Fettuccine «Alfredo»: The Original Recipe (2025)

Fettuccine Alfredohas a unique place in the multifaceted world of Italian cookery. The dish is famous in America and hardly known in Italy, but it is actually Italian, not Italian-American, at least originally. It was invented by Roman restauranteur Alfredo di Lelio, who—the story goes—invented it to suit his pregnant wife who had lost her appetite for most foods. He later introduced the dish, modestly named after himself, into the menu of his restaurant on via della Scofa in 1914. Some years later, in 1920 he famously served it to American film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, who were visiting Rome on their honeymoon. And the rest, as they say, is history. His fettuccine «Alfredo»—really just a richer variation on a perfectly everyday dish, fettuccine al burro—became a hit in the States. Lucky Alfredo hit the proverbial jackpot, making oodles of money from his famous noodles as a veritable parade of Hollywood movie stars trapsed through his establishment, along with lots of eager, well-healed tourists.

If you want to experience a bit of culinary history, you can visit Alfredo’s restaurant still today—there are actually two now, the second one is down the via della Scrofa at the piazza Augusto Imperatore (home to the ruins of Emperor Augustus‘ mausoleum and his ‘Altar of Peace’, or Ara Pacis, one of the most intact and, to my mind, most beautiful pieces of Roman architecture still in existence). You can try Alfredo’s famous fettuccine in their birthplace, surrounded by other tourists, if you’re willing to pay the dizzying prices.

In any event, this venerable dish is very simple and easy to make if you have the right ingredients—real, freshly gratedparmigiano-reggiano cheese, best quality butter and fettuccine, ideally homemade, of course, but good-quality store-bought egg pasta will do just fine as well. It may come as a surprise to some readers, but Alfredo’s original recipe does not call for cream; that was added when the dish crossed the ocean to America. In the original version, the cheese is mixed vigorously with the pasta and a bit of the water in which the pasta is cooked, forming a creamy consistency without the actual cream, sort of like that other Roman pasta dish, cacio e pepe. I like both versions of the dish, but it’s really worth trying the original recipe. It has a purer taste and, if not exactly dietetic, is rather lighter than its American cousin.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 persons

  • 500g (1 lb.) of egg fettuccine (if you’re making homemade, use 5 eggs)
  • 250g (1/2 lb.) butter, preferably of the cultured “European style” type
  • 250g (1/2 lb.) freshly grated imported parmigiano-reggiano cheese
  • Salt, to taste
  • A grinding of fresh pepper (optional)

Directions

Put a large pot, filled with water, on high heat. While the water is heating up, melt the butter in a skillet over very gentle heat, making sure that the butter just melts without coloring at all. Turn off the heat.

When the water comes to a boil, add a good pinch of salt and the noodles. Cook only until quite al dente,typically 2-3 minutes for store-bought fettuccine, a bit less for the freshly made kind.

Now drain and transfer the fettuccine to the skillet. Add a pinch of salt and mix vigorously with a fork and spoon, or with some long tongs. Add a handful of cheese and a ladleful of the pasta water and mix again, then more cheese and mix, until the cheese has been used up. Add a bit more pasta water if and when needed—the cheese should melt into a smooth, creamy sauce. It should not be at all watery, but the pasta should be ‘loose’ and slither around the pan easily.

Serve the fettuccine immediately, with additional grated cheese for those who want it. While not part of the original recipe, a fresh grinding of black pepper would not be amiss.

Notes

Some recipes for fettuccine Alfredo call for making the dish off heat, in a warm bowl, but I like using a skillet. It keeps the pasta warm, and is more forgiving if you happen to add a bit too much pasta water, for example, you can cook it off. It also keeps the pasta nice and hot. But make sure the heat is very gentle, or the sauce will ‘fry’ and lose its creamy texture.

If you want to make this dish “American style”, just add a good glug of heavy cream to the butter and let it reduce until it reaches a ‘saucy’ consistency. Otherwise, the recipe is identical. Well, that is, the classic American style dish. These days you can find just about anything made “Alfredo”, sometime sans pasta… but let’s not go there…

All you need: fettuccine, butter and real parmigiano reggiano…

Besides the imported parmigiano-reggiano cheese, if you can find imported European cultured butter, which has richer flavor than ‘sweet’ butter, that’s all to the good. For this evening’s dinner, I actually found some butter from Parma, which naturally made a perfect match for the cheese. And the noodles, of course, need to be best-quality as well. If you’d rather not make them yourself at home, the De Cecco brand puts out some very nice fettuccine at a moderate price. Cipriani also makes excellent tagliatelle (a thinner version of fettuccine) that would make for a splendid dish of fettuccine Alfredo, but at twice the price. On the other hand, avoid the rubbery stuff they sell in supermarkets as ‘fresh’ egg pasta. I find it has terrible texture and a funny taste.

