Mmmmm, fettuccine alfredo.
I don’t know about you, but this rich and creamy and oh-so-decadent pasta is pretty much the ultimate comfort food in my book. It has long been a favorite dish of mine, and one that I always looked forward to ordering out at some of my favorite Italian restaurants on special occasions. But I made the mistake of peeking at the nutrition facts for fettuccine alfredo a few years ago. And after seeing just how much (hint: so much) extra butter and heavy cream restaurants usually toss into this dish, I felt like it was probably time to swear it off for good.
But let’s be real — a girl needs her favorite fettuccine alfredo every now an then.
So I set to work a few years ago experimenting and tweaking with ways to lighten up this classic dish. I stuck with the traditional ingredients (no cauliflower sauce here), although I completely nixed the heavy cream in place of low-fat milk with a roux. And lo and behold, it actually worked!!! Turns out you can have rich and creamy and oh-so-decadent fettuccine alfredo made at home — bonus, in just 20 minutes! — with this lightened-up easy recipe. And I’m obsessed with it.
And today I thought I would bump it back to the top of the blog to re-share it with those of you who might have missed it and need some healthier fettuccine alfredo in your lives. :) I went ahead and updated the pictures from the original post that I shared about 3 years ago, but the recipe is the same and just as good as ever. So put on some water to boil, and let’s make some pasta!
Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe | 1-Minute Video
This recipe, of course, centers around its two namesake ingredients — fettuccine and alfredo sauce.
You’re welcome to use any kind of pasta you’d like for this recipe — traditional semolina, whole-wheat pasta, gluten-free pasta (if so, check out my gluten-free alfredo sauce recipe), totally up to you! My one tip as always is just to be sure that you generously salt the water before adding the pasta. This is your one opportunity to kick up the flavor in the actual pasta itself, so don’t skimp!
But the sauce — this magical sauce — is the rockstar of the recipe. As I said, no heavy cream or cream cheese is used in this recipe. All you need are:
- olive oil (a healthier fat, or you’re welcome to use butter for the flavor)
- fresh garlic (a must!!)
- flour (to thicken)
- chicken broth (more flavorful than milk; you can also sub in veggie stock)
- low-fat milk (you can use any milk, even soy)
- Parmesan cheese (if you freshly grate it, it will be more flavorful)
Both the sauce and pasta cook quickly. So when you’re ready, drain your pasta and then add in the alfredo sauce.
Then toss them together until everything is nice and creamy and evenly coated.
Then a delicious pan of fettuccine alfredo is yours to enjoy! You’re welcome to just serve it plain…
…or you can top it with a little extra Parmesan, some fresh parsley or basil, or whatever sounds good. :)
But the best news? As opposed to the fettuccine alfredo recipe from Olive Garden, which clocks in at a whopping 1220 calories a serving, one serving of this alfredo sauce clocks in at 141 calories, and when combined with the fettuccine it is 450 calories a serving. Not too shabby for a thick and creamy pasta. Perfect when served with a light salad like this one.
Enjoy!
Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fettuccine (or any pasta shape)
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or butter
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely-minced
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup low-fat milk (I used 1%)
- 3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- (optional toppings: chopped fresh parsley, extra Parmesan)
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, in generously-salted water.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil (or melt butter) in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let cook for an additional minute until thickened, then stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until the cheese melted. Reduce heat to medium-low until pasta is cooked.
- Drain pasta, then immediately add pasta to the saute pan with alfredo sauce. Toss to combine. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!*Nutrition facts calculated with My Fitness Pal.
Absolutely delicious–creamy and flavorful. I split the tablespoon of fat into 1/2 evoo and 1/2 butter and didn’t add any additional salt to the sauce because I figured the cheese and chicken stock had a decent amount of salt and that I could add it after if needed–i didn’t think it needed the 1/2 tsp of salt, so I added the same amount of nutmeg.
The sauce turned out very well, and I served it atop zucchini noodles and steamed broccoli, with a Parmesan and parsley garnish. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Jacklyn — we’re so happy you enjoyed this, and we bet it was delicious over the zucchini noodles (great idea)! :)
Would it be ok to sub the milk for almond milk?
Definitely! We hope you enjoy! :)
Great recipe – and just as decadent as ‘real’ alfredo (as long as you have fresh pepper & good parm!!)
I’ve sometimes used only chicken stock, when I’ve discovered that I have no milk or cream, and it’s still really satisfying!
Thanks, Olivia! We’re so happy you enjoyed it! :)
Made this for my boyfriend and I tonight and omg! Soooo delish! Was a little worried when the sauce wasn’t thickening up but after adding the parmesan and mixing it with the pasta, it all came together nicely. Added in some chicken breast and mushrooms! So satisfying, so simple and so much healthier than traditional alfredo recipes!
We’re so glad it was a hit, Lissa! :)
Turned out really well! The family lived it thanks!
We’re so happy to hear that! :)
So easy to make! I didn’t have cream cheese. So i opted for this recipe. No regrets! Very easy to make & tastes just like alfredo sauce! Healthier & less ingredients. This is a better option, same consistency too!!! Loove, will continue to use this recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Brianna!
Hello! Just came across this recipe on Pinterest. I so want to try it right now. But I have just ONE problem. I do not have Parmesan cheese on hand. Can I replace it with cheddar?! How much will this swap affect the taste?!
Hi Ifrah! Unfortunately we would advise you to make it when you’re able to get some parmesan, as that’s one of the main flavors in this dish. We love cheddar cheese, but it will be really different with cheddar instead of parmesan, and won’t taste like an alfredo sauce.
This sauce is sooooo tasty! I don’t even miss the cream and butter. I did use whole milk because that’s what I had on hand for my toddler, but that doesn’t make too big a caloric dent for just one cup in the whole recipe. I mixed in a bag of baby spinach, and a bag each of (nuked) frozen broccoli and frozen peas. Delicious, healthy, and my picky husband ate it too!
Thank you, Risa! We’re so happy you and your family enjoyed it! :)
Is there a cheap alternative for parmesan cheese?
Hello Eman! Hmmm, not that we’re aware of, however, you can buy a smaller block or container of it and the price is cheaper at certain stores (like Aldi). We hope this helps!
This is not a no fat alfredo recipe!!!!
You’re right Leslie, it is not! That’s why we were clear to specify it’s just a lightened-up version. While this is not a guilt-free recipe, it’s significantly lower in calories than traditional alfredo. We hope you enjoy this if you give it a try! :)