Perfect, creamy, classic, restaurant quality Fettuccine Alfredo. Indulgent – definitely. Everyone thinks it is SO unhealthy. But it’s only 420 calories for a decent size serving – did you know that?! Sure, not the most nutritious meal. But you won’t go up a jeans size! (Unless you eat 3 servings for yourself….)
Fettucine Alfredo
I triple checked the nutrition analysis because I couldn’t believe my eyes when it came out with only 420 calories for a good size serving of this pasta. I have it in my head that Alfredo is so bad for you because it’s made with cream. Sure, there’s a high fat content. But the calories are a lot less than I expected. A LOT less.
Maybe because this is a recipe that uses the classic Italian method of emulsifying the pasta (which is the magic that happens when you briefly cook the sauce with the pasta + some pasta water).
By doing this, the sauce gets thick, rich and glossy so it clings lusciously to every single strand (take a close look at the photo above!). So you don’t need to use an entire tub of cream to make a beautiful, restaurant quality Alfredo pasta.
I have seen recipes around that use double the amount of cream I use. It’s completely unnecessary and makes it sickeningly rich. If anyone tells me they don’t think this is rich enough, I’ll honestly fall off my chair. 🙂
I was 24 before I had my first Alfredo pasta. Seriously. My mother never, ever cooked with cream – it’s just not the done thing in Japanese home cooking! And now I believe to my very core that cooking with cream for midweek meals is just not acceptable. Which is why you see so many “creamy but made with no cream” recipes here on RecipeTin Eats. I grew up learning all the other ways to make creamy sauces other than using cream.
I think my mother will actually be quite shocked when she sees that I’m sharing an Alfredo pasta. And once she gets over that, the next thing she’ll do is send me an email asking me “who ate all that pasta?”. Hmph!
So I was well into my twenties before I tried Alfredo at a restaurant. Of course I loved it. I mean, who wouldn’t? All that creamy, buttery sauce coating every strand of pasta. Just. So. Good. And SO EASY to make (with just a few simple but critical tips 🙂 ).
So now that you know Alfredo is not as guilty an indulgence as you previously thought….on the menu for dinner this week? Just plonk some raw carrots on the side to make it a complete meal! 😉 Nagi x
PS Truly, this is what it should look like – each strand with sauce clinging to it, not swimming in cream sauce! The only way to achieve this thick glossy sauce that sticks to the pasta is with step 7 in the recipe – emulsifying. Learn it, love it, and use it for every pasta you make. 🙂
More ways to get your creamy pasta fix!
Baked Mac and Cheese – and try the Shrimp version!
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Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 8 oz / 250g dried fettuccine
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot , very finely minced (eschallot in Australia) (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan (Notes 3 and 4)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Good grind of black pepper
Garnish
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Extra Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente (still firm but just cooked through). (Note 5)
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a deep fry pan over medium high heat. (Note 6)
- Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes or until tender.
- Add the cream and bring to boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove the fry pan from the heat and stir through the Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper until the sauce is smooth.
- TAKE OUT 1/4 cup of pasta water PLUS scoop out an extra mug (extra, just in case). Then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Transfer the pasta and 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water into the fry pan with the sauce. Return the fry pan to the stove over medium high heat. Toss very gently to coat the pasta in the sauce and allow the sauce to emulsify (Note 6) for 1 minute. (Note 7)
- Remove from the stove and serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley, if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
And to finish up…a peek into Dozer’s hard life. Morning at the beach (is it winter?!). Afternoon eyeing off the Alfredo pasta. Yes I managed to resist that face. Took a lot of will power! 🙂
This was INCREDIBLE!!! So so good. Wow we devoured it up! Pretty sure we both had more than 420 calories haha… but so worth it 🙂 I added chicken and mushrooms. Delicious! My 15 month old went nuts for it, too. Thanks for a delicious family dinner! (That we will definitely be repeating in the future.) 🙂
Jessica! I’m SO glad you loved it!! It’s incredible, isn’t it? And even if you had more than your 420 calories worth, whatever you had, it is still a LOT less than most Alfredo recipes!! And mushrooms + chicken + Alfredo = heaven 😉 Thank you for coming back to let me know you enjoyed this!! N x
It’s amazing how a few simple ingredients can create such an addicting meal. I’m pleasantly surprised at the calorie count for this dish. The problem is I can’t have just a little pasta—I need a lot. It doesn’t matter; this pasta is worth all of the calories and fat!
