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This authentic fettuccine Alfredo recipe has only 4 ingredients and can be made in 30 minutes! No cream is used in this recipe, just like the original recipe from Rome.
Featured with this recipe
- Ingredients in Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo
- No Cream (or Parsley)
- How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo the Italian Way
- Recipe Tips
- Always Serve Fettuccine Alfredo Hot
- Storing the Leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Delicious Alfredo Pastas and Sauces
- How to Make Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo
- Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
- Notes from Ines Di Lelio (Manager of Il Vero Alfredo)
One of our very first recipes here on Favorite Family Recipes was our family’s recipe for Alfredo sauce. On this particular recipe, we received a nice comment from Ines Di Lelio, granddaughter of Alfredo Di Lelio, the creator of fettuccine Alfredo (aka Fettuccine all’Alfredo or Fettuccine al Burro). It was this comment (original comment below) that inspired us to learn more about this famous dish.
After learning more of the history, then taking a trip to Italy ourselves, we were determined to perfect the art of making true, authentic fettuccine Alfredo. To our surprise, it was easy to do, so long as we used the right ingredients!
Ingredients in Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo
Authentic fettuccine Alfredo is super simple and only made with four ingredients: Cooked fettuccine noodles, butter, and Parmigiano Reggiano. That’s it! Because this recipe uses so few ingredients, it is worth it to only use the BEST.
Fettuccine
I love using high-quality noodles from Italy when I made fettuccine Alfredo. These noodles are often dried in “nest” shapes and found at specially markets. They are lighter in color than your typical supermarket noodle and have a slight texture to them (see picture) which helps the sauce cling to them. Tagliatelle is very similar to fettuccine and can also be used. If you want to go all out you can always make your own homemade pasta from scratch!
Salt
If you salt the pasta water right, there will be no need to season with salt later on in the process. In Italy, salt for pasta water is measured to taste. You want the pasta water be as salty as sea water. If you aren’t comfortable with salting your pasta water to taste, you can always just add a couple teaspoons to the water and then season the pasta with a little salt after it has been prepared.
Butter
Use your favorite high-quality, creamy butter. American, European, or Irish cream butter will all work great. Obviously the better the butter, the better the sauce will be.
Parmigiano Reggiano
No substitutions. Parmigiano Reggiano is NOT parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese is an American imitation of Parmigiano Reggiano. Parmigiano Reggiano is produced in Italy in the region of Parma (hence the name) and meets very specific Italian regulations.
One easy way to know if the Parmigiano Reggiano is authentic is to look for the seal of authenticity. True Parmigiano Reggiano will have a red seal that says “Protected Designation of Origin” (or “Denominazione d’Origine Protetta” (DOP) if you are in Italy). That’s how you know. I always buy my Parmigiano Reggiano from Costco. If you look in the picture below, you can see the seal. It’s the real deal!
No Cream (or Parsley)
The original fettuccine Alfredo recipe that was created in Rome does not have cream. Cream is absolutely not needed. Want more creaminess? Add more cheese and a splash of pasta water.
Yes, there are many, many recipes out there that add cream or even egg yolks for thickening. Even recipes that come from Italy. These recipes have been adapted and have evolved from the original.
Not saying that these recipes are necessarily bad, they just aren’t the original ingredients. The same goes for parsley. It is not needed, nor is it in the original recipe.
How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo the Italian Way
- Boil the pasta noodles in salted water. Fill a mug with some of the pasta water and set aside to use for the sauce.
- In a deep-walled skillet or ceramic Dutch oven, melt butter on low heat. Drain pasta and toss with the butter.
- Slowly add cheese and alternate with a few tablespoons of the pasta water that was set aside. Continue doing this until a sauce is formed and you reach your desired consistency.
Recipe Tips
- Add the cheese a little at a time, sprinkle it as you stir. If you add too much at once it will clump and not melt right.
- Stir with tongs so you can grasp the noodles and turn them over to coat them with the cheese sauce as it forms.
- Use high quality ingredients, I can’t stress this enough.
Always Serve Fettuccine Alfredo Hot
Fettuccine Alfredo can be prepared in a matter of minutes and should be served immediately after being prepared. It is not a dish that should be made ahead of time. As the sauce cools, it will begin to clump and stick. If this happens you can toss with a little more hot pasta water but doing this too much will weaken the flavor.
Storing the Leftovers
As mentioned above, this pasta dish should be served fresh and hot so avoid leftovers if you can. To be honest we have never made this and had leftovers because it is just that good. Authentic fettuccine Alfredo does not reheat well. If you happen to have leftovers and really don’t want any to go to waste, store in an airtight container. Reheat in a nonstick skillet with a splash of heavy cream and a little more Parmigiano Reggiano until heated through. Serve immediately after reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This recipe was created in Italy by an Italian. In Italy it is more widely recognized as Fettuccine al Burro but is also called “Felluccine all’Alfredo”.
In Italy, Fettuccine Alfredo is also known as “Fettuccine al Burro”, which roughly translated means fettuccine with butter.
Typically this pasta is served on its own. However here is the U.S. chicken, shrimp, beef medallions and/or roasted or steamed vegetables are added.
Fettuccine Alfredo was originally created by Alfredo Di Lelio in 1908 in Rome, Italy. He created this dish for his wife during her pregnancy out of concern for her lack of appetite.
The best way to thicken Alfredo sauce is to add more Parmigiano Reggiano. This will thicken the sauce as well as ad more flavor.
Read Next: 35+ Dinner Ideas
More Delicious Alfredo Pastas and Sauces
How to Make Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo
Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. If you aren't sure how much salt to use, start with 1 tablespoon.Add fettuccine and boil for 11-12 minutes or the amount of time specified on the package. You want the noodles to be al dente. Stir often. Do not overcook!
- While noodles are boiling remove a mug full of pasta water and set aside.
- About 5 minutes before the pasta is finished, add butter to a large skillet or ceramic Dutch oven. Heat over low heat and allow butter to melt.
- When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add to the skillet.
- Slowly add shredded Parmigiano Reggiano by sprinkling over the pasta an tossing with tongs. Alternate with a little pasta water until a cream sauce is formed with the noodles. You may not need all of the reserved pasta water.
- Continue until the pasta is coated with sauce and you have reached your desired consistency. Taste as you go until you get it just right.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmigiano Reggiano if desired.
Notes
- Add the cheese a little at a time, sprinkle it as you stir. If you add too much at once it will clump and not melt right.
- Stir with tongs so you can grasp the noodles and turn them over to coat them with the cheese sauce as it forms.
- Always use the highest quality ingredients you can find. Detailed notes on this above.
- For the best results, serve immediately after preparing.
Nutrition Information
Notes from Ines Di Lelio (Manager of Il Vero Alfredo)
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
– Best regards Ines Di Lelio
With reference to your article I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “Fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”) in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). This “trattoria” of Piazza Rosa has become the “birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”. More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo”, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome. In 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family. In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando. His restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”) whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me. The famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) was donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See the website of “Il Vero Alfredo” (also about franchising news). I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong and are out of my brand . “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma”. I inform you that the restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo –Alfredo di Roma” is in the registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence” of the City of Rome Capitale.
This is such an easy and delicious recipe, I cannot wait to make it again!
Loving this no-fuss 4 ingredient alfredo! Thanks for the recipe!