Fettuccine Alfredo is deceptively simple. True Fettuccine Alfredo relies on only three ingredients: butter, grated Parmesan, and starchy pasta water. When properly emulsified, they form a smooth, velvety sauce that coats the noodles without becoming heavy. Unlike the thick cream-based versions often served in restaurants, traditional Alfredo is light, delicate, and intensely flavorful despite its simplicity.
This recipe follows the traditional style of Fettuccine Alfredo, using only butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and starchy pasta water to create the sauce. As the butter, cheese, and pasta water are tossed together, they form a smooth emulsion that lightly coats each strand of pasta without becoming heavy or overly thick. The result is a simple but deeply satisfying dish where the flavor of the Parmesan and the texture of the pasta take center stage.
Ingredients
1 lb dried fettuccine
2 tbsp salt
2 cups parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup butter, softened
2 tbsp salt
2 cups parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup butter, softened
2-3 tbsp parsley, chopped
Fill a medium sized stock pot about halfway with water, and bring it to a rapid simmer over medium or medium-high heat. Add the two tablespoons of salt and stir to dissolve into the water. Adjust the temperature to maintain a rapid simmer and add the dried fettuccine. Cook the pasta to al dente, roughly 10-12 minutes.
As the pasta is finishing, use a ladle to reserve at least 1 ¼ cups of the pasta water, placing it into a bowl or measuring cup. Then drain the finished pasta through a colander.
Return the stock pot to the burner on very low heat. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the pan, and stir ¼ cup of the softened butter into the water until it fully melts and blends into the water to create a thin sauce.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss it to fully coat the pasta noodles. Add the other ¼ cup of softened butter along with another ½ cup of the pasta water. Stir them into the pasta until the butter melts, a sauce is formed, and the pasta is evenly coated with this butter sauce.
Add handfuls of the grated Parmesan cheese into the pasta while tossing a stirring. Keep doing this until all of the grated cheese has been added, and the pasta is evenly coated in a thin layer of this butter and cheese sauce.
At this point, you are ready to serve. Serve a portion of the pasta in a pasta bowl and garnish with an little of the chopped parsley. Enjoy!