A good basic Alfredo sauce has long been a staple in my kitchen. Not only is it delicious, creamy and cheesy, the sauce is simple to prepare, and it uses the ingredients that can be easily found in any pantry. This ridiculously easy Fettuccine Alfredo dish can be served plain as-is, or alongside some add-ins, such as leftover roasted chicken, grilled vegetables, bacon. It’s one of those great weeknight dinners that will take you at most 30 minutes to make, and what you get in return is a restaurant quality dish.
So, if you’re looking for a simple, straight-forward, not overly complicated recipe, without too many steps, a recipe that is practical for a weeknight after a long busy day, this recipe from Emeril fits the bill.
In addition to grilled chicken and roasted vegetables, this Fettuccine Alfredo also goes great with seafood: grilled or sauteed shrimp, scallops, or lobster. Definitely a keeper!
I found that this Alfredo sauce has a great creamy consistency immediately after you make it. However, if refrigerated, the butter and cheese will separate as the sauce cools down, and when reheated the next day, the consistency might be choppy even though the dish will still taste great. The sauce does lose its excellent creamy texture after being refrigerated. Therefore, it is best when served immediately: don’t let the sauce cool down too much before serving.
And, make just enough not to have leftovers. The recipe here actually makes a huge amount – enough to serve 6 people. Don’t hesitate to half the recipe if you only have 1 or 2 people in your household.
If you do have leftovers, when reheating this pasta dish, I would do it in the pan (not microwave) and add some liquid (preferably milk) to thin up the sauce.
By the way, as the recipe dictates, definitely use shallots: they add a REALLY nice flavor to the sauce. However, if you don’t have shallots, you can use very finely minced red onion or regular onion or garlic.
Remember, this dish is best when served immediately.
And, enjoy this Fettuccine Alfredo with a glass of white wine and a slice of garlic toast!
Easy Fettuccine Alfredo
Total time: 30 minutes
Adapted from Food Network.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried fettuccine pasta
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, minced, or 2 tablespoons of minced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
Makes 6 servings.
Recipe can be reduced in half, and it SHOULD be reduced in half if you’re serving FEWER than 6 people – because Alfredo sauce is best served fresh, without reheating.
1) Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the fettuccine in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. You can actually reserve more than 1/4 cup of the pasta water in case you need to thin up the sauce later.
2) While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced shallot (or 2 tablespoons of minced regular onion) and minced garlic and saute until tender. Add 1 cup heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute. Remove from the heat.
3) Add the pasta + 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to the saucepan with the butter-cream sauce. Add the butter-cream mixture and half of the Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup) and toss to combine thoroughly – over medium heat. Stir the sauce constantly so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
