Holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (2024)

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Fettuccini AlfredoRecipe– We’re sharing our easy holidayFettuccine AlfredoRecipetoday. With only a handful ofingredients, this decadentpasta dishis a timeless treat that your family will love.

Holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (1)

Why We Love This Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Every year we have certain holiday movies that we can’t wait to watch once the weather turns cold.

The Christmas Storyis a classic we always enjoy as a family the week before Christmas. Then Lt. Dan and I like to watchLove Actuallyon winter nights once the kids are in bed. But my personal favorite isThe Holidaywith Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz.

There’s a scene in The Holiday where Iris (Kate Winslet) and Miles (Jack Black) are comparing the low moment of their twisted romantic relationships, and after hearing just how torn up the other person is feeling, they decide to make “Christmas Fettuccine” to lighten the mood.

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Every time I watch this scene, instead of pondering the lesson of not getting stuck in unhealthy manipulative relationships… all I can think about is fettuccine alfredo.

Does this happen to anyone else?

Because really… Although there are many ways to preparefettuccine, Fettuccine Alfredo is that end-all comfort dish we only allow ourselves to enjoy on rare occasions. Like Christmas.

I’m not exactly sure how Fettuccine Alfredo became popular as a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dish, but I’d guess it has to do with how quick it is to make and how lavish it tastes.

Today I’m sharing my version of classic Fettuccine Alfredo, made with just a few quality ingredients.

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What Ingredients You Will Need

  • 2 packages DeLallo Fettuccine Egg Pasta 8.8-ounce packages
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 1 clove garlic large, finely minced
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 pinches freshly ground nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • Chopped parsley optional
  • Crushed red pepper optional
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How To Make Fettuccine Alfredo

Truly, there is no easier pasta dish to prepare than Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe.

Instructions

Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, place the butter and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in the shredded cheese, lemon zest, and nutmeg. Stir until the alfredo sauce is smooth. Then check the pasta. Once the pasta is “al dente” (cooked, but firm) scoop it out of the water (reserving at least 2 cups of water) and into the alfredo sauce. Stir and cook the pasta and sauce together for 1-3 minutes. Salt and pepper if needed, and add a pinch of crushed red pepper if desired.

If the alfredo sauce starts to tighten too much before you are ready to serve the fettuccine alfredo, stir in some of the pasta water to loosen the sauce. Serve warm with a sprinkle of chopped parsley over the top!

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Holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (6)
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Get the Complete (Printable) Fettuccini Alfredo Recipe Below. Enjoy!

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Holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (9)

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do Leftovers Last?

You can store these leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. I would not recommend freezing the leftovers.

Can I Make Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo?

Yes, you can use this recipe to make a brilliant Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo recipe by simply adding grilled chicken, breaded chicken cutlets, or sauteéd chicken to the top of the pasta.

What Other Ways Can I Serve This Dish?

You can add fresh broccoli florets into the cooked pasta noodle dish when you toss them with the sauce. The broccoli will cook quickly in the hot cheese sauce. Or serve your Fettuccine Alfredo with a sizzling steak, our favoritestanding rib roast, some juicy shrimp, and some roastedbrussels sprouts,or your favorite vegetables.

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Looking for More Pasta Dishes to Try? Be Sure to Also Try:

  • Chicken Pesto Pasta
  • Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
  • Greek Shrimp Pasta
  • Spinach Ricotta Pasta
  • Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Check out the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, and sodium percentages.

Holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (11)

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Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Easy holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe your whole family will love. With only a handful of ingredients, this decadent pasta dish is a crowd-pleaser.

Servings: 8

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to package instructions.

  • Meanwhile, place the butter and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in the shredded cheese, lemon zest and nutmeg. Stir until the alfredo sauce is smooth. Then check the pasta. Once the pasta is "al dente" (cooked, but firm) scoop it out of the water (reserving at least 2 cups of water) and into the alfredo sauce. Stir and cook the pasta and sauce together for 1-3 minutes. Salt and pepper if needed, and add a pinch of crushed red pepper if desired.

  • If the alfredo sauce starts to tighten too much before you are ready to serve the fettuccine alfredo, stir in some of the pasta water to loosen the sauce. Serve warm with a sprinkle of chopped parsley over the top!

Video

Notes

You can store these leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. I would not recommend freezing the leftovers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 638kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Cholesterol: 180mg, Sodium: 537mg, Potassium: 215mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1460IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 359mg, Iron: 1.4mg

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: American, Italian

Author: Sommer Collier

Making this recipe?Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

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Holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to Alfredo sauce to make it 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 box fettuccine Alfredo better? ›

To make store bought taste better add some fresh grated parm or romano cheese, a shake of white pepper and a pinch of italian seasoning. Heat thoroughly, watch to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom. You can easily enhance the flavor of store-bought Alfredo sauce with a few simple additions and tweaks.

