If you are after a lighter version, take a look at our Creamy Pasta Sauce Recipe. Or for a plant-based option, try Vegan Alfredo Sauce! I still remember the days when I used to buy jarred Alfredo sauce thinking I could use shortcuts in the kitchen to get dinner on the table quicker. Little did I know that homemade sauce takes almost as long to make from scratch as it is to heat up the store bought variety. All you need is 10 minutes! And good quality ingredients. There are many stories on the internet that trace the original Alfredo sauce recipe to a restaurant in Rome. I am not sure how much of that story to trust. From what I can tell the famous Alfredo sauce is an American invention. The original Alfredo sauce was simply an emulsion of grated Parmesan cheese and hot pasta water. Many Alfredo recipes that are circulating that have additional and unnecessary ingredients. Garlic, chicken stock, flour, milk. None of them are really needed to make a full flavour cream sauce for any types of pasta.
Three Ingredients
People put all sorts of things in their Alfredo sauce and it is their personal choice. I however believe that only 3 ingredients are truly needed for an amazing tasting cream sauce for your fettuccine. Butter, heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Okay, 4 if you like to add a whisper of freshly grated nutmeg. This of course, is the classic recipe. Once you get the basic recipe down, it’s easy to add twists like I did with Cajun Chicken Alfredo or Blackened Chicken Alfredo!
Serving Suggestions
The most famous and favourite pairing for this luscious sauce is fettuccine pasta. Of course, you can use any pasta you like or have on hand. I’ve used it as the base for all sorts of alfredo recipes. Try Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, Cajun Chicken Alfredo and Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Alfredo for reader favourites! Since the cream sauce is quite rich I recommend to keep the rest of the dishes lighter. Lemon Garlic Green Beans with Parmesan or Roasted Broccoli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Chillies will be excellent side dishes. Both are inspired by Italian flavours, so they will pair well with your pasta course. Favourite Pasta Recipes with Cream Sauces:
Tortelloni with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Spinach Creamy Tagliatelle with Bacon, Portobello Mushrooms and Truffle Oil Chicken and Bacon Pasta Creamy Salmon Pasta with Mixed Greens
