Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo

Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo is a healthier spin on the classic Alfredo, using less butter and cream with the same great taste. Try this lightened up recipe for your next pasta night in!

When Mike and I were in college, we fell in love with Fettuccini Alfredo at a local restaurant. We splurged occasionally, and went all in for pasta night, slurping up every noodle that was smothered in a heavy cream sauce. It was our favorite, and we had no idea that we were probably consuming about 2,000 calories per plate.

So while we haven’t cut OUT pasta dishes from our meal rotation, we’ve tried to lighten them up. I’m a  firm believer in “everything in moderation”, and when I want pasta, I’m gonna have it!

Ingredients needed for Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo:

• Pasta – Use fettuccini noodles for the real thing, or substitute any pasta shape you have in your pantry.
• Olive Oil + Butter – The “real” sauce has loads of butter. This one is 2 parts olive oil/1 part butter.
• Garlic – For a flavor boost, garlic is king.
• Flour – The all-purpose flour helps to thicken the sauce.
• Broth – Use lower-sodium chicken broth to control the salt content.
• Milk + Half and Half – A combo of 1% milk and just a small hit of half and half is enough to achieve a creamy consistency.
• Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan cheese is always best, and melts easier too.
• S & P – For pasta, don’t skimp on the salt and pepper!
• Pasta Water – Reserve about a cup of pasta water, and add as needed to make the pasta even creamier.

How to make Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo:

1. Make sauce. In a medium stock pot, add olive oil and butter until melted over medium heat. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Then add flour and stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes, or until flour is fully absorbed. Add chicken broth, milk, and half and half, and whisk until the mixture starts to thicken. This will take a few minutes. Then stir in parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Stir until creamy over low heat.
2. Cook pasta. Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, heat a large amount of water to boiling, over high heat. Add fettuccini noodles and a good amount of salt, reduce heat, and simmer – stirring occasionally. Cook until al dente.
3. Mix. Add pasta to sauce, and mix well. Add some reserved pasta water as needed to make it even creamier. Transfer to a serving dish.
4. Serve. Serve fettuccini Alfredo with extra parmesan cheese and some freshly ground black pepper.

Variations to this recipe:

• Add in vegetables to up the health factor. You could roast veggies in the oven – like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Or add frozen peas directly to the pasta.
• Boost the protein. Grill up some chicken and add it to your plate with the fettuccini. Or sauté some shrimp and serve over top the pasta.

Other pasta recipes you might enjoy:

• Traditional Bolognese Sauce – The longer it simmers, the more flavor it has.
• Rigatoni Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli – A healthier pasta dish that fills up even the hungriest human!
• Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad – One of our favorite summertime pasta salads.

I used this cheese grater for this recipe.

Make this lighter recipe next: Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese

Please let know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

xoxo ~Sue

5 from 2 votes

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Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo

Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo is a healthier spin on the classic Alfredo, using less butter and cream with the same great taste. Try this lightened up recipe for your next pasta night in!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword fettuccini alfredo, skinny fettuccini alfredo

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 599 kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fettuccini - or any pasta
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup lower sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• extra parmesan, black pepper - to serve

Instructions

1. Make sauce. Heat olive oil and butter in a medium stock pan, over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir again, until flour is well absorbed, about 1-2 minutes.

2. Add chicken broth, milk, and half and half, and whisk until mixture starts to thicken. This will take a few minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, until cheese melts and sauce is nice and creamy.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot, with plenty of salt and water. Cook until al dente, reserve a cup of pasta water, and then strain.

4. Add strained pasta to sauce, and mix well. Then add some of the reserved pasta water (as much as you need) to make the fettuccini alfredo even creamier. Transfer to a serving dish.

5. Serve pasta with extra parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Variations to this recipe:

• Add in vegetables to up the health factor. You could roast veggies in the oven - like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Or add frozen peas directly to the pasta.
• Boost the protein. Grill up some chicken and add it to your plate with the fettuccini. Or sauté some shrimp and serve over top the pasta.

Nutrition Facts

Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo

Amount Per Serving

Calories 599 Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 110mg37%

Sodium 1032mg45%

Potassium 398mg11%

Carbohydrates 71g24%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 526IU11%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 399mg40%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.