Holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to fettuccine alfredo to make it taste better? ›

Heartier herbs like thyme or oregano can be added in to simmer with the sauce. Add delicate herbs like parsley, basil, or chervil at the end to maintain their delicate, aromatic flavor. Quick tip: Swirl in a bit of leftover pesto to add another herbaceous twist to your Alfredo sauce.

the Difference Between Alfredo and Fettuccine? Alfredo is the Italian-American white sauce we all know and love. Fettuccine is the long, skinny pasta most of us like to enjoy with our Alfredo sauce.

Moreover, Italians are not thrilled that this recipe is so strongly associated with Italy, as it is not a traditional dish and there are recipes much more authentic, more representative and more identifying of the Bel Paese. Indeed, no real Italian restaurant has this pasta on the menu.

The original fettuccine Alfredo

The real Alfredo sauce is delicious because of its simplicity. The only ingredients are butter, Parmesan cheese and pepper. That's it! You'll find neither heavy cream nor parsley in the original recipe.

Butter: This Alfredo sauce starts with two sticks of butter. Cream: The rich sauce calls for almost a cup of heavy cream. Seasonings: The fettuccine Alfredo is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cheese: You'll need Romano and Parmesan cheeses.

Italians have been eating Fettuccine Alfredo for over a century… They just didn't know that's what it was called! Every story that has turned into legend has different versions and variations. But in this case, all threads begin in the heart of Rome at the same place: the restaurant Alfredo on Via della Scrofa.

Fettuccine Alfredo is a richer version of the standard Italian fettuccine al burro ('fettuccine with butter'), also called pasta burro e parmigiano ('pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese').

The easiest way to accomplish this is to mix about a spoonful of cornstarch to 2 spoonfuls of liquid – it could be water or chicken stock or even milk. You will add this mixture, also called a slurry to the sauce and as it starts to cook, the sauce will thicken.

What we call alfredo sauce here in the US doesn't exist in Italy. Its closest cousin is similar to di Lelio's invention: a sauce known in Italy as “al burro” (with butter) — pasta served with melted butter that's sometimes infused with fresh sage, as well as grated Parmigiano.

What does Alfredo mean in Italian? ›

Origin:Italian. Meaning:Elf counselor. Alfredo is a masculine name of Italian and Spanish origins. Coming from the Old English name Alfred, it translates to “elf counselor” and is a wonderful choice to connect baby with their mythical spirit.

And Olive Garden built on that idea to develop its own recipe in the early 1980s, which includes butter, milk, cream, flour, garlic, imported parmesan cheese, and imported Romano cheese. "Adding cream gives alfredo sauce a richer, more full-bodied finish that Americans love," the Olive Garden spokesperson said.

Seasonings, spices, and fresh herbs: this is definitely a great way to give your Alfredo sauce a more personal flavor. The most obvious choice is black pepper, but you can also add parsley and thyme, or dried herbs like oregano.

All-purpose flour: To help form a roux and thicken the sauce. If you are making gluten-free Alfredo sauce, however, you are welcome to omit the flour and have a slightly thinner sauce. Or you can use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it (see details below).

Add a few dashes of garlic powder to your simmering sauce, or a clove or two of fresh sauteed garlic, to brighten up the Alfredo and make its flavor pop. You can also sprinkle in some fresh or dried herbs, like oregano, thyme, or basil, to add complexity to the sauce.

You don't salt the pasta water, or you salt it too much. "Boiling pasta in unseasoned water is detrimental to the flavor and texture.

The way you'll do it is by putting all your leftovers in a small saucepan, then heat it on medium-low heat. Then, add in a splash of milk or cream when it starts to heat up. Give it a good stir with a wooden spoon and increase to medium heat. It will start to simmer, but don't let it bubble any more than that.

Add heavy whipping cream, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long.