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 isn’t the original.
![Fettuccine Alfredo Authenic Fettuccine Alfredo topped with grate Parmesan and parsley leaves on a white plate with fork.](https://cookthestory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Italian-Style-Fettuccine-Alfredo-660x990.jpg)
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.)
Want a non-traditional take on Alfredo? Try my Greek Yogurt Alfredo Sauce. It’s similar to the American version, but with healthier yogurt instead of heavy cream.
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!
Podcast Episode: Making Fettuccine Alfredo
Listen to me explain briefly about how to make this pasta, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
Print![White plate of fettuccine alfredo.](https://cookthestory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Italian-Style-Fettuccine-Alfredo-Pasta-150x150.jpg)
Authentic Italian Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
- 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.
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.
Love this recipe? I’d appreciate it if you could scroll down and add a *5 star rating* to help others know they’ll love it as well!
![Authentic Italian Fettuccine Alfredo](https://cookthestory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/italian-fettuccini-alfredo-.jpg)
This is how I make fettuccine, too, in the traditional Italian way. But there is a better way of mixing it for a smoother creamier sauce. First, don’t drain the pasta. Merely, scoop it out of the pasta water dripping wet onto ONLY the sliced butter. Then, mix the pasta with the butter coating it all as the butter melts. Then add only 1oz. of the cheese, and continue mixing until cheese is melted, adding 1/3 of the pasta water to help it along. Add another 1oz of the cheese and a little more pasta water, again letting the cheese melt. Finally, add the remaining cheese and a bit more water, until well melted and mixed. Add salt to taste. especially if using salted butter and/or salted pasta water. Adding all the cheese at once can make the cheese clump and not melt all the way.
Thanks for sharing your method, Jonathan!
Just like you get in Italy. Quick easy delicious …supper ready in 15 minutes. I added lots of ground pepper and served freshly grated parmesan on the side .
Second time I made it I added left over chicken, thinly sliced. Just caus I had to use it up. The whole family loved it !
Love to hear that, Joyce! Thanks for coming back to let me know.
Really good, be careful how much salt you add especially if you salt to your pasta water. Little bit of garlic powder is good with it too
Thanks, Josh!
I was looking for authentic Alfredo sauce and this is it!
Thank you, Tala! Glad you loved it!
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!
You’re welcome, Jennifer! Enjoy!
This is the way our local Italian Restaurant makes it and the Chef is Italian born and raised in Milan, Italy
That’s wonderful, thanks for letting me know!
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.
No, there’s no such thing as Italian version of fettuccine Alfredo. It’s just an American thing.
This is so far from a good sauce it’s not worth posting. Don’t waste your time
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/