Browned Butter Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe | Spoon Fork Bacon (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep butter from separating in Alfredo sauce? ›

Low and Slow: Cooking the sauce over low heat helps prevent the dairy from curdling. Take your time to slowly whisk the ingredients together for a smooth texture.

Add heavy whipping cream, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency.

Heartier herbs like thyme or oregano can be added in to simmer with the sauce. Add delicate herbs like parsley, basil, or chervil at the end to maintain their delicate, aromatic flavor. Quick tip: Swirl in a bit of leftover pesto to add another herbaceous twist to your Alfredo sauce.

This happens when there's too much fat or liquid in the mixture. This can happen when there are not enough emulsifiers (which help keep your ingredients together). Sauces are usually made from multiple ingredients that include both oil and water. Oils and water will naturally separate.

The Fix Is Simple—Add Water Back.

Here's how fix a broken sauce: Add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and reheat the sauce to a vigorous simmer, whisking constantly. The bubbling action will help re-emulsify the butter and bring back that thick, glossy sauce.

Add Cheese

The key ingredient in Alfredo sauce is cheese—generally Parmigiano Reggiano—and lots of it. To thicken Alfredo sauce, simply add more cheese than the amount called for in a recipe until you achieve the consistency you want.

After 12 ounces of fettuccine pasta noodles are finished cooking, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water to include in your sauce. The starchy water is essential to creating a thick, creamy sauce consistency.

Your best bet would be to add some contrasting flavors like: roasted garlic, some chopped steamed broccoli, a pinch of nutmeg, shrimp, herbs or a purée of sundried tomatoes. Alfredo Sauce is kind of a blank canvas. You can add almost anything you like and end up with something good.

What can I add to fettuccine alfredo? ›

There are dozens of variations of fettuccine Alfredo out there. You could sprinkle in fresh herbs and lemon zest or juice to cut the richness of the cream. You could also top servings with cooked shrimp or chicken for some protein, or toss in a vegetable like cooked asparagus!

Cornstarch

The easiest way to accomplish this is to mix about a spoonful of cornstarch to 2 spoonfuls of liquid – it could be water or chicken stock or even milk. You will add this mixture, also called a slurry to the sauce and as it starts to cook, the sauce will thicken.

Parmesan is a low moisture cheese that is also quite high in salt. This can restrict flow of the cheese. If the Parmesan is young there may be enough intact protein to allow stretch.

Incorporate oil or butter into the sauce gradually. Adding more than one teaspoon of fat at a time might overwhelm the emulsifying agent and cause your sauce to separate. Stir well after each addition. As the sauce begins to thicken, you can safely stir in a bit more oil or butter at a time.

While controlling the heat is what helps the fat (oil) not separate from the sauce in the first place, adding cream to your leftovers is what helps to revive the dish. This leaves the pasta nice and creamy again and makes sure that it's not dried out.

Warm the Liquid: Gently heat the liquid, but do not let it come to a boil. Warm liquid helps the butter emulsify more easily. Combine the Ingredients: In a bowl or blender, combine the softened butter and warm liquid. Use a whisk or blender to mix them together thoroughly.