Elaine’s Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (2024)

Oh, fettuccine Alfredo is so scrumptious, but really, it's a heart attack on a plate. I much prefer the Fettucini Alfredo made by my southern Italian grandmother, which uses whole milk and ricotta cheese,instead of heavy cream. It's every bit as creamy, but with a better taste in my opinion. The milk and ricotta cheese can be adjusted to taste, with low fat versions tasting every bit as good as the higher fat versions. Start out with 1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese.

Such a tempest in a teapot! The heck with "authentic." Your Job One for this dish -- or any other dish -- is "Will my family/household like it?" Family consensus here on Alfredo: garlic, cream, butter, NO egg, dried basil and oregano, microplaned nutmeg, bitty splash of white wine, plus chicken, mushrooms, or both.
No way is this "authentic" ... but my family always wants second helpings and THAT is what is important.

It's entertaining to see people bicker about something so innocuous as fettuccine. I won't lose sleep at night wondering what the exact history and culture is behind fettuccini Alfredo. All I know is it tastes great and that's all I care about.

Okay all you Fettuccine Alfredo experts listen up. This recipe is named "ELAINE'S Fettuccine Alfredo" as in made HER way and loved by HER customers. Yes, we know Alfredo's did not have milk, cream, cream cheese, garlic or eggs in his original. What we have been offered here is a version of a popular dish that people liked/bought at "Elaine's". Make it the way YOU like it!

Unless you're really skilled, there's a chance this sauce will separate. After a few disasters, I discovered using cream cheese and milk instead of cream is much more reliable, foolproof even.

Have you read the ingredients in so-called "fat-free" half & half? I'll stick with the real stuff.

The only thing missing is a little grind of nutmeg.

I ate at Alfredo's in Rome more than 50 years ago. I believe it was Alredo who prepared this dish at the table. I remember egg, cream, butter, Parmesan cheese, but no garlic.

This a great and simple recipe. I added peas because I like Alfredo that way. For the people who are worried about the fat content of the dish: I say live a little. This recipe represents a once in a while extravagance. It's not like you're eating it every day.

Don't undercook the pasta --- the American "al dente" craze is is way over done and just ends up serving RAW pasta.

The Fettuccine Alfredo recipe I got from an Italian friend of mine is simpler even. Just put some water to boil for the fettuccine. In the meantime, melt unsalted butter in a large ( or small, depending on quantity) pan. Have copious amounts of parmigiano reggiano on hand. When pasta is done, put it in butter pan and start putting the parmigiano and with thongs, turn. Also add some of the hot pasta water to help create the sauce. just butter, parm and water! and delicious!
Maria

Chuckling over the vision of turning, with thongs!

Thank you all for this discussion about Fettuccine Alfredo! For years, I cooked it with cream, as the above recipe calls for, but not often, as it was a very heavy dish for us. Reading all of your notes piqued my interest, & after researching the story behind Fettuccine Alfredo, I made a batch of what is really Fettuccine al Burro - oh, so much lighter & better & easier to digest than the heavy cream! Thank you NYT Cooking Readers! :)

Thank you for the humor, we can get so up in arms about how to prepare even the simplest of dishes, that we forget that the dish is also to be prepared with love....the most important ingredient.

Was craving for Alfredo at short notice. Used half and half instead of heavy cream. It came out delicious, to us. Some of you may take issue with the sub.

I hope to live long enough to see pasta float.

This was an easy pasta to make. I had some cream leftover in the fridge to use up and always have garlic and Parmesan on hand. I liked the egg yolk addition as it allowed the sauce to thicken a bit. This will be another pasta staple for our family!

This was excellent and liked by my whole family including my picky 7 year old. I sauteed diced pancetta until crisp and set aside to drain on paper towels. Then I made the sauce as directed, using 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream. For the last minute of the pasta boiling time, I added sugar snaps and English peas to the pot, then drained and added to the sauce in the pan, tossing with the parm and pancetta. Served with sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, balsamic, salt, and pepper.

Great recipe! Also to the person who said they met alfredo. Nice try buddy now stop capping!

Was underwhelmed by this. Perhaps needed more salt on the sauce? Or as my husband said, “it was just pasta”

Overall, a great and easy dish. Argue over the authenticity all you want but it’s a crowd pleaser.Recommend adding some shallot to the garlic.

I like to add freshly grated nutmeg to mine.

I’ve even making mine like this for years BUT without the egg… I will now always add the egg! Wow what a difference it makes and my butter didn’t separate! I made fresh fettuccine, fried chicken cutlets and added green onions on top, it was delicious!

I reduced the cream, need closer to one cup.

I had homegrown, slow roasted tomatoes and fresh basil from my garden on hand, so I added them both to had a summer touch to this delicious recipe. This will become a weeknight staple year round, I'm sure, with or without tomatoes and basil.

I added some sautéed mushrooms and it was great!

Add sundered tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes for Diablo chicken pasta

No egg

To the comment about this dish not in Rome, I disagree. I ate this dish - in Rome - at a restaurant called Alfredo's. Yup, the original restaurant. In fact, Alfredo - himself - served the dish to me and my family. It was something I will never forget.