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Quick and Easy Fettuccine Alfredo for One

| Easy Weeknight Meals, Italian, Main Courses, Pasta, Recipe for One, Recipes, Vegetarian

This quick and easy Fettuccine Alfredo for one can be made in less than twenty minutes and makes a fabulously cheesy lunch or dinner.

Hey, you know what’s great? Fettuccine Alfredo.

You know what’s not great? Fettuccine Alfredo leftovers. Don’t get me wrong. I’ll eat them (oh I’ll eat them), but the sauce always gets a little funny looking on day two, and the noodles end up too hot or too cold or too soft after microwaving.

So given the choice, I’d rather not make more than can be eaten immediately.

That’s where today’s recipe, Fettuccine Alfredo for one comes in handy.

Fettuccine alfredo for one on a plate with broccoli and garlic bread.

This post and its photos have been updated. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place.

When I feel like making pasta for just myself, this is my go-to cheesy pasta recipe (well, this and my Mac and Cheese for One). It makes just one 2-ounce serving of pasta (yay portion control!)

AND takes only as long to make as it takes to bring some water to boil and cook some fettuccine noodles.

The sauce is a classic Alfredo sauce, which means no roux. It’s just butter, some cream or milk, a little parmesan, and a sprinkling of spices, so it comes together quick.

You heat everything together for just a couple of minutes while your pasta cooks and in 11-13 minutes (or whatever cooking time your pasta package says) you have a bowl of creamy, cheesy pasta perfection.

Ingredient Notes

  • Milk, half and half or heavy cream: The Alfredo sauce can be made with whatever dairy you have on hand. Half and half is my preferred choice here. Cream will give you the richest, thickest sauce, and milk will make a thin (but still delicious sauce). To make a rough half and half substitute, combine approximately 2 parts milk to one part cream (it doesn’t have to be exact). If you have leftovers of either, check out my posts on what to do with leftover heavy cream or leftover half and half. 
  • Parmesan: Go with freshly grated parmesan if you can. It melts more smoothly than the pre-shredded, bagged stuff. But if bagged is all you have, you can use it, your sauce might just be a little lumpy. This recipe calls for 1/2 ounce of cheese, which will be between 2 tablespoons and 1/4 cup of parmesan depending on how you grate it (2 tablespoons for a box grater/pre-shredded cheese, 1/4 cup using a microplane). Don’t worry too much about getting the exact right amount of cheese. A little extra parm never hurt anyone. 
  • Fettuccine: Fettuccine noodles are obviously classic here, but use whatever pasta you want.

Forkful of fettuccine alfredo.

How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo

  1. Start by boiling your pasta in salted water. 
  2. While your pasta cooks, melt butter and add milk/half and half/cream and the spices to the pot. Cook until it begins to steam and then stir in the cheese. 
  3. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Drain the pasta and toss the pasta with the sauce. Top with more parmesan and enjoy!

Fettuccine Alfredo for One Variations

  • Garlic Alfredo – Before adding the cream, add 1/2 teaspoon of minced or crushed garlic to the melted butter and cook until browned, about 30 seconds. Omit the garlic powder.
  • Broccoli Alfredo – In the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, toss a handful of broccoli florets in with the boiling fettuccine noodles and cook until tender.
  • Chicken Alfredo – Add 3 ounces/ 3/4 cup of chopped warm cooked chicken (I like to use the method from my post How to Cook Chicken Breasts for Salads and Sandwiches) to the sauce just before pouring over the pasta.

Single serve fettuccine alfredo on a plate with broccoli and garlic bread.

What to serve with Fettuccine Alfredo?

Serve your pasta with a side of garlic bread and a simple veggie side like roasted or steamed broccoli or roasted zucchini. 

More Quick Pasta Dishes

A Note on Serving Size

This makes one 2-ounce serving (the recommended serving size) of pasta. If you want a big restaurant-sized portion or are feeding a big eater, double the recipe. To change the recipe yield, hover over the number of servings in the recipe card below (or click if you are on mobile) and slide the slider.

Fettuccine alfredo for one on a plate with broccoli and garlic bread.

Quick and Easy Fettuccine Alfredo for One

This Quick and Easy Fettuccine Alfredo for One can be made in less than twenty minutes and makes a fabulously cheesy lunch or dinner.
4.95 from 40 votes
Print Pin
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield): 1
Calories: 391kcal
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces fettuccine noodles
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
  • ⅓ cup half and half, milk, or heavy cream *
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of dried parsley (optional)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • ½ ounce (2 Tbs to 1/4 cup )* shredded parmesan cheese for the smoothest sauce, use freshly grated parmesan

Instructions

  • Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook fettuccine according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  • When your pasta is nearly finished cooking, in a small pot, melt butter. Stir in half and half/milk/cream, garlic powder, optional dried parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Heat until steaming, just before it's ready to simmer. Turn heat to low and stir in parmesan.
  • Continue to stir over low heat until parmesan is completely melted into the sauce. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Pour sauce over drained fettuccine noodles and toss. Allow the pasta to sit for 5 minutes to cool and sauce to thicken slightly.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and enjoy!