Print

Fettuccine «Alfredo»: The Original Recipe

Rating: 5

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Fettuccine «Alfredo»: The Original Recipe (2)

Ingredients

  • 500g (1 lb.) of egg fettuccine (if you're making homemade, use 5 eggs)
  • 250g (1/2 lb.) butter, preferably of the cultured "European style" type
  • 250g (1/2 lb.) freshly grated imported parmigiano-reggiano cheese
  • Salt, to taste
  • A grinding of fresh pepper (optional)

Directions

  1. Put a large pot, filled with water, on high heat. While the water is heating up, melt the butter in a skillet over very gentle heat, making sure that the butter just melts without coloring at all. Turn off the heat.
  2. When the water comes to a boil, add a good pinch of salt and the noodles. Cook only until quite al dente, typically 2-3 minutes for store-bought fettuccine, a bit less for the freshly made kind.
  3. Now drain and transfer the fettuccine to the skillet. Add a pinch of salt and mix vigorously with a fork and spoon, or with some long tongs. Add a handful of cheese and a ladleful of the pasta water and mix again, then more cheese and mix, until the cheese has been used up. Add a bit more pasta water if and when needed—the cheese should melt into a smooth, creamy sauce. It should not be at all watery, but the pasta should be 'loose' and slither around the pan easily.
  4. Serve the fettuccine immediately, with additional grated cheese for those who want it. While not part of the original recipe, a fresh grinding of black pepper would not be amiss.

https://memoriediangelina.com/2013/05/19/fettuccine-alfredo/

(c) Frank A. Fariello, Jr.

Related

And you might also like...

Lasagnette alla cacciatora col pollo (Pasta Cacciatore)Baked ZitiLampi e tuoni (Neapolitan Style Pasta and Chickpeas)Cacio e pepe, a Roman classicCiceri e tria (Pasta and Chickpeas)Timballo di pasta con melanzaneBucatini alla CarusoSpaghetti alla NeranoZuppa alla canavesana (Piedmontese Bread and Cabbage Soup)Peperoni ripieni di pastaPasta e patate (Pasta and Potatoes)

Fettuccine «Alfredo»: The Original Recipe (2025)

FAQs

What was the original alfredo sauce made of? ›

Real alfredo sauce is made with 3 simple ingredients: butter, Parmesan cheese and fresh fettuccine pasta. There is absolutely no cream in this dish (cream is common in most American-style alfredo sauce recipes). Make this dish with my fresh homemade pasta, fresh sourdough pasta or store-bought fresh pasta.

Where is the original Alfredo? ›

Alfredo alla Scrofa is an Italian restaurant in Rome, Italy, which opened in 1914 and is known as the birthplace of fettuccine Alfredo.

How to make fettuccine alfredo taste better? ›

Heartier herbs like thyme or oregano can be added in to simmer with the sauce. Add delicate herbs like parsley, basil, or chervil at the end to maintain their delicate, aromatic flavor. Quick tip: Swirl in a bit of leftover pesto to add another herbaceous twist to your Alfredo sauce.

How to make an alfredo sauce thicker without flour or cornstarch? ›

Dairy-Based Thickeners
  1. Egg Yolks. Egg yolks are a terrific thickener for many things and pasta sauce is one of them. ...
  2. Cream Cheese. Cream cheese is another method to add a creaminess to your sauce. ...
  3. Heavy Cream. ...
  4. Parmesan. ...
  5. Shredded Cheese. ...
  6. Butter. ...
  7. Plain Greek Yogurt.

Who first made Alfredo? ›

Alfredo di Lelio, an Italian restaurateur, created Fettuccine Alfredo in 1908. After his wife had given birth to their first son that year, she did not have an appetite. To help encourage her to eat, he created a dish of noodles, cheese and butter.

What is the origin of fettuccine Alfredo? ›

Alfredo di Lelio, a Roman restaurateur who was popular among American tourists, named his butter and cheese linguine after himself. These tourists came back to the US and introduced the dish as Lelio named it, Alfredo.

