Fettuccine Alfredo

Name: Fettuccine Alfredo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces dried fettuccine pasta; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 12 turns freshly-cracked black pepper, plus more to serve; 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream; 1 egg yolk; 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated; 1/2 cup pecorino-Romano cheese, grated, plus more to serve; Kosher salt; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

Don’t mess with perfection.

A rich and deeply delicious pasta, worth every creamy, cheesy bite. This authentic fettuccine Alfredo recipe is classic perfection — and takes minutes to make.

The Best Fettuccine Alfredo

This may not be a dinner for every day, but a classic, authentic bowl of fettuccine Alfredo just cannot be beat. Creamy, silky, and satisfyingly flavorful thanks to a hint of garlic and generous amounts of pecorino-Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, this is one creamy pasta dinner you will truly savor.

Who Invented the Original Fettuccine Alfredo?

The original fettuccine Alfredo recipe originated as a simple, common dish of pasta with butter and Parmigiano cheese, which Rome restaurant owner Alfredo de Lelio prepared for his pregnant wife. His wife suffered from serious morning sickness and could not eat much during her pregnancy.

Alfredo de Lelio served the simple butter and cheese pasta with whatever pasta was around in the restaurant that day. But one day, in 1927, the American silent film actors Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, on honeymoon, came to eat at the restaurant.

Fettuccine happened to be the pasta of the day when Alfredo served the couple served the butter and cheese pasta. They loved it so much that they spread the word back in Hollywood, and sent Alfredo a gift of two engraved, personalized golden spoons. Eventually, fettuccine Alfredo made its way stateside and evolved into a recipe with cream.

Why Is Fettuccine Alfredo Unhealthy? (The Inevitable Question)

Sigh. One might expect the answer to, “Is fettuccine Alfredo healthy?” to be a solid no. After all, fettuccine Alfredo was dubbed a “heart attack on a plate” by C.S.P.I.

But on the other hand, every well-rounded, “healthy” diet deserves a treat now and then, right? So while this authentic fettuccine Alfredo recipe may not contain vegetables, fruit, fiber, or whole grains, I do think that a special treat can be appropriate in any diet.

What is traditional fettuccine Alfredo sauce made of?

Other than perfectly-cooked al dente fettuccine pasta, this dish is all about the Alfredo sauce. This Alfredo sauce recipe is an easy one, made with all the best food groups:

Garlic
Heavy Cream
Butter
Pecorino-Romano cheese
Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Egg yolk
Salt and pepper

Traditional Fettuccine Alfredo: Recipe Notes

Fettuccine Alfredo sauce tastes uniquely creamy and makes liberal use of good, aged Italian grating cheeses and cream. A bit of garlic adds an additional, subtle flavor note, making for an extraordinary result.

Here are some more recipe tips for acing Alfredo:

Use good cheese. Do not skimp. Use actual pecorino-Romano cheese and real, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano.
In keeping with Alfredo sauce’s retro vibe, and to add a punch of color, I like to garnish with good old-fashioned Italian parsley, with some extra black pepper on top.

How to Reheat Fettuccine Alfredo

Pasta dishes rarely reheat well in the microwave, which heats the pasta but also dries out the sauce. Fettuccine Alfredo is no exception. To reheat this dish so that it comes back to its silky, creamy best:

Add just enough water to coat the bottom of a skillet.
Add the leftover pasta.
Reheat on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until it becomes creamy again and warmed throughout.

Love this Alfredo dinner? You will also love these Italian comfort food dishes:

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