Pasta Alfredo is one of the most loved pasta dishes in the world and the authentic recipe all boils down to using simple ingredients and perfect technique. Butter, Pecorino Romano, and starchy pasta water create a sauce that is silky and irresistible, without cream.
This easy recipe for Alfredo pasta is made with just three ingredients and the perfect amount of cheese and butter measured out per person. You might also choose to make your own egg-pasta from scratch, and your version will be one step ahead. Click here for my fresh egg-pasta recipe.
Fettuccine is the traditional choice of pasta shape for this sauce because its broad, flat shape holds the buttery cheese coating so well. In a previous video, I showed the classic Roman restaurant method, where the pasta and its starchy water are transferred into a bowl set over steam to gently melt the butter and cheese. The result using this process is delicious, but the process can be tricky to master. In this latest recipe is a simpler approach, one that anyone can follow, even if it’s your very first time cooking pasta.
The fail-safe technique ensures your sauce comes together smoothly with no lumps and not an ounce of burned cheese in sight (but expect a creamy result despite not adding any cream!)
Watch The Best FETTUCCINE ALFREDO You’ll Ever Make
The Creamiest, No-Fail Alfredo Recipe You’ll Ever Try
Vincenzo’s Plate Tips to Make
Pasta Alfredo
The Golden Ratio
For the creamiest Pasta Alfredo, use about 40g of butter and cheese per person. This balance gives the sauce its silky texture without overpowering the pasta.
Pecorino or Parmigiano?
Traditional Alfredo in Rome is made with Pecorino Romano (which you might already know by now is my all-time favourite). But if you prefer something milder, or find it easier to source, you can swap it for Parmigiano Reggiano. It will give your sauce a more sutble, slightly less salty taste but still melts beautifully into the sauce.
Alfredo’s Secret
The secret to a creamy sauce without cream is undoubtedly the liquid gold this dish absolutely cannot do without: pasta water. Don’t worry about adding too much — the pasta will absorb the excess as it cooks. The starchy water helps the butter and cheese emulsify into the most perfect consistency, creating the most luscious coating that Alfredo is famous for.
How to Serve Pasta Alfredo
The beauty of Alfredo is in its simplicity, so serve it in a way that lets the sauce shine. Gently twirl the fettuccine onto a flat plate. Then spoon the creamy Alfredo sauce over the top so the sauce coats every ribbon. Alfredo is perfect just as it is. But if you’re a true cheese lover, finish with a snowfall of freshly grated Parmigiano or Pecorino.
Pasta Alfredo
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Large-sized pot
- Tongs
- Medium sized bowl
- Hand whisk
- Large-sized pan
Ingredients
- 250 g / 8.8oz fresh egg fettucine
- 200 g / 7oz Pecorino Romano, grated
- 80 g / 2.8oz butter
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Allow this to dissolve then cook the fettuccine to al dente according to the package instructions (or about 2–3 minutes for fresh pasta). Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick and reserve 1–2 mugs of the starchy pasta water just before you drain the pasta.
- In a medium bowl, add the Pecorino Romano and a little pasta water. Whisk by hand until it becomes a smooth, runny cream.
- Place a large pan over low heat and melt the butter. Using tongs, transfer the pasta straight into the pan allowing some of the pasta water to seep in. Toss well so the butter coats the pasta then set the pan over the pot of hot pasta water (to create gentle steam). Pour in the Pecorino cream mixture and gently toss the pasta with tongs.
- Keep mixing until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta evenly. If the mixture looks too watery, place the pan back on the stove over very low heat and continue tossing until glossy and creamy.
Video
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
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Take your pasta alfredo experience to the next level by trying these recipe
- MUSHROOM ALFREDO PASTA – This pasta is a game-changer, layering creamy Alfredo with rich porcini mushrooms and grated truffle.
- FRESH SPINACH PASTA – This colorful homemade pasta is as delicious as it is eye-catching, and it pairs beautifully with Alfredo sauce for something a little different
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