New! Fettuccini al Burro Recipe (The original Fettuccini Alfredo)

With only three ingredients at its core (cheese, butter and pasta), this classic Fettuccini al Burro Recipe is the every epitome of Italian culinary simplicity. Fettuccini al Burro is the predecessor to what many Americans know today as Fettuccini Alfredo. So, it’s the OG – the way diners in Italy (specifically Rome) would be more likely to enjoy their “Alfredo.”

We love a simple creamy pasta recipe over here, of course, and if this Fettuccini al Burro strikes your fancy, then you should check out our authentic (with a toasty twist) Roman Cacio e Pepe recipe as well as our One-Pan Shrimp Piccata and Spaghetti Puttanesca. Speaking of Cacio e Pepe (cheese and pepper pasta) we’ve got a spaghetti squash boat version and a very springy, Primavera version that are absolutely worth looking into. Just saying …

Why We Love this classic Fettuccini al Burro Recipe

Pasta. Salted butter. Parmigiano Reggiano. That’s all you need to make this absolutely iconic Roman-style pasta recipe (Fettuccini al Burro). I say “iconic” because it’s such a fantastic example of exactly what makes Italian cooking so brilliant, so beloved the world over. By selecting good quality (though still somewhat humble) ingredients and wielding them in a way that best utilizes their unique qualities.

I just love that you can build an excellent, massively flavorful sauce with such few things. No fancy methods required here, though you will see plenty of recipes for this that do employ a more formal emulsification process. But honestly? I’ve found that you can literally just combine the cheese and butter in a bowl, add some pasta and startchy pasta water and just stir the daylights out of it, adding a little more cheese and butter and water, until you’ve got your perfect sauce. The fact that it’s so casual and unfussy is what makes this particular Fettuccini al Burro recipe so great.

What is Fettuccini al Burro?

Standing tall as the actual predecessor to what most Americans know as Fettuccini Alfredo, Fettuccini al Burro is the simplest pasta dish, made from pasta, butter (that’s the “burro”) and parmesan cheese. The starchy pasta water helps build a very creamy, well seasoned sauce by gradually melting the butter and cheese into a smooth, delicious sauce that coats every noodle.

What is the History of Fettuccini al Burro?

Alright so. The ultra creamy, super decadent saucy pasta that many Americans know (and love!) as Fettuccini Alfredo is not some authentically Italian thing, but it does have roots buried in Italian ground to be sure. Also, those roots happen to have a very glamorous Hollywood story surrounding them as well, which we love of course. Who doesn’t enjoy a side of glam with their noodles, you know?

Esteemed and beloved silent film actors, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford are remembered as one of Hollywood’s first ever celebrity couples, and their European honeymoon introduced them to a delicious pasta dish which they enjoyed together at a cozy Roman trattoria. Prepared by chef Alfredo di Lelio, the “fettuccini al tripulo burro” wasd an ultra decadent take on a simple butter and cheese pasta that has long been served by Italian parents to their children or to the unwell.

Chef di Lelio’s Fettuccini al Burro recipe contained extra butter in order to help his pregnant wife maintain a healthy weight, as she was intolerant of most foods. This made for a very decadent and super delicious version of Pasta al Burro, and it captured the hearts of the famous Hollywood pair.

Back in the States at their own palatial estate (called Pickfair!), Pickford and Fairbanks sought to recreate the Fettuccini al Burro recipe they so enjoyed on their Italian travels, though it was challenging for American chefs to really nail the emulsification – the creaminess – of the Fettuccini al Burro without adding cream. Thus, the cream-laced Americanized version of Fettuccini Alfredo was born.

Tips and Tricks for Making Fantastic Fettuccini al Burro

• Boil pasta in water that has been well salted (salty like the sea). 
• While the pasta is cooking, grate or shred the butter and cheese into a big bowl.  
• When the pasta is just al dente (still has a little bite to it), use tongs to transfer it from the starchy water to the bowl with the butter and some pasta water.  
• Vigorously toss the pasta to help melt the butter and cheese, creating a sauce that will coat each noodle.
• Add the remaining cheese and more pasta water if needed to maintain the sauce’s consistency.  
• Top with lots of freshly cracked black pepper  
• Serve your Fettuccini al Burro right away, while the sauce is still warm and glossy.  

How to Make Vegan Fettuccini al Burro

If you like, you can also create a vegan take on fettuccine al burro by using vegan butter and vegan parmesan cheese.

Fettuccini al Burro Recipe FAQ’s

Fettuccini al Burro Recipe Ingredient Notes

The predecessor to what many know as Fettuccini Alfredo, this simple three-ingredient recipe is what you’d be more likely to find in the streets of Rome. With just fettuccini noodles, good butter and Parmigiano Reggiano – you can build a luscious, creamy sauce that will knock your socks off. No cream required. 

The Pasta: We’ll use fettuccini for this recipe, as it’s clearly the classic choice. You can find it essentially everywhere, since its hugely popular. That said, feel free to make this with any pasta shape you like – it will still be delicious. I personally would opt for a long noodle, like a linguini or tagliatelle for this, but you can really do you here.

The Cheese: This is the time to grab the good stuff. Don’t the pre-grated or shredded parmesan – it truly isn’t as good/fresh and it doesn’t hit the same. There are usually preservatives used in those products that also affect how well the cheese melts. And, since the melting is literally what creates the creamy sauce here – we can’t have anything getting in our way there. So, my biggest tip and dare I say it is a true must for this Fettuccini al Burro recipe is to go ahead and grate your own cheese.

The Butter: Okay, speaking of grating great things – we’re going to grate the butter as well. I just like the fine little sprinkles you get when you grate the (very cold, high-quality, salted) butter. It matches up with the cheese and melts really nicely into the sauce.

How to Make this classic Fettuccini al Burro Recipe

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and then salt the water generously (like the sea). Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions and don’t drain it.
2. Grate the cold butter (I use my box grater), or just cut it into small pieces. 
3. Add half of the cheese and half of the butter to a large bowl.
4. When the pasta is al dente (with a slight bite left), use tongs to transfer it directly from the hot pot into the bowl with the cheese and butter. Add a splash of the hot, starchy pasta water and toss vigorously to really start things melting and to help create a glossy sauce.
5. Add the remaining cheese and butter, and a little more hot pasta water as needed until your sauce is melty and mostly smooth (it won’t be perfectly smooth – which is fine). 
6. I typically go for broke and top with even more cheese and a generous amount of black pepper. Enjoy!

What We Like To Serve with this Fettuccini al Burro Recipe

This fettuccini al burro recipe, to me, is best enjoyed as a side dish – since it’s wildly rich and decadent, what with all of that butter and cheese (and noodles, of course). That said, you could eat it all by itself in a huge bowl and call it dinner, as I did when I was testing and shooting this post. Up to you, there.

This would be really great served alongside my Garlicky Butternut Squash with Orange and Chili and this Lemon Pepper Asparagus. If you want a serious protein to stand up to all that rich pasta, then maybe peek at this truly great Sicilian Steak on Toast or this marinated flank steak over fresh tomatoes. Or, if you want to go the pork route, try these Pork Chops with Fennel and Apples – they’re the greatest things (trust me on this one). Or, you could serve it with some citrusy parchment baked salmon. The acid from the citrus would really balance the richness of the pasta, I think.

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