This Roman version of Alfredo is simpler, easier and lighter than the Americanized version, but still has all the rich, cheesy deliciousness you crave.
Guess what? What you’ve known and loved as fettuccine Alfredo might not be “real” fettuccine Alfredo. That thick creamy sauce that we dip into at Olive Garden and other Italian restaurants (like this Alfredo recipe here) isn’t the original.
What Is Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo?
The original recipe, which was invented in Rome by a man named, of course, Alfredo, uses only pasta, butter, and Parmesan cheese. No milk, no cream, no garlic, no nutmeg, and no flour to thicken it all. (If you’re interested in learning more about Alfredo and how his dish became so famous, check out this article from Saveur magazine.)
Making Italian Alfredo
Perhaps even better than the teeny number of ingredients is the fact that there’s no sauce to “make.” Similar to pasta carbonara, all you do is toss the ingredients with hot, just-drained pasta and a little pasta cooking water. The butter and cheese melt and, voila! You’ve quickly made a simple, silky sauce that’s super flavorful.
Note that it’s best to use freshly finely grated or shredded cheese here. The finer the cheese, the easier it’ll melt, the smoother your sauce. Some will tell you it’s also important to use fresh pasta, but I say use whatever you like best.
And as they say in Rome, mangia! – Christine :)
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Authentic Italian Fettuccine Alfredo
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
DESCRIPTION
This Roman version of Alfredo is simpler, easier and lighter than the Americanized version, but still has all the rich, cheesy deliciousness you crave.
Listen to me explain briefly about how to make this pasta, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 10 to 12 slices
- 3 oz. finely grated or shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 and 1/3 cup if freshly grated), plus more for serving
- 1/4–3/4 tsp. salt
- 12 oz. uncooked fettuccine (or 1 lb. fresh fettuccine)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, cheese, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then immediately add the drained hot pasta to the bowl with the butter mixture.
- Add ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water and toss vigorously until the butter is melted and a creamy sauce forms, adding more water as desired. Add more salt to taste.
- Serve with additional cheese on the side.
Jennifer says
This was an amazing sauce! It tasted just like a family owned restaurant I used to live near. As a person who isn’t fond of the chain restaurant type sauce this was sooooo much better. I will most definitely be making this again. Thank you!
Christine Pittman says
You’re welcome, Jennifer! Enjoy!
RutAn says
This is the way our local Italian Restaurant makes it and the Chef is Italian born and raised in Milan, Italy
★★★★
Christine Pittman says
That’s wonderful, thanks for letting me know!
Evelyn Antonyuk says
I don’t know if this is a joke, but fettuccine Alfredo in of itself is Italian, hinted by the spelling being in the Italian language.
★★★★★
Valentina says
No, there’s no such thing as Italian version of fettuccine Alfredo. It’s just an American thing.
Billieg says
This is so far from a good sauce it’s not worth posting. Don’t waste your time
Christine Pittman says
This recipe is for alfredo the way it is classically made in Italy. If you were looking for the more Americanized version (similar to what they serve at Olive Garden), we have a recipe for that on our site over here https://cookthestory.com/fettuccine-alfredo/