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Easy Fettuccine Alfredo - classic Italian pasta dinner, made in 30 minutes!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
Easy Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
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
Nutrition
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.
Yum!! This is a great simple sauce and fills the spot every time.
The trick is to make enough fettuccine alfredo to serve everyone and no more. That way everyone has room for dessert. 🙂 Looks delicious.
How deliciously simple and quick! I think I know what I'm having for supper one of these nights =)
Scrumptious! Fettucine are some of my favorite pasta. Now I'm craving that dish.
Cheers,
Rosa
This is my kind of pasta! I love the sauce, sounds so yummy! And thanks for the tip to use milk when heating the leftover pasta!
Creamy sauce is probably my favourite one. I like pasta with vegetables or just tomato sauce, I like spaghetti bolognese but mac'n'cheese, Spaghetti Alfredo, just with cream and cheese are my favourite ones ever.
Your pasta looks just perfect. I have no idea how you make it like that but I'm just impressed 🙂
This is my favorite dish of all time!! I actually have never made it at home but I really need to! This looks so perfect and your pictures are gorgeous
I like the addition of shallots to this recipe, I bet they add great flavour. I wish they weren't so fussy to chop or I would eat them more often.
In my next life I want to be able to eat pasta every night for dinner without the slightest amount of guilt or weight gain! I will also request to be able to drink as Pinot Grigio as I want without a hangover!
Comfort on a plate 🙂
I really like that there are shallots in this - sounds like a great weeknight meal! I think I would love it topped with some roasted veggies and chicken!
O.M.G. suuuuuch delicious pefection! Ahhh I would loooove a big old plate of this!
Julia:
How handy is to have great and easy recipes! I also have mine and enjoy cooking them on busy days...Your Alfredo pasta looks scrumptious as everything else that you make.
What's not to love? Beautiful!
Simplicity at its best and perfection!