Fettuccine Alfredo is only 3 ingredients and is such a simple crowd pleaser! If you plan on making Fettuccine Alfredo for dinner, here are some ideas of what you can serve with it.
Fettuccine Alfredo is a main dish made with fettuccine noodles, heavy cream, garlic and parmesan cheese. The noodles are cooked and then added to a sauce made with the heavy whipping cream, garlic, and parmesan cheese (to thicken it). Olive oil is sometimes used, but not usually.
It has a creamy texture, is slightly salty, and one of the BEST easy meals!
Continue reading if you need inspiration for the best side dishes and recipes to serve with Fettuccine Alfredo.
FAQs
Fettuccine Alfredo itself is actually Italian, but the version of Alfredo that we have come to know and love in America is not the version that is eaten in Italy.
This version of fettuccine alfredo contains heavy cream to make the pasta creamy. This method is popular in the United States but it is not used in Italy.
The original version of Fettuccine Alfredo was made in Rome by a man named Alfredo di Lelio. His original version used fresh pasta and then made a rich sauce using butter and parmesan cheese.
The butter and parmesan were made using the highest quality ingredients possible, which truly affected how the dish tasted. The pasta was also made using 3 different types of flour.
Fettuccine is the name for the pasta shape that is used frequently in this dish. It can also be used in many other pastas!
Alfredo is the name of the sauce that is served with this dish. It is most commonly served with fettuccine noodles.
Fettuccine Alfredo can be difficult to heat up. If you don’t do it the right way, the cream separates from the melted butter, making an oily dish that doesn’t really taste like the original.
The best way to heat up fettuccine alfredo is to heat it in a pan on the stove. Add a splash of milk or cream in with the pasta to add some moisture back in while reheating.
Favorite Fettuccine Alfredo Recipes
- This Easy Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo is a classic American version of the dish, made even simpler with use of the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. This is great for getting dinner together quickly.
- This Classic Fettuccine Alfredo recipe is made on the stovetop. It uses fettuccine noodles, butter, and heavy cream for a delicious side dish.
- This recipe features the original Italian version of Fettuccine Alfredo without cream or garlic. It is made with just butter and parmesan cheese!
- If you want a similar recipe but on the lighter side, try this Instant Pot Skinny Alfredo Recipe, which uses evaporated milk in place of heavy cream.
Expert Tips for Making Fettuccine Alfredo
- Top your recipe with parsley for an extra pop of color. This is common in the USA, but not in Italy.
- The sauce will thicken as you serve it, especially if you are making your pasta in the Instant Pot. I recommend serving the pasta when the sauce is a little bit more runny than you’d like. It will thicken up in the next 5 minutes!
- You can easily double a fettuccine alfredo recipe by keeping the same cook time but doubling the ingredients.
- If your sauce needs to be thickened, you can add a spoonful of pasta water to the pan, which will help thicken the sauce.
- Cook your noodles to al dente for the best results!
Can I Make Fettuccine without Cream?
Based on the above descriptions of Italian vs American Alfredo, you certainly can make it without cream! However, if you are hoping to make a standard American version of this dish, you will need cream.
The alfredo will not have the right texture if you use any other liquid thinner than cream (ex: milk, half and half, etc).
My recommendation is to stick with the recipe details you are following for best results.
What to Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo
You can serve your fettuccine alfredo with one or many of the suggestions below. Try pairing your pasta with a protein and green vegetables for the most delicious pairing!
- Protein: Chicken breast, Chicken strips, Shrimp, Sausage, Ground beef, delicious meatballs
- Vegetables: Green beans, sauteed mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers
- Salad: Kale salad, Arugula salad, green salad, Caesar salad
- Sides: Garlic bread, rice pilaf
- Seasonings/Mix-Ins: Black Pepper, cream cheese, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt, green onion, fresh herbs, lemon zest
Side Dish Recipe to Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo
Here are some delicious side dishes that you can make to accompany your pasta for dinner!
Vegetable Dishes
Sauteed Zucchini
Perfectly tender Sauteed Zucchini (from The Forked Spoon) that’s never soggy or mushy. All you need is 10 minutes, a hot pan, and a few simple ingredients to transform this lackluster green vegetable into everyone’s favorite side dish recipe!
Balsamic Roasted Asparagus
This balsamic roasted asparagus (from A Sweet Alternative) is an easy, nutritious, flavorful side dish. This quick recipe calls for just a few pantry staples and some fresh asparagus. Serve it alongside pretty much anything – the neutral flavors in this dish complement most main courses.
