Fettuccine Alfredo
Updated Nov 11, 2026
Fettuccine alfredo made without heavy cream, with butter, milk, and freshly grated Pecorino and Parmesan. An easy, Alfredo ready in about 20 mins.
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I have nothing against jarred pasta sauce. I use it too! But when it comes to Alfredo, I really think homemade is the way to go. And this fettuccine Alfredo takes less than 30 minutes, so it’s not like I’m spending all afternoon making dinner. It’s butter, milk, two kinds of cheese, and a few seasonings. I mean, with those ingredients, how could the Alfredo sauce not be good? I love how creamy it gets, especially once I toss it with the warm pasta.
I’ve made quite a few of my favorite pasta dishes at home, like cacio e pepe, lemon ricotta pasta, and spaghetti and meatballs, so I don’t know why it took me so long to make this one! And I’m not trying to lighten up my fettuccine Alfredo either. Sometimes I just want the butter and cheese, you know? If I want something lighter, I’ll make my cauliflower Alfredo or cottage cheese Alfredo. But for this homemade Alfredo sauce, I’m keeping all the cheese and using a little pasta water to get it nice and creamy.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.
I forgot to save my pasta water once when I was making this fettuccine Alfredo, and I was so annoyed with myself. The sauce just wasn’t coating the pasta the same way, and I didn’t have any of that starchy water left to fix it. So now I always scoop out about a cup before draining. I don’t usually need the whole cup, but I would rather have extra than realize I need more after I’ve already poured it down the drain!
The cheese was another thing I had to figure out. I was getting these little grainy bits in the sauce, and no matter how much I stirred, they weren’t going away. Turns out I was adding the Parmesan and Pecorino when the pan was still too hot. I started turning off the heat before adding the cheese, and that worked much better for me.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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Fettuccine Alfredo Ingredients
- Pasta: Flat fettuccine noodles are classic and hold Alfredo sauce well, but you can also use spaghetti, bucatini, penne, or cavatappi.
- Cheese: I use a mix of Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese. Finely grate them from blocks so they melt more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese. If you don’t have Pecorino Romano, you can use all Parmesan.
- Butter and milk: I use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe, especially with two salty cheeses in the sauce. And I use whole milk for the best flavor, but you can use heavy cream if you want it to be even richer.
- Seasoning: Just garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make Fettuccine Alfredo. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Fettuccine Alfredo recipe below
1. Melt the butter
Place the butter in a large saucepan and let it melt without browning.
2. Add milk and seasoning
Slowly pour in the milk, then add the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
3. Warm the sauce base
Stir gently to warm the milk, keeping it below a boil.
4. Toss in the pasta
Transfer the cooked, drained fettuccine to the pan. Add the reserved pasta water and toss until the liquid begins to coat the strands.
5. Add the cheeses
Turn off the heat, then sprinkle the finely grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano over the pasta.
6. Toss the fettuccine alfredo
Stir and keep tossing off the heat until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. Serve immediately.
Full Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound fettuccine pasta
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Slowly add the milk, then season it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir to warm the milk for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the reserved cooked pasta on top of the butter and milk mixture. Add the reserved pasta water and stir until the sauce clings to the pasta.
- Turn off the heat, add the grated cheeses and stir until the sauce has thickened and well combined with the pasta, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Broccoli: Stir in 2 cups of cooked broccoli florets before adding the cheese. Drain them well so they don’t water down the sauce.
- Peas: Stir in 1 cup of frozen peas during the last 2 minutes of boiling the pasta, then drain and toss with the sauce. No need to thaw them first!
- Spinach: Toss 3 cups of baby spinach with the hot pasta and sauce base until wilted, then turn off the heat and add the cheeses.
- Mushrooms: Sauté 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate skillet until browned and their liquid has evaporated. Fold them into the finished pasta.
Recipe Tips
- Grate the cheese before starting. Have both cheeses ready so the pasta stays warm enough to melt them once you turn off the heat.
- Use a pan with room to toss. A wide saucepan or deep skillet makes it easier to coat a full pound of pasta evenly.
- Don’t rinse the pasta. Rinsing washes away the surface starch that helps the Alfredo sauce cling to the fettuccine. It also cools the pasta, making it harder for the cheese to melt smoothly into the sauce.
Serving Ideas
- Top it with protein: For a more full meal, I like to top the fettuccine with crispy breaded chicken, oven baked chicken, or garlic butter lemon shrimp.
- Add a side salad: I like adding something crisp alongside the pasta like a classic Caesar salad, fresh garden salad, or Italian chopped salad.
- Make homemade bread: If I have extra time, I’ll bake garlic cheese bread, rosemary focaccia, or olive bread to scoop up any sauce left on the plate.
Troubleshooting
Just add a little fresh water, ¼ cup at a time, until the sauce thickens up. It’ll still work! It won’t have the starch that helps it cling to the pasta, but it’ll still loosen the sauce well.
The cheese may have gotten too hot, or the shreds may have been too coarse to melt evenly. Finely grate both cheeses and turn off the heat before adding them. If the sauce starts clumping, keep the pan off the heat and gently toss with warm reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
The pasta needs a little time and tossing to bring the sauce together. Add the cheeses off the heat and keep tossing until the sauce coats the strands. Avoid adding extra cheese right away, since the sauce will also thicken as it cools.
Comments
This recipe was amazing!! The best Alfredo recipe I had ever had. Yumna does it again with the best Alfredo recipe! I added shrimp to it for some more protein. SO good!
Yum, love the addition of shrimp!! Thanks, Tatiana! So happy you liked it!!
Can you freeze alfredo sauce without the pasta to use later?
Yes, definitely!
If I want to add frozen shrimp, at what point should I do that?
Great question! I would cook the shrimp first with the butter before adding milk and seasoning.
Delicious! Made a smaller batch just for the kids and now regretting it. Thanks for putting out easy and yummy recipes ♥️
Aww, so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you so much!
Love it! Thank you 👍
Yay, I’m so glad! You’re welcome!!