Easy Pasta Alfredo – the best indulgently creamy, garlicky pasta sauce. Restaurant quality, ready in under 15 minutes and easy to customise with your favourite protein or vegetables.
Alfredo Pasta Sauce
Most well known as Fettuccine Alfredo, this pasta sauce is glorious. Made with butter, garlic, parmesan and double (heavy) cream, when tossed with pasta it makes a decadent and silky sauce.
This Easy Pasta Alfredo is not only super simple to pull together, but speedy too. You can have this meal on the table in 15 minutes – the sauce can be whipped up in the time it takes the pasta to cook.
How to Serve Pasta Alfredo
I love Fettuccine Alfredo served simply – good quality Fettuccine or Pappardelle pasta tossed in Alfredo Sauce with fresh parsley for garnish.
It is one of those perfect dishes which is quick, easy and uses minimal ingredients yet is indulgent and stylish enough to impress. This is a great dish to serve for company or last minute dinner dates.
Alfredo is quite a heavy sauce so I love to serve a simple green salad on the side. For more indulgent meals, some garlic bread is always welcome to mop up any leftover sauce.
Fettuccine Alfredo Ingredients
- Pasta – any shape will work for this recipe but I prefer a longer noodle like fettuccine, pappardelle or tagiatelle.
- Garlic
- Butter
- Cream – Double or Heavy Cream. Swap half the cream for milk for a lighter sauce.
- Parmesan
- Parsley – optional. You can do without if desired or add alternative herbs like fresh basil.
- Salt and Pepper
Alfredo Sauce Upgrades
You can easily customise this Alfredo sauce recipe to suit – add some grilled chicken or prawns to really elevate the dish. Flakes of smoked salmon work really well too, or top with pan fried scallops.
Grilled vegetables are an easy addition – mushrooms or broccoli are my choice. Add some frozen peas to the pasta for the last 2 minutes of cooking for an easy upgrade.
To make spicy Alfredo Sauce you can add in a pinch (or more) of chilli or red pepper flakes. A sprinkle of Cajun seasoning is also perfect for a nice kick.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Please leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!
More 15 Minute Pasta Recipes:
Easy Pasta Alfredo
Equipment
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 200 grams fettuccine or any long pasta shape
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic finely diced
- ½ cup double or heavy cream 120ml
- ½ cup grated parmesan about 45 grams
- salt and pepper
- small bunch fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Make sure to reserve a cup of cooking water when draining.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan or skillet then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Stir in the cream, turn the heat right down and simmer, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes until the pasta is done.
- Drain pasta and add to the sauce with the parmesan and 3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water. Use tongs to toss well for at least a minute to emulsify the sauce. Add more pasta water if desired.
- Stir in some fresh chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been linked to #CookBlogShare hosted by Sisley at SewWhite and Run by Sisley and Chloe at Feast Glorious Feast.
this was really tasty
So glad you enjoyed it!
I love your pasta recipes, they are always to simple and straightforward to follow. That’s tonight’s dinner sorted!
Creamy pasta sauces are my favourite. This is so delicious and perfect for a quick dinner.
It’s been a while since I ate out, let alone at our local Italian restaurant. I loved this type of dish and now I can make it at home myself. Great recipe to follow and doesn’t break the bank too!
so much better without garlic, cream or anything else other than pasta, water, salt, pepper, butter and parmesan.
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I personally think everything is better with garlic and cream but your version also sounds great!