Garlic Broccolini
A healthy and easy tenderstem broccoli side dish is all you need to elevate your meal to another level! Gently boiled, and then pan-fried broccolini (from Somebody Feed Seb) is the best quick way to cook this wonderful vegetable! A versatile recipe that goes with a range of meat, poultry and fish dishes, this is our go-to side dish when we’re looking for a flavoursome and nutritious sidekick that is ready in 10 minutes!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Up your green veggie intake! Enjoy this delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe (from Belle of the Kitchen), an easy side dish idea to go with beef, chicken, turkey or fish.
Oven Roasted Vegetables
This gorgeous, colorful mixture of Oven Roasted Vegetables (from Two Healthy Kitchens) has plenty of choices to satisfy everyone at the table. So simple to make, but bursting with flavor. The perfect side dish for practically any meal, any time of year!
Garlic Wrapped Green Beans
Tender green beans are marinated and wrapped in bacon (from Belle of the Kitchen), grilled to perfection and topped with tangy bleu cheese! This is an incredible Summer side dish you will love!
Marinated Tomatoes with Basil
Meat Dishes
Roasted Lemon Chicken
Roasted lemon chicken (from What A Girl Eats) is one of the easiest recipes ever. Everyone should know how to make a basic roasted chicken. This is the Italian version, Pollo Al Limone. These days too many recipes are just a competition to see who can add the most ingredients. Just three simple ingredient produce the moistest and most flavorful chicken ever.
Blackened Chicken
Hot and spicy, this Cajun-inspired blackened chicken (from In The Kitch) is a Louisiana favorite. The paprika, chili powder and other spices blend together to form a spicy, flavorful crust that turns an ordinary chicken breast into a tantalizing entrée.
Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
Forget every other meatball recipe you know because these Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs (from Balance with Jess) really are the best ever! Minimal prep, great satisfying flavor, and ultra juicy – what’s not to love? Plus, these easy chicken meatballs go great with everything – serve them as an appetizer or for dinner!
Rosemary Chicken Filets
Seared Scallops with Tomato Cream Sauce
These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth Seared Scallops (from The Almond Eater) will have you feeling like you’re eating in a fancy restaurant, not your own kitchen. You’ll be shocked at how quickly this meal comes together and just how wonderful it tastes!
Bread Recipes
Parmesan Bread Bites
These parmesan bread bites (from Cambrea Bakes) are covered in tons of gooey cheese, fragrant garlic, and melted butter, and are so easy to make. You will obsess over these one-hour pull-apart bites!!
Easy Pesto Dinner Rolls
These pesto dinner rolls (from Veggie Fun Kitchen) are so easy to make with canned crescents. They are made extra special with your favorite pesto. Use one of my vegan pestos for a quick and easy vegan dinner roll that everyone will love!
Garlic Bread Sticks
These homemade garlic bread sticks (from Like Mother Like Daughter) are perfect paired with soups, salads, pastas, pizzas, and more! They’re covered in melted butter and herbs and the easiest bread sticks you’ll have make.
No Knead Focaccia Bread
This no knead focaccia bread (rom Cambrea Bakes) is crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Ready in an hour, it makes the perfect side dish or appetizer for any occasion!
Olive and Onion Focaccia Bread
This olive and onion focaccia (from The Sassy Foodie) is an easy, shortcut cheat recipe, without the hard work of making homemade dough, by using store-bought pizza dough. With a crisp exterior, fluffy and light interior, and the brininess of olives and onions, this focaccia is not short on flavour.
Salad Recipes
Arugula and Prosciutto Salad
This delicious prosciutto salad (from FoodworthFeed) is a quick and easy, recipe! This salad features arugula, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts and crispy sourdough croutons. We serve this yummy salad with our homemade fig and balsamic vinaigrette.
Caprese Salad
This caprese (cherry tomato and mozzarella salad) with roasted tomato vinaigrette (from FoodWorthFeed) is vibrant, healthy and full of bright, fresh flavors. It’s the perfect Summer salad!
Avocado Salad
Green Goddess Salad
Spinach Salad with Bacon and Poppyseed Dressing
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
This Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad (from Platings and Pairings) with mustard & parmesan is tossed in a light red wine vinaigrette and makes a delicious, crunchy side dish.
Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
This strawberry goat cheese salad (from The Littlest Crumb) is the perfect spring and summer salad! Made with fresh strawberries, goat cheese, spinach, walnuts & pine nuts. Then drizzled with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette with a hint of cinnamon.
