Creamy Alfredo Fettuccine (Print Version)

Silky pasta tossed in a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce with garlic and butter, garnished with fresh parsley.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz fettuccine

→ Alfredo Sauce

02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
05 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for pasta water
07 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

09 - Freshly chopped parsley

# How to Cook:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Add grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
05 - Add the drained fettuccine to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the sauce. Add reserved pasta water gradually to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
06 - Plate immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely faster than ordering delivery, and somehow tastes better than any restaurant version.
  • The sauce comes together so quietly and smoothly that you feel like you've pulled off something fancy when you really just melted cheese into cream.
  • It's the kind of meal that makes people think you spent hours cooking when you barely spent twenty minutes.
02 -
  • Freshly grated Parmesan isn't just better—it's essential; pre-grated cheese will turn your silky sauce grainy and disappointing every single time.
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water; that starch is magic for loosening the sauce and helping it cling to every strand of fettuccine.
  • Heat control matters more than anything else—low and gentle beats hot and fast, or you'll scramble your cream and ruin the whole thing.
03 -
  • Keep the heat low enough that you'd be comfortable holding your hand near the pan—that's the sweet spot for creamy, smooth sauce.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta; this is your last chance to adjust salt and pepper, and it makes a real difference in the final dish.

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