You made me giggle – sounds like you have the same self control issues I have! Ha ha!!
Love Dozer, so cute!!! And the pasta looks amazing! I cook pasta once a week, but never post it on the blog, because I don’t like my pictures! Planning to use yours as an inspiration to try and photograph my next pasta creation! And you are right, Alfredo could be low calorie, if pasta doesn’t swim in sauce and of course if you measure your servings correctly 🙂
What do you mean?? Your pics are gorgeous Mira! I bet you are just being too hard on yourself 🙂
Dozer is such a gorgeous dog!!
I know the sauce should barely hug the pasta but I’ve been known to sneak a little extra in my bowl. I love this stuff. It’s absolute comfort food for me.
I know, I love sauce too. But I promise, it clings on the pasta so thickly you don’t need extra sauce. PROMISE!! N x
You know, my mum never cooked with cream, either. I love the stuff and never hold back when it’s time for dessert. You know my stance on calories 😉
Well I’d have the same stance if I had your metabolism!
Must have! I want a bowl of this so badly, my mouth is watering! Just GORGEOUS!
WHAT are you waiting for?! N x
I am seriously excited about this dish. I have been eating extremely healthy. Pasta has not been on the menu lately but the fact that this dish only has 420 calories is making me sooooooo happy Nagi. You’re the best!!!!
Thanks Kathy! It actually horrifies me when I see Alfredo swimming in cream sauce. It’s so unnecessary if it’s made properly! N x
Awww look at Dozer !!! Come on Nagi, not even one long noodle ? just one little lick of the corner of the plate ?You can’t be showing off this goodness and then not share bahahah
Because if you break once, he’ll expect it every time! No no no, I can’t have that!! 🙂 N x
Oh Nagi, but it is a bonding thing, I do it all the time, mine help me clean dishes so well bahahaha
Fettuccine Alfredo is my faaaaaavorite. I used to make it way too much (or is there really such a thing?), though the recipe I ended up posting on my own site is with zucchini noodles because when I first started blogging, I was doing this paleo/primal thing, somewhat. I realized I love pasta too much to commit to that lifestyle. 🙂 This looks great, Nagi!
Oooh! Zucchini noodle alfredo? Now THAT is a guilt free version! Popping over to have a look! 🙂 N x
Oh and there’s Dozer – enjoying Pittwater? Our little boy, Zac, is not a water dog – he is a foxy, but really doesn’t think much of water. Just like, unfortunately, JR does really fancy pasta dishes! So we don’t have them very often, but this is one that I am going to try and slip into the menu;)
How you must miss Pittwater Rachel!! I think that Bayview will have changed a LOT since when you were here. It’s not built up but there are lots of pathways, parks, cafe etc!!
Alfredo is my secret indulgence… Great recipe!
Thanks so much!! N x
My hips are singing your praises. 420 calories of creamy pasta is something they can agree with!
J Daddy is not a fan of creamy pastas, but I’ll see if he will give this a go. It looks SOOOOOO delicious! And I’m glad to see I’m not the only person who takes out an extra mug of pasta water as a “just in case”! Sometimes, you just need the extra pasta water. And surely, one small eschalot isn’t going to kick up too much heartburn, right? Cross your fingers for me!
He’s not a fan of creamy pastas?? Hmm… Tell him this is not like other creamy pastas!! It actually isn’t because there really isn’t sauce. You won’t see any pooled at the bottom of the dish, it just clings to the pasta, if you know what I mean?