Notes

*Half and half is my preferred choice here. Cream will give you the richest, thickest sauce, and milk will make a thin (but still delicious sauce). To make a rough half and half substitute, combine approximately 2 parts milk to one part cream (it doesn't have to be exact).
*1/2 ounce of parmesan will be between 2 tablespoons and 1/4 cup depending on how you grate it (2 tablespoons for a box grater/pre-shredded cheese, 1/4 cup using a microplane). Don't worry too much about getting the exact right amount of cheese. A little extra parm never hurt anyone. 
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag @BakingMischief or hashtag it #BakingMischief.

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This post was originally published on 4/24/17. It was updated on 10/26/20 with new photos and additional information and tips.

Comments

  1. Jodi H. says

    5 stars
    THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR POSTING SMALLER SERVING RECIPES! I hate when people say to just cut the recipe in half, which SOUNDS easy enough, but for some of us, it’s just not (& FORGET ABOUT IT if it’s one of those recipes that serve 10-12+, like casseroles). I was diagnosed with Lupus & Fibromyalgia several years ago & many things that used to be easy peasy just aren’t anymore (the brain fog IS REAL people)! And for me, anything with numbers & /or math send me into a tailspin. It’s been kinda funny though to see the crazy stuff I’ve tried feeding my family some nights! You’ve always gotta find the humor in things . So again, THANK YOU for taking the stress out of cooking on those days that are already too

    Reply

  2. 'Becca Ashley says

    5 stars
    This is SUPER good! You know how I know this? I have made it, let’s see. . .4 times in the last 7 days, and am eating more of it as I type. I love that it’s so quick to put together and that it leaves no leftovers. The sauce makes enough to cover 2 portions of pasta, at least in my estimation, so that is exactly what I’ve done each time {oink, oink!}. I like to put it on the medium sized shell pasta–easier to eat, holds more sauce. . .and easier to share with your dogs–have you ever tried to share fettuccini noodles with a dog? Yep, comical, but messy. It was a lovely serendipity the day I discovered your website–thanks for sharing with us!

    Reply

    • Tracy says

      So happy you (and the dogs) enjoyed this, Becca! I have in fact tried to share fettuccini noodles with my dog, and you’re right, it is not pretty…though it is a heck of a lot less messy than when I share them with the cat. 😉

      Reply

  3. Elle says

    Everytime I make this recipe, the cheese seperates,clumps together, and just ruins the sauce! How do I fix that/what am I doing wrong?

    Reply

    • Tracy says

      Hi, Elle, if you’re using pre-shredded parmesan, you might want to try a different brand or freshly grate it yourself. You’ll never get a completely smooth sauce with the bagged stuff because of the additives to prevent the shredded cheese from sticking together, but some brands work better than others. I’ll add a note about this in the recipe as well.

      Reply

  4. Madeleine Goulé says

    Hi Tracy:
    I tried for years to make authentic Fettuccinne Alfredo only to find I was in fact using the wrong pasta. To make a really good one you need ‘egg noodles,’ not regular noodles and the difference is amazing. I also had no success with 10% half and half. The cream sauce does not thicken. I use at least 15% or heavy cream for it to work, with, of course real Parmesan cheese and basil. You don’t use basil! I am surprised and fresh garlic is a must!
    Just suggestions for your guests and yourself to try.
    Regards,
    Madeleine

    Reply

  5. Will says

    5 stars
    I wanted an easy pasta dish for dinner, and this really hit the spot. I had to use spaghetti instead of fettuccine, but the sauce tastes great! I was really impressed with how quickly and easily I could make something that tastes so authentic. Great recipe 🙂

    Reply

  6. Nina smith says

    5 stars
    This was so easy to make and really good! It was easy to make more of and the proportions where right on point with me. I have been obsessed with it ever sense I first tried it. I really do recommend this to other people.

    Reply

  7. Jane says

    Has anyone made this with a different shape pasta? I hate twirling the long ones to eat it and always find it very messy. I have not made this one for that reason. But . . . just found this web site and am excited to explore more recipes for one.

    Reply

  8. Cindy jones says

    This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it. Is there anyway one could freeze this either before cooking or after cooking in microwave. I want to give my Mom premade or pre-prepared foods in jar for microwaving.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Tracy says

      Thanks, Cindy! Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this for freezing. Alfredo sauce tends to separate when reheated, especially when frozen first. Red sauces usually freeze really well, so if she likes marinara/spaghetti sauce, that would be a better option. I would just slightly under-cook the pasta so it doesn’t get soggy when reheated. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  10. Emma @ Topaz & Belle says

    5 stars
    This. Was. SO GOOD! Even though I managed to screw mine up (I tried combining the Garlic Alfredo variation with the Broccoli Alfredo variation and burned the garlic because I dropped broccoli all over the place trying to add it to my pasta…I’m a disaster!) it tasted SOOOO GOOD. I’m half happy and half sad this is meant for one person because I would not stop eating it if I had more servings haha.

    Reply

    • Tracy says

      Ahahahaha. I have so been there!! Glad it still turned out okay and thanks for reporting back! 🙂

      Reply

  15. Karly says

    Okay, this is exactly what I need. SO perfect for forcing me to parttake in this whole portion control business. AND delicious. Gotta try this!

    Reply
4.95 from 40 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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