Pasta
Fettuccine with Butter and Cheese, My Way
By Ryan · Published 2026-08-06
Servings
Serves 3-4
Prep
5 min
Cook
20 min
Difficulty
Easy
I've made this with spaghetti, fettuccine, alfredo noodles, homemade, store-bought -- honestly it doesn't matter much, it's all good and cheesy. It's a fairly quick, uninvolved meal for a weeknight, and it works just as well with gluten-free pasta if that's what you need. It's also about as close to dairy-free as a butter-and-cheese sauce gets, since real Parmigiano-Reggiano is quite low in lactose. That said, Parmigiano-Reggiano is recommended but not required -- a good Wisconsin parmesan from your local grocery store works just fine too. I like to top this with a blackened chicken breast (see the paired recipe), and we'll usually round it out with store-bought garlic bread or a side of veggies depending on how we're feeling.
Ingredients
- • 1 lb fettuccine (or spaghetti, or whatever noodle you have -- gluten-free works great too)
- • 3 quarts water
- • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- • 6-8 tablespoons salted butter
- • 1 1/2 to 2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or a good Wisconsin parmesan)
- • Reserved starchy pasta water
- • A pinch of extra salt, for garnish
Steps
- 1.Bring the water to a boil and stir in 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick.
- 2.Just before draining, scoop out about a cup of the starchy cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and return it to the empty pot.
- 3.Add the butter, grated cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a splash of the reserved pasta water to the pot.
- 4.Toss everything together over low heat for about a minute. It'll look loose and watery at first -- that's normal. Pull it off the heat, cover, and let it sit for a minute.
- 5.Uncover and toss vigorously for another 30 seconds or so, adding a little more pasta water if it needs loosening up, until the sauce turns glossy and clings to every strand.
- 6.Serve immediately in warmed bowls with a light pinch of salt on top.
Notes
- • Works well with gluten-free pasta.
- • Nearly dairy-free, since real Parmigiano-Reggiano is quite low in lactose.
- • Parmigiano-Reggiano is recommended but not required -- a good Wisconsin parmesan works fine.
- • Great topped with blackened chicken breast, and pairs well with store-bought garlic bread or a side of veggies.
Inspired by the classic cream-free fettuccine alfredo technique -- this is my own version, with a few tweaks (salted butter, extra cheese, and a salt garnish).