• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Julia's Album
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Subscribe
  • Save Recipes!
  • About
  • Salads
  • Pasta
  • Chicken
  • Seafood
  • All Main Courses
  • Latest Recipes
  • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Subscribe
    • Save Recipes!
    • About
    • Salads
    • Pasta
    • Chicken
    • Seafood
    • All Main Courses
    • Latest Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    By Julia | Updated: Mar 08, 2018 | Published: Apr 18, 2013 | 34 Comments

    36.5K shares
    • Facebook267
    Jump to Recipe Print SaveSaved!
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo - classic Italian pasta dinner, made in 30 minutes!

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo, Italian pasta, Italian recipes, parmesan sauce, JuliasAlbum.com

     

    A good basic Alfredo sauce has long been a staple in my kitchen. Not only is it delicious, creamy and cheesy, the sauce is simple to prepare, and it uses the ingredients that can be easily found in any pantry. This ridiculously easy Fettuccine Alfredo dish can be served plain as-is, or alongside some add-ins, such as leftover roasted chicken, grilled vegetables, bacon. It's one of those great weeknight dinners that will take you at most 30 minutes to make, and what you get in return is a restaurant quality dish.

    So, if you're looking for a simple, straight-forward, not overly complicated recipe, without too many steps, a recipe that is practical for a weeknight after a long busy day, this easy fettuccine alfredo recipe from Emeril fits the bill.

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    In addition to grilled chicken and roasted vegetables, this Fettuccine Alfredo also goes great with seafood: grilled or sauteed shrimp, scallops, or lobster. Definitely a keeper!

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo, Italian pasta, Italian recipes, classic Italian dishes, Italian comfort food

    I found that this Alfredo sauce has a great creamy consistency immediately after you make it. However, if refrigerated, the butter and cheese will separate as the sauce cools down, and when reheated the next day, the consistency might be choppy even though the dish will still taste great. The sauce does lose its excellent creamy texture after being refrigerated. Therefore, it is best when served immediately: don't let the sauce cool down too much before serving.

    And, make just enough not to have leftovers. The recipe here actually makes a huge amount - enough to serve 6 people. Don't hesitate to half the recipe if you only have 1 or 2 people in your household.

    If you do have leftovers, when reheating this pasta dish, I would do it in the pan (not microwave) and add some liquid (preferably milk) to thin up the sauce.

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    By the way, as the recipe dictates, definitely use shallots: they add a REALLY nice flavor to the sauce. However, if you don't have shallots, you can use very finely minced red onion or regular onion or garlic.

    Remember, the dish is best when served immediately.
    And, enjoy this Fettuccine Alfredo with a glass of white wine and a slice of garlic toast!

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    How to make easy fettuccine alfredo:

    Below are helpful step-by-step photos and instructions. For full recipe, scroll down.

    Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the fettuccine in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. You can actually reserve more than ¼ cup of the pasta water in case you need to thin up the sauce later.

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced shallot (or 2 tablespoons of minced regular onion) and minced garlic and saute until tender.

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Add 1 cup heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute. Remove from the heat.

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Add the pasta + ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to the saucepan with the butter-cream sauce. Add half of the Parmesan cheese (½ cup) and toss to combine thoroughly - over medium heat. Stir the sauce constantly so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

     

    easy fettuccine alfredo recipe
    5 from 11 votes

    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

    In addition to grilled chicken and roasted vegetables, this Fettuccine Alfredo also goes great with seafood: grilled or sauteed shrimp, scallops, or lobster. Definitely a keeper!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 6 people
    Calories per serving 590 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound fettuccine pasta dried
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 2 shallots , minced, or 2 tablespoons of minced onion
    • 2 garlic cloves , minced
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 cup Parmesan cheese finely shredded
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
    • fresh parsley for garnish, optional

    Instructions 

    • Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the fettuccine in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. You can actually reserve more than ¼ cup of the pasta water in case you need to thin up the sauce later.
    • While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced shallot (or 2 tablespoons of minced regular onion) and minced garlic and saute until tender. Add 1 cup heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute. Remove from the heat.
    • Add the pasta + ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to the saucepan with the butter-cream sauce. Add half of the Parmesan cheese (½ cup) and toss to combine thoroughly – over medium heat. Stir the sauce constantly so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    Adapted from Food Network. 
    Recipe can be reduced in half, and it SHOULD be reduced in half if you’re serving FEWER than 6 people – because Alfredo sauce is best served fresh, without reheating.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Easy Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    590
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    31
    g
    48
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    19
    g
    119
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    95
    mg
    32
    %
    Sodium
     
    483
    mg
    21
    %
    Potassium
     
    241
    mg
    7
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    59
    g
    20
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    17
    g
    34
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1065
    IU
    21
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    1.2
    mg
    1
    %
    Calcium
     
    247
    mg
    25
    %
    Iron
     
    1.2
    mg
    7
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
    « Easy homemade baked macaroni and cheese
    Chocolate chip and white chocolate chip cookies »
    36.5K shares
    • Facebook267

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Submit your question or provide a review of the recipe + star rating RIGHT HERE. Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Peg

      March 30, 2017 at 9:33 pm

      My husband cooked this tonight for dinner and it was perfect. We both have colds and we needed something quick and easy. We turned to this recipe and hello. We added some rotisserie chicken, spinach and mushrooms. Came out perfect. We changed the Parsley in the recipe to spinach and would not left out anything if I thought I could digest Parsley. It would have been good. The sauce came together easily.

      Reply
    2. Diane

      January 29, 2017 at 8:31 am

      could not figure out how to get the fetticine recipe

      Reply
    3. Alexis

      July 28, 2015 at 3:50 pm

      I just finished making this recipe. It was very simple and delicious. But next I will make a few changes to the recipe like adding the pasta after I add in half of the Parmesan cheese to the butter-cream sauce. Also next time, I will cut down on how much butter I use.

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

    Connect with Julia on Social Media:

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    Get Julia's new recipes by e-mail:
    Subscribe by E-mail

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy and Disclosure

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Affiliate Disclosure

    About

    • About
    • Featured On
    • Contact Me

    Connect on Social Media

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

    Copyright © 2012-2025 JuliasAlbum.com

    Site Design: Foodie Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required