Quick Fettucinni Pasta

This quick Fettuccine Alfredo recipe comes together in just 20 minutes using basic ingredients to create a rich, restaurant-quality sauce. [1, 2]

Ingredients

Boil the pasta: Cook the fettuccine in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. [4, 8, 9, 10]
Sauté the garlic: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until highly fragrant, taking care not to brown it. [1, 4, 8, 11, 12]
Simmer the cream: Slowly pour the heavy cream into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently until it begins to slightly thicken. [4, 6, 8, 9]
Melt the cheese: Turn the heat down to low. Gradually whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it is completely melted and the sauce turns smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. [6, 7, 8, 13, 14]
Toss and serve: Add the drained fettuccine directly into the skillet with the sauce. Toss the noodles vigorously to coat them thoroughly. If the sauce feels too thick, splash in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to smoothly emulsify it. Serve immediately. [4, 6, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17]

Grate your own cheese: Avoid pre-shredded cheese canisters. Shredded variants contain anti-clumping starches that will make your Alfredo sauce chalky or stringy instead of smooth. [18]
Control the heat: Never let the sauce boil fiercely after adding the Parmesan cheese. High heat can cause the dairy components to separate and turn oily. [5, 19, 20, 21]