As legend has it, around 1914, Roman chef Alfredo Di Lelio combined eggs, butter, and Parmigiano-Reggiano to create the dish that would come to bear his name. Fettuccine Alfredo recipes have since evolved into the cheesy highlight at practically every Italian-American restaurant in the U.S.
Traditionalists will tell you that you only need freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a knob of butter, and, well, fettuccine to make this classic pasta recipe. But for those who want a foolproof dish, each noodle slicked in the lusciously smooth and silky Alfredo sauce, we posit that a little heavy cream never hurt anything. Associate food editor Kendra Vaculin calls it a “sauce insurance policy.” Cream is the perfect medium to emulsify the starchy pasta water with butter and cheese so that everything comes together in a velvety finish with very little work required. Even the cheese is best when “grated” in your food processor or a high-powered blender into granule-sized pieces; no hand grater required.
Of course, like your favorite stop-in spot, you can customize the dish with mix-ins. For chicken Alfredo, lay slices of feta-brined grilled chicken on top. For shrimp Alfredo, toss in a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp just before the final addition of butter. Or blanch some broccoli or asparagus in the salted water before dropping your pasta. Then reheat the vegetables when tossing the pasta to finish.
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook 12 oz. fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat until al dente, according to package directions. Measure out 1 cup pasta cooking liquid; drain pasta and set aside.
Step 2
Meanwhile, combine 4 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (about 2 cups), ½ cup heavy cream, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper, and half of 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, in a cold medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.
Step 3
Transfer hot cooked pasta to cold pot with cheese mixture. Turn heat to medium and add ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese has mostly melted, about 3 minutes. Add remaining butter, one piece at a time, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens to a smooth, homogenous consistency, about 3 minutes. If pot looks dry or sauce starts to break, add more pasta cooking liquid (you may not need it). Season to taste and garnish with more Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Editor’s note: This recipe for fettuccine Alfredo was first printed in the 1974 issue of ‘Gourmet’ and has since been updated for style and technique by the Epicurious team. Head this way for more of our creamiest pasta recipes →