Don’t risk the eschalot! What about shallot? The white part? Or leek is fine too 🙂
PS Will it appeal more to him if you add BACON to it?? 😉
Good tip on the shallots. I haven’t reacted too much with shallots, so I’ll use that as the substitute. Cheaper than leek, which I adore!
I know J Daddy will eat almost ANYTHING that has bacon in it. But if I added bacon to this gorgeous recipe, that would make it a variation of Fettucini Carbonara, right? Mmmm… bacon…
Healthy and Mighty Scrumptious!!! Oh I need some lightening up in my life right now. I can totally relate… I only started eating cream sauce in my twenties and my first experience was alfredo. Now, I can stop when I start. Definitely coming back to this.
But not DELIBERATE lightening up! It just is this way. That’s the beauty of this! 🙂
First of all… I think Arlo and Dozer are two peas in the same pod 😉
Secondly – I LOVE fettuccine alfredo! Seriously, I think it’s my favorite pasta dish ever, though I rarely eat it because of all the cream! But with only 420 cal, I think I can swing that 🙂 I can’t believe you were in your twenties before you tried it for the first time – I guess that means you have years and years to make up on you fettuccine intake 😉
Is there a way we can get them together?? 🙂
The whole thing with the calories with this is that it’s not even a lightened up version, this is just a proper recipe! I think Alfredo has a bad name for being so unhealthy because there are so many recipes (even restaurants) that make it with a ridiculous amount of creamy sauce!!
I love Alfredo! But I hate it when it’s swimming in the sauce… so this looks like the kind of meal I definitely have to make!! I’ve never quite found a recipe that I like yet, but this looks perfect!!
I was in my late teens before having a good creamy pasta that I can remember! The ones before that were all the microwave pouch ones! Never knew what I was missing 😀
Microwave pouches!! Oh my, I can honestly say I have never tried them!! 🙂
OMG look at that picture of Dozer!!!! He looks so happy in the water, love it! Also your fettuccine alfredo looks so creamy and delicious. Can’t feel guilty at only 420 calories. 🙂
I know, right? 420 cal is nothing!!
Dozer’s favorite place in the world is the beach. His giant paws are perfect for paddling!! N x
Only 420 calories?! I’ll take 3 bowls. 😉 Pasta with creamy sauces are my WEAKNESS. This looks so luxurious and sinful. And I love that you used a bit of pasta water to create the sauce! Looks amazing!
I am mesmerized by how every strand of fettuccine is coated in cream! The cream literally clings on! Brilliant Nagi! My mom didn’t use cream in her cooking either – though coconut cream in curries does figure very prominently in our Sri Lankan dishes.
Btw – Dozer is my dose of AWWW for this hour! He is too adorable!
Coconut cream doesn’t count! It is WAY better for you than heavy cream!
I keep meaning to share one of your recipes. Popping over now to pick one! N x
me too! am i allowed to lick the computer screen? well done Nagi!
Aw, thanks Lindsay! You guys are way too nice! N x
I recently signed up for Recipe Tin Eats and have already printed several recipes to try! My question is…can I add thr recipes to a Recipe Box rather than printing them? Looking forward to more good eats!
Hi Sally! So pleased that you like my recipes! Have you joined Yummly? You can store recipes in there by clicking the orange “Y” button on any recipes on my site. http://www.yummly.com Otherwise Pinterest is also great for collecting recipes!
Thanks for your lovely message! N x
Yay… YOU did it again.. Hubster on way home… AND pasta Alfredo for dinner….
Im putting in a request now for some risotto recipes….
Hugs
You make me smile Heather! This is exactly what I aim to do – solving your 4pm dilemma!! Risotto? SURE!! I’ve added it to my list. 🙂 Have you tried a baked risotto before? For the effort it saves, the small difference in the end result is totally worth it!! N x