Creamy Alfredo Fettuccine (Printable)

Velvety Alfredo sauce coats perfectly cooked fettuccine for an easy, indulgent Italian main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz fettuccine

→ Alfredo Sauce

02 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
03 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
08 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

09 - Freshly chopped parsley (optional)
10 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in grated Parmesan until the sauce is smooth. Season with black pepper, salt, and nutmeg if using.
05 - Add drained fettuccine to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the sauce. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water to desired consistency.
06 - Plate immediately, garnishing with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan as preferred.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in half an hour, making weeknight dinners feel surprisingly elegant.
  • There's something deeply comforting about eating creamy pasta while everything else feels chaotic.
  • Once you master this sauce, you can dress it up with chicken, shrimp, or mushrooms whenever hunger calls for something different.
02 -
  • High heat is the enemy of this sauce—it will split and become grainy if you're not careful, something I learned the hard way at a dinner party.
  • Reserve the pasta water before you drain; that starch is what saves you if the sauce thickens too much and lets you rescue it in seconds.
  • Grate the Parmesan yourself and add it slowly; pre-shredded cheese has cornstarch that prevents it from melting smoothly into the cream.
03 -
  • The pasta water is your best friend—that starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles and makes everything taste more cohesive, so never skip it.
  • If your sauce looks too thin when you first combine everything, give it a minute before adding more pasta water; sometimes it thickens as it sits and the heat distributes.

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