Authentic Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Published January 9, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious authentic alfredo sauce recipe is the perfect blend of richness and creaminess that is then tossed in fresh fettuccine pasta for an amazing meal. You will love how simple and tasty this real classic Italian sauce and pasta are.
I eat pasta at least once a week, but I’m Italian so it’s very natural for me to do so. I definitely recommend trying my Pasta Primavera or Pasta Pomodoro if you’re as big of a pasta fanatic as I am because they are amazing.
Alfredo Sauce
Alfredo sauce is a rich sauce that was created in the 1920s by a Roman restaurant owner, Alfredo di Lello. His most famous dish created was known as, Fettuccine Alfredo. The sauce that we know in the United States is different than that of Italy. Classically the sauce is made with butter, grated parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Hot starchy pasta water is also added when tossing it with pasta to bring about more creaminess.
There are some renditions of the sauce that use heavy cream, egg yolks, and flour, however, those would not be the traditional way of making it. Since this is a dish created in Rome, you can look no further than classic dishes like Cacio e Pepe or Pasta Alla Gricia to see the techniques and simple ingredients that are to be used. While this sauce was originally created for pasta, it’s now also used to coat things like chicken or vegetables.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine alfredo is the most common dish associated with Alfredo sauce. It is a combination of wide-cut fettuccine pasta that is tossed in alfredo sauce. While you wouldn’t traditionally see things like chopped fresh parsley on it, I like to garnish with it for a touch of color and freshness.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pasta – You can use fresh or dried fettuccine pasta for this recipe
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter in your cooking and baking so that you control the salt content.
- Cheese – Grated parmesan cheese is the classic cheese to use in this alfredo sauce recipe.
- Water – Some hot starchy pasta water is used to help emulsify the cheese and butter and bring about more creaminess to the sauce.
How to Make Alfredo Sauce
Start by adding the cubed unsalted butter to a large bowl or frying pan.
Next, sprinkle half of the parmesan cheese over top of the butter.
Drop the fettuccine pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. If you are using dry pasta this will take 7 to 8 minutes for it to reach al dente. When using fresh pasta, it will only take 90 seconds to two minutes for it to reach al dente.
Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl with the butter and parmesan cheese, and add about ½ cup of hot pasta water to the bowl as well.
Begin tossing the pasta by slightly dipping the bowl down, sharply pushing it forward then immediately bringing it back. This will take some practice. You can also just toss using tongs as I did.
While tossing, begin to sprinkle in the remaining parmesan cheese.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with additional parmesan cheese. Add optional garnish of chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be served as soon as it is done cooking.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will not freeze well.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of alfredo sauce to a medium size pan over low heat along with ¼ cup of water and heat until creamy and hot. Toss in fresh pasta and serve.
Chef Notes + Tips
- You should use fresh pasta dough, but if not, you can easily swap it out for dried.
- The main reason there are clumps of cheese in the pasta is that the pan gets too hot. Be sure to stir constantly, and make sure to turn the heat off if the cheese begins to clump. You can remove the clumps by carefully bringing down the temperature.
- If Parmesan is not available, then substitute with Pecorino Romano.
- The technique of stirring the pasta is very similar to stir-frying.
- You may need more pasta water so ensure it stays creamy and the pasta noodles don’t suck up too much of the sauce.
- Al dente means to the tooth. The pasta should be firm but not hard or chalky.
More Pasta Recipes
- Ravioli
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Linguine with Clam Sauce
- Bucatini All’Amatriciana
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Video
Authentic Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + ¼ cup for garnish
- ½ cup of hot pasta water
- 1 pound dried fettuccine or
- 1 ½ pounds fresh fettuccine pasta
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by adding the cubed unsalted butter to a large bowl or frying pan.
- Next, sprinkle half of the parmesan cheese over top of the butter.
- Drop the fettuccine pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. If you are using dry pasta this will take 7 to 8 minutes for it to reach al dente. When using fresh pasta, it will only take 90 seconds to two minutes for it to reach al dente.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl with the butter and parmesan cheese.
- Add about ½ cup of hot pasta water to the bowl as well.
- Begin tossing the pasta by slightly dipping the bowl down, sharply pushing it forward, then immediately bring it back. This will take some practice.
- While tossing, being to sprinkle in the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with additional parmesan cheese. Add optional garnish of chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley.
Love this exact recipe- it is delicious- although I like to play in the kitchen & found that adding a teaspoon of Cream cheese and a heaping tablespoon of sour cream- gives it a creamy- tangy taste that NO ONE CAN GUESS- THEY KNOW IT TASTES EXCEPTIONAL- BUT HAVE NO IDEA HOW I GET THE CREAMY& TANGY TEXTURE & TASTE TO “”THIS”” ALFREDO SAUCE!! I MAKE A VERY LARGE AMOUNT- SO THE AMOUNT OF Cream cheese & sour cream should not be enough to recognize either ingredient!! It should taste like THIS ALREDO SAUCE” (which I prefer at times as well!!) THIS sauce is PERFECT!! And ppl are always pleased when I serve this!! BUT SOMETIMES I GET PLAYFUL AND MAKE MY “ANONYMOUS ALFREDO SAUCE” (my personal name for the secret ingredient style!!)
Thanks for giving it a shot!
I just left a comment- about adding a tablespoon of Cream cheese– I MEANT A TEASPOON OF “WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE- “AND” A heaping tablespoon of sourcream!! This is added to a large portion (enough to make 5 FULL servings!! I did this for myself first- and LOVED IT!! When I make this at Dinner parties, or Family gatherings- EVERYONE LOVES IT- AND ALWAYS ASK WHAT I ADD TO GET THE VERY CREAMY TEXTURE AND THE SLIGHT CREAMY TANG TASTE- BUT NOT ENOUGH OF EITHER INGREDIENT TO ACTUALLY RECOGNIZE THE TASTE!! I KNOW ITS NOT THE TRADITIONAL INGREDIENTS- BUT….. ITS NOT SO DIFFERENT THAT IT SHOULD BE CALLED ANYTHING ELSE- JUST A “very special” ALFREDO SUACE!!
I found that adding a tablespoon of cream cheese- makes a very creamy texture & a slight tangy taste the my guests absolutely LOVE- but can’t guess what ingredient- I’ve added!! Of course a tablespoon is for 4 large servings- although, you can add more if you want!!
Hey Chef
This is one of Our Family Favorites. I always have to make extra for dipping Our Homemade Bread into. My Boys can eat a bowl of this sauce and a loaf of a good Bread just by it’s self. So delicious and addictive too.
Thanks for giving it a shot!!
Amazing and easy especially after a long day at work.
I made this tonight. It came perfect and was delicious and creamy with just enough cheese! Yum, yum! What a great recipe!! Five stars plus!!
THIS! Was absolutely delicious!!! I pride myself in self made sauces and the simplicity-how did I never know this!?! Will make again and again. Added a few things like garlic powder and pepper flakes, but otherwise. Thank you chef!
my pleasure!
I make this sauce all the time , it’s delicious 👍🏾
First time cooking Alfredo w/o cream. I will not use cream again in my Alfredo going forward! Definitely need to grate your’ parmesan cheese. The ones with the green lid will not bring this recipe to its high level of taste.
Authentic Alfredo sauce (Fettuccini Alfredo) NEVER included cream:)) It was the Americans that started this tradition.
I made this last night for my husband and myself. I also sautéed some chicken tenders and had 2 slices of garlic bread to go with it. It was very tasty but I felt very guilty when my husband asked me it there was 5 sticks of butter in this…… and I said no, only one!!!