Parmesan is generally used to make Alfredo sauce. I like to use a blend of Romano and Parmesan cheeses as I like the taste of Romano which acts as a flavor enhancer in pasta, soups, and pizzas. But if you don't find the blend, simply use Parmesan cheese in the recipe.

What goes well with fettuccine alfredo?

My family loves it as the main course. But you can also serve it with chicken strips, meatballs, salads, bread slices, soups, or grilled asparagus.

Is there a substitute for fettuccine?

Yes. You can toss pastas such as spaghetti, linguine, fusilli, tagliatelle, Bucatini (perciatelli), Trennette, etc. in Alfredo sauce.

Is there a substitute for heavy cream in alfredo sauce?

You can use whole milk or half and half instead of heavy cream or a combination of cream cheese and milk to make it more cheesy.  You can also use evaporated milk or powdered milk as a substitute for heavy cream in this recipe.

Can I make fettuccine alfredo dairy-free or vegan?

I have not tried making a vegan version but you can check your grocery store for vegan butter and for soy or coconut or almond or cashew-based heavy cream alternatives. If you try making a vegan version of this recipe please let me know your experience in the comment section below.

Ingredients used to make Fettuccine Alfredo

8 oz Fettuccine
½ pint Heavy cream (approx 1 cup)
⅓ cup Butter
¼ teaspoon Pepper powder
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
Salt to taste
⅓ cup Romano Parmesan cheese blend, more if you desire  (check tips)
1 cup Broccoli florets
5 to 6 Mushroom chopped
1 tablespoon Olive oil

Detailed steps to prepare fettuccine Alfredo from scratch

• Cook fettuccine in a pan containing boiling salted water for 10 minutes or follow the package instructions. Reserve some water used to cook pasta. You can use this water to thin down the sauce if needed.
• In a large pan on medium-high heat add olive oil, and sauté broccoli, and mushrooms for 3 to 4 minutes and transfer it to a plate.
• In the same pan on medium heat add cream and butter and simmer until butter has melted, i.e., about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add salt, pepper powder, garlic powder, and Romano-Parmesan cheese and simmer until cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. This will thicken the sauce.
• Toss cooked fettuccine as needed in the prepared sauce. Finally, toss with sautéed mushrooms and broccoli and enjoy.

Tips:

• If you don't find Romano-Parmesan cheese blend, just use Parmesan cheese in the recipe.
• Instead of garlic powder, you can even add minced garlic or garlic cloves and sauté in butter for few seconds before adding cream.
• Fresh herbs like parsley can be added for garnish.
• I love broccoli and mushrooms so I have added them to the recipe. You can even add chicken, shrimp, or turkey. Steak or salmon can also be used.  Vegetarians can add spinach and tomatoes if desired.
• If you feel the sauce is soupy, continue to stir and heat on low flame for another 5 minutes and it will thicken to perfection. But if you feel the sauce is on the thicker side, use pasta water to thin down the sauce.
• You can also add a pinch of nutmeg if desired.

How to store any Fettuccine Alfredo leftovers?

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days

How to reheat Fettuccine Alfredo?

You can pour the leftovers into a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle some water. Cover with microwave-safe lid and heat for 60 to 90 seconds.

Can I freeze Alfredo Sauce?

You can store it in an airtight container even before tossing it with pasta and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

For all meat lovers, you can add chicken along with mushrooms and broccoli. Thinly slice 8 oz chicken breasts into ¼ inch strips and season them with salt and pepper. In a pan on medium heat add around 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil. Now place the chicken on a single layer and switch the flame to medium-high. Cook for about 2 minutes till the bottom has browned without disturbing it. Flip each piece now and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or till it is browned and cooked through. Transfer it to a plate. Toss it along with fettuccine pasta in alfredo sauce and your Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is ready.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

For all seafood lovers, you can add shrimp instead of mushrooms and broccoli. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter in a pan on medium heat. Add around 1 pound of shrimp (peeled and deveined) and sprinkle some salt and pepper. Cook shrimp for about 3 to 4 minutes until it turns pink and opaque. You can read more on how to cook shrimp perfectly here. You can arrange these shrimp over pasta just before serving or toss it in Alfredo sauce along with fettuccine pasta.

Instant pot Fettuccine Alfredo

Pour butter, heavy cream along with 2 ¼ cups of water or broth in your pot. Spread the fettuccine pasta and press it down. Add mushroom, broccoli, or any meat of your choice. Season with pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Place the lid, lock, and set the steam release knob to sealed position. Select the manual setting and set to 6 minutes. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Release any remaining pressure.

Stir the pasta nicely. Don't worry if you find it soupy at this point. It is going to thicken up. Now add the cheese blend or Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Let this sit for another 2 minutes. If the sauce looks thick, add any cream, and if it is too soupy, then add extra cheese to thicken it.

Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo is ready. Garnish it with some more cheese and fresh herbs if desired.

Printable Recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo with Best & Easy Homemade Sauce from scratch

If you like this Fettuccine Alfredo recipe,

Don't miss to check out other delicious pasta recipes for lunch or dinner

Classic Shrimp Scampi Pasta	Broccoli Garlic Pasta
Gnocchi in Arrabbiata sauce	Orzo with Pesto & sun-dried tomatoes
Butternut Squash Pasta	Mac & Cheese

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