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5.0 from 174 votes

Fettuccine Alfredo

This recipe is an indulgent pasta you can make from scratch in just over 15 minutes, start to finish. Leisurely too, no rush! Have all the ingredients laid out and ready to go so the pasta finished cooking just when the sauce is ready. This pasta easily serves 3 people. It's only 420 calories per serving because this is a proper restaurant version where the sauce is emulsified (step 7) so the sauce clings to each pasta rather than the pasta swimming in a lot of creamy sauce.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
18 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 426 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 8 oz / 250g dried fettuccine
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 small shallot , very finely minced (eschallot in Australia) (Note 1)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (Note 2)
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan (Notes 3 and 4)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Good grind of black pepper
Garnish
  • fresh parsley (optional)
  • Extra Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente (still firm but just cooked through). (Note 5)
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a deep fry pan over medium high heat. (Note 6)
  3. Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes or until tender.
  4. Add the cream and bring to boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 3 minutes.
  5. Remove the fry pan from the heat and stir through the Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper until the sauce is smooth.
  6. TAKE OUT 1/4 cup of pasta water PLUS scoop out an extra mug (extra, just in case). Then drain the pasta in a colander.
  7. Transfer the pasta and 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water into the fry pan with the sauce. Return the fry pan to the stove over medium high heat. Toss very gently to coat the pasta in the sauce and allow the sauce to emulsify (Note 6) for 1 minute. (Note 7)
  8. Remove from the stove and serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley, if using.

Notes

  • What is referred to as shallots in America are called Eschallots in Australia. They look like tiny onions, but usually slightly longer. The flavour is stronger and sweeter than onions. You can substitute with brown or white onions - around 1/4 cup finely minced onion (you need more because onion is not as strong).
  • You can substitute with light cream for a lighter option. But it isn't the same!
  • Parmigiano Reggiano is a type of parmesan and is only made in Italy. The flavour is deeper, nuttier and stronger and even a little bit sweet. It is more expensive than parmesan cheese. You can substitute with parmesan cheese, but I really think that if there is ever a time to splurge on Parmigiano Reggiano, it's on a dish like this!
  • It is key that the Parmigiano Reggiano is FRESHLY and FINELY grated. Otherwise it won't melt into the cream and you'll end up with grainy sauce. Store bought grated cheese is too grainy, even from good delis. Trust me, I've made that mistake before.
  • However long the pasta packet suggests as the cooking time, subtract 1 minute for al dente because the pasta will continue cooking with the sauce. My fettuccine packet says 12 minutes so I boil it for 11 minutes.
  • You need a deep fry pan to cook pasta because the pasta is tossed with the sauce to emulsify (magic that happens with starch in pasta is cooked a bit with the oil in the sauce) which makes the pasta extra glossy, thick and rich. This is a key Italian tip for making amazing pastas!
  • If you don't have a large deep fry pan, use a very large pot.
  • The sauce should be silky smooth and a thin film should cling to each strand. The pasta should not be drowning in sauce. If the sauce goes gluey because you overcooked it or the heat is too high, just add a touch more of the pasta water (i.e. the extra mug of water you reserved) and it will go back to silky smooth.
  •  Nutrition assuming 3 servings.

Nutrition Information

Serving 123g Calories 426cal (21%) Carbohydrates 46.4g (15%) Protein 11.5g (23%) Fat 21.9g (34%) Saturated Fat 12.8g (64%) Cholesterol 122mg (41%) Sodium 349mg (15%) Potassium 168mg (5%) Vitamin A 700IU (14%) Calcium 70mg (7%) Iron 2.9mg (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 426

% Daily Value*

Serving 123g
Calories 426cal 21%
Carbohydrates 46.4g 15%
Protein 11.5g 23%
Fat 21.9g 34%
Saturated Fat 12.8g 64%
Cholesterol 122mg 41%
Sodium 349mg 15%
Potassium 168mg 4%
Vitamin A 700IU 14%
Calcium 70mg 7%
Iron 2.9mg 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.