What is the original fettuccine Alfredo called? ›

The original Fettuccine Alfredo – called fettuccine al burro in Italy – is a simple pasta dish consisting of fettuccine tossed with lots of butter and parmesan. With only 4 ingredients and ready in 15 minutes, this recipe is perfect to have on hand for when you are craving easy comfort food!

Is Alfredo true Italian? ›

Fettuccine Alfredo, it turns out, is 100% Italian. To be fair, the original recipe is quite different from whatever you may find in the States. Italians have been eating Fettuccine Alfredo for over a century… They just didn't know that's what it was called!

What was the first restaurant to make fettuccine Alfredo? ›

Fettuccine Alfredo according to the original recipe, served at Alfredo alla Scrofa Ristorante; a restaurant that opened in 1914 and is the home of this famous dish. Nowadays, Fettuccine Alfredo, or even just Alfredo sauce, is very popular.

How do you keep fettuccine Alfredo creamy? ›

Milk, heavy cream, or sour cream.

You will get a creamier texture and a bolder flavor. If you want, you can also add some romano cheese to balance the nutty taste of the other dairy ingredients. Chicken broth: another way to improve a jar of Alfredo sauce and give it a rich flavor.

Why does my fettuccine alfredo taste bitter? ›

The Foolproof Way to Make Alfredo Sauce at Home

You'll start by lightly toasting garlic in a bit of butter, cooking just until fragrant. You'll then add the cream before the garlic browns, since burnt garlic can turn the sauce bitter in an instant.

What is the secret to smooth alfredo sauce? ›

Fresh parmesan cheese grated off the block is one of those key ingredients. This will create a smooth textured sauce rather than a grainy one. Butter: Both unsalted or salted work for this alfredo sauce recipe. If using salted butter, then just adjust the extra salt you use or omit it entirely.

Does cream cheese thicken Alfredo sauce? ›

Cube softened cream cheese and whisk into the Alfredo Sauce into a pot over heat until the cheese is smooth. It can take a little while for the cream cheese to melt and become smooth so be patient. Start with just a little cream cheese at a time unless you're ok with a stronger cream cheese flavor.

Why is my Alfredo sauce not creamy? ›

Add more cheese

At its core, the original Italian Alfredo sauce really only needs two ingredients: butter and cheese. If you're trying to keep your Alfredo sauce simple but want to obtain an extra-creamy consistency, you can add more cheese than the recipe dictates.

How to doctor up Alfredo sauce? ›

How To Make Jarred Alfredo Sauce Better
  1. Garlic. Adding fresh garlic cloves is such an easy, quick and affordable way to add a huge burst of flavor to jarred sauce. ...
  2. Butter. Melted butter adds a creamy texture and a deliciously bold flavor to alfredo sauce. ...
  3. Cheese. ...
  4. Vegetables. ...
  5. Seasonings/Spices. ...
  6. Go Spicy. ...
  7. White Wine. ...
  8. Meat.
Dec 31, 2021

What mother sauce is Alfredo made from? ›

Bechamel is a white sauce, made of flour, butter and milk. It's typically the base for Alfredo sauce or white country gravy.

Is Alfredo sauce authentic Italian? ›

Yes! Fettuccine Alfredo does originate from Rome, Italy, and was created by Alfredo Di Lelio. His version was a light butter and parmigiano cheese pasta. Many versions of this classic Italian dish are not Italian at all but still popular variations of the famous pasta dish.

Is Alfredo sauce originally Italian? ›

Fettuccine Alfredo, it turns out, is 100% Italian. To be fair, the original recipe is quite different from whatever you may find in the States. Italians have been eating Fettuccine Alfredo for over a century… They just didn't know that's what it was called!

Does Alfredo sauce exist in Italy? ›

What we call alfredo sauce here in the US doesn't exist in Italy. Its closest cousin is similar to di Lelio's invention: a sauce known in Italy as “al burro” (with butter) — pasta served with melted butter that's sometimes infused with fresh sage, as well as grated Parmigiano.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Aron Pacocha

Last Updated:

Views: 6046

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Aron Pacocha

Birthday: 1999-08-12

Address: 3808 Moen Corner, Gorczanyport, FL 67364-2074

Phone: +393457723392

Job: Retail Consultant

Hobby: Jewelry making, Cooking, Gaming, Reading, Juggling, Cabaret, Origami

Introduction: My name is Aron Pacocha, I am a happy, tasty, innocent, proud, talented, courageous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.