Walter Garff says
Wow, Great article and what an amazing comment (a tribute to the article). The depth and scope reminded me of the old Saveur magazine.
The best article I have seen online in a very long time. Bravissimo to the impressive young author and the intrepid Di Lelio family (We’ll see you in Rome!)
Ines Di Lelio says
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
With reference to your article I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “Fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”) in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). This “trattoria” of Piazza Rosa has become the “birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo”, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo Di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome and in 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1948 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me, with the famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See the website of “Il Vero Alfredo”.
I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong and are out of my brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma”.
The brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma” is present in Mexico with a restaurant in Mexico City and a trattoria in Cozumel on the basis of franchising relationships with the Group Hotel Presidente Intercontinental Mexico.
The restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” is in the Registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence – section on Historical Activities of Excellence” of the Municipality of Roma Capitale.
Best regards Ines Di Lelio
IN ITALIANO
STORIA DI ALFREDO DI LELIO, CREATORE DELLE “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), E DELLA SUA TRADIZIONE FAMILIARE PRESSO IL RISTORANTE “IL VERO ALFREDO” (“ALFREDO DI ROMA”) IN PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE A ROMA
Con riferimento al Vostro articolo ho il piacere di raccontarVi la storia di mio nonno Alfredo Di Lelio, inventore delle note “fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”).
Alfredo Di Lelio, nato nel settembre del 1883 a Roma in Vicolo di Santa Maria in Trastevere, cominciò a lavorare fin da ragazzo nella piccola trattoria aperta da sua madre Angelina in Piazza Rosa, un piccolo slargo (scomparso intorno al 1910) che esisteva prima della costruzione della Galleria Colonna (ora Galleria Sordi).
Il 1908 fu un anno indimenticabile per Alfredo Di Lelio: nacque, infatti, suo figlio Armando e videro contemporaneamente la luce in tale trattoria di Piazza Rosa le sue “fettuccine”, divenute poi famose in tutto il mondo. Questa trattoria è “the birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
Alfredo Di Lelio inventò le sue “fettuccine” per dare un ricostituente naturale, a base di burro e parmigiano, a sua moglie (e mia nonna) Ines, prostrata in seguito al parto del suo primogenito (mio padre Armando). Il piatto delle “fettuccine” fu un successo familiare prima ancora di diventare il piatto che rese noto e popolare Alfredo Di Lelio, personaggio con “i baffi all’Umberto” ed i calli alle mani a forza di mischiare le sue “fettuccine” davanti ai clienti sempre più numerosi.
Nel 1914, a seguito della chiusura di detta trattoria per la scomparsa di Piazza Rosa dovuta alla costruzione della Galleria Colonna, Alfredo Di Lelio decise di aprire a Roma il suo ristorante “Alfredo” che gestì fino al 1943, per poi cedere l’attività a terzi estranei alla sua famiglia.
Ma l’assenza dalla scena gastronomica di Alfredo Di Lelio fu del tutto transitoria. Infatti nel 1948 riprese il controllo della sua tradizione familiare ed aprì, insieme al figlio Armando, il ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” (noto all’estero anche come “Alfredo di Roma”) in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 (cfr. il sito web di Il Vero Alfredo).
Con l’avvio del nuovo ristorante Alfredo Di Lelio ottenne un forte successo di pubblico e di clienti negli anni della “dolce vita”. Successo, che, tuttora, richiama nel ristorante un flusso continuo di turisti da ogni parte del mondo per assaggiare le famose “fettuccine all’Alfredo” al doppio burro da me servite, con
l’impegno di continuare nel tempo la tradizione familiare dei miei cari maestri, nonno Alfredo, mio padre Armando e mio fratello Alfredo. In particolare le fettuccine sono servite ai clienti con 2 “posate d’oro”: una forchetta ed un cucchiaio d’oro regalati nel 1927 ad Alfredo dai due noti attori americani M. Pickford e D. Fairbanks (in segno di gratitudine per l’ospitalità).
Desidero precisare che altri ristoranti “Alfredo” a Roma non appartengono e sono fuori dal mio brand di famiglia.
Il brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma” è presente in Messico con un ristorante a Città del Messico e una trattoria a Cozumel sulla base di rapporti di franchising con il Group Hotel Presidente Intercontinental Mexico.
Vi informo che il Ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” è presente nell’Albo dei “Negozi Storici di Eccellenza – sezione Attività Storiche di Eccellenza” del Comune di Roma Capitale.
Grata per la Vostra attenzione ed ospitalità nel Vostro interessante blog, cordiali saluti
Ines Di Lelio