This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This 15-Minute Fettuccine Alfredo is a one-pan pasta dinner made with perfectly cooked fettuccine noodles in a creamy, light Alfredo sauce that feels comforting without feeling heavy.
Love pasta and one pan dinner recipes? Don't miss my recipes for Cajun Chicken Pasta, One Pot Mac and Cheese, Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo, and Taco Pasta.
Kristen's Keys for Light Fettuccine Alfredo
When making this one-pot fettuccine alfredo without heavy cream, there are a few things you want to keep in mind right from the start to ensure the noodles are tender and the sauce is creamy.
- Use a deep 12-inch skillet with a lid. The pasta needs room to soften and evenly cook, and the lid helps trap steam so the noodles cook through without the sauce evaporating too quickly.
- Cook the fettuccine in broth, not water. As the noodles cook, they absorb the seasoned broth and begin to form the base for the alfredo sauce.
- Opt for 2% milk. While any fat percentage of milk will work, 2% milk strikes the perfect balance between creamy and light.
- Serve immediately. Like most cream-style pastas, the noodles keep soaking up sauce as they sit. While leftovers will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator, fresh off the stove is when this dish is at its creamiest.
5-star reader Review
I made this for my family of 6 last night. So, I tripled the recipe. It was SO good. I doubt we will use jarred alfredo sauce again unless we are in a serious pinch. Everyone loved it. -Kim
How to Make Fettuccine with Light Alfredo Sauce
Following these steps will have this dinner on the table in under 15 minutes with only one pan to wash! Talk about a weeknight win!
Step One: Combine Ingredients
Add the broth, garlic, salt, and pepper to a deep skillet, then nestle the fettuccine noodles right into the pan. If they don't fit perfectly, break the noodles in half to fit.
Step Two: Bring to a Boil
Place the skillet over medium-high heat and bring everything to a boil. Be sure to stir the mixture every 30-60 seconds to keep the noodles from sticking together and cooking evenly.
Step Three: Simmer
Once the broth begins to gently boil, reduce the the heat to medium-low. Add the milk, butter, and nutmeg and gently stir to incorporate. Place the lid on the pan and let simmer, for 6-7 minutes, or until the fettuccine noodles are tender. Keep in mind you will want to remove the lid every minute or so to give the mixture a good stir. This keeps the milk from scalding and the noodles from sticking together.
If the liquid reduces too quickly before the pasta has finished cooking, add an additional 1 tablespoon of milk at a time as needed.
Step Four: Finish with Parmesan
Remove the pan from the heat, add the parmesan cheese and a bit more butter. Toss to combine and serve immediately for best results.
Complete Dinner
I like to round out this quick and easy 15-minute dinner recipe with a salad, a bag of steamed veggies, bread, or top the pasta with a bit of protein to make things a bit more substantial.
- With a Salad: I recommend serving this lightened up fettuccine alfredo with a side salad, such as a strawberry spinach salad, Caesar salad, or a copycat Panera Greek salad.
- With Veggies: Skip the salad and instead serve this creamy pasta with steamed veggies, green beans almondine, parmesan roasted broccoli, or roasted asparagus.
- Add Protein: Top these alfredo noodles with blackened chicken, chicken bites, or blackened mahi mahi.
- Serve with Bread: No one will complain if you add a side of homemade garlic toast or Italian bread with bread dipping oil.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
Fettuccine with Light Alfredo Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, or vegetable broth
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces fettuccine noodles
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup 2% milk, plus ¼ cup if needed
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg, NOT ground nutmeg
- ¼-½ cup freshly grated grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- In a large 12-inch skillet (that has a lid), combine chicken stock, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Add the pasta to the pan, breaking in half to fit IF needed.
- Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring pasta every 30 seconds or so to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Once the mixture begins to bubble around the edges, reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the milk and 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Cover the pan and simmer for 6-7 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. You will want to remove the lid to stir the pasta every 45-60 seconds or so. If the liquid begins to evaporate before the pasta is fully cooked, add an additional tablespoon of milk, one tablespoon at a time, as needed.
- Once the noodles are tender, remove the pan from the heat, and an additional tablespoon of butter and the parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe. So much better and easier than my bland recipe. Did not have whole nutmeg so I used ground mace which is from the same plant but is more subtle. As you pointed out, the broth is a key ingredient, so use a good one. Best is always a home made broth.
So easy and delicious. My kids loved it!
That is what I call a win!
You checked all my meal boxes with this recipe! Quick, easy, healthy, and little clean up!!
This is a great dish! Very easy and oh so good! First try we didn’t leave the noodles in the stock long enough, but let it sit a while in the sauce and warmed it was perfect. We did omit the nutmeg as we didn’t have any. This will be put into our dinner rotation for sure! Thanks for the recipe!
YAY! I am so glad you enjoyed so much Michelle and loved the ease of this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Wow! This was amazingly simple AND Tasty! I used elbow pasta (its my preference), and added some frozen spinach and it was so good. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you Kate for taking the time to let us know your modifications and how you enjoyed this recipe.
I made this the other night and it was excellent. My husband loved it. I actually made it ahead so that it would be ready for dinner the next night. It was even better the second night because it had firmed up/soaked up the liquid more. Microwaved it was perfect! I used half the amount of salt and pepper and the full half cup of fresh grated Parmesan. I sprinkled some dried parsley into it while cooking. Love that it is all cooked in one pot. Thank you for this easy recipe I know I will make again!
I am SO glad this easy recipe made for an easy meal for your family Elizabeth. Thank you for taking the time to let us know 🙂
This is one of our favorite dinners. Perfect!
I love hearing that Aimee!