What makes fettuccine Alfredo so good? ›

The lightness of the dough is perfectly balanced by the creamy sauce of melted butter and cheese: very simple and effective. Alfredo's wife is back on her feet again. The dish proves successful in flavor among Alfredo's friends too and eventually enters the restaurant's menu as “Fettuccine all'Alfredo”.

Why do people eat fettuccine on Christmas Eve? ›

In Italy, Christmas Eve is often a day when no meat is eaten. So a pasta dish such as fettuccine is a traditional option. In southern Italy seafood dishes are on the menu as part of the Feast of the Seven Fishes. This Christmas fettuccine would be great with the addition of some sauteed shrimp as well.

What vegetables to add to Alfredo sauce? ›

Stir in big handfuls of spinach, Kale mushrooms, zucchini, onions, broccoli, spinach, squash, or grape tomatoes after the pasta is cooked. You can also substitute zucchini (zoodles) for the pasta.

How do you keep Alfredo sauce from getting too thick? ›

Add starchy pasta water to thin the sauce, if needed. The starch in the water also helps the sauce coat the pasta instead of clumping up or pooling on the plate. I use the pasta cooking water as the base of my alfredo sauce, as done in the recipe below. Pasta water, butter and Parmesan cheese form the sauce.

What can I add to fettuccine alfredo? ›

There are dozens of variations of fettuccine Alfredo out there. You could sprinkle in fresh herbs and lemon zest or juice to cut the richness of the cream. You could also top servings with cooked shrimp or chicken for some protein, or toss in a vegetable like cooked asparagus!

How do you keep Alfredo sauce smooth? ›

While pasta is cooking cut up butter in a platter. Heat cream and cheese in small saucepan below the boil and then over low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. If you think its too thick, add a few drops of milk. Stir often.

Do you add flour to fettuccine alfredo? ›

It's just slightly thickened with a tablespoon of flour, which you are also welcome to leave out entirely if you prefer. And best of all, it's made with lots and lots of freshly-grated Parmesan, which is really the main flavor we all want and love in a good Alfredo.

What is a fun fact about Fettuccine 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 difference between fettuccine and Alfredo? ›

Alfredo is a sauce in the Italian-American cuisine and fettuccine is just a type/shape of pasta(1/4 inch wide).

What is 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.

What are you not supposed to eat on Christmas Eve? ›

In the good old days, Christmas Eve was a day of abstinence which meant you could not eat meat. The traditional Italian answer to this was the feast of seven fishes, which is still observed by many Catholics today.

What is not eaten on Christmas Eve? ›

The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day. As no meat or animal fat could be used on such days, observant Catholics would instead eat fish (typically fried in oil).

What is not eaten on Christmas Eve in Italy? ›

Another huge tradition in the Italian culture is to refrain from eating animal by-products on Christmas Eve. That means no meat. You'll find a lot of Italian families' Christmas Eve dinner centered around fish and shellfish because they cannot eat meat.

What goes well with Alfredo sauce? ›

What to Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo – 15 Dreamy Combos
  • Meat. • 1 Blackened chicken.
  • Seafood. • 1 Shrimp.
  • Produce. • 1 Asparagus. • 1 Broccoli. • 1 Green beans. • 1 Spinach. ...
  • Bread & Baked Goods. • 1 Garlic bread.
  • Deli. • 1 Arugula salad. • 1 Green salad. • 1 Kale salad. • 1 Tomato salad.
  • Other. • Antipasti Bites. • Bruschetta.

What gives Alfredo its taste? ›

High-quality ingredients: Using fresh, high-quality ingredients, such as real Parmesan cheese, unsalted butter, and heavy cream, can significantly improve the taste of the sauce. Proper seasoning: Adding the right amount of salt and pepper to taste can help bring out the flavors in the sauce.

What is authentic Alfredo 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.

How do you make jar spaghetti sauce better? ›

7 Ways to Improve the Taste of Jar Pasta Sauce
  1. Sautee Some Veggies. The first step to making your jar sauce better is to sautee some garlic in olive oil on your stovetop. ...
  2. Mix in Some Meat. ...
  3. Add a Splash of Red Wine. ...
  4. Spice It Up. ...
  5. Get Cheesy. ...
  6. Stir in More Dairy. ...
  7. Pop It in the Oven.

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