When I was in growing up in LA, there was a restaurant called Fettuccine Alfredo’s whose specialty was, yep, fettuccine Alfredo. It was in our general neighborhood so we drove by semi-regularly, and someone in the car would always utter some version of “so yummy” closely followed by some version of “yet so indulgent.”
And that put fettuccine Alfredo on my don’t-even-think-about-it list. For years.
But that was then and this is now. I’m a grown woman and a firm believer in all edible things in moderation. Plus, fat isn’t the devil it used to be.
The truth is that fettuccine Alfredo is a rich, creamy indulgence that somehow got a bad rap as, well, an indulgence. And what’s so wrong with that? Meanwhile, we gobble up similarly cheese- and dairy-laden macaroni and cheese, drooling over every pin- and insta-worthy variation, without a second thought.
I know. Mac ‘n’ cheese has a warm, cozy, comfort food halo—a label that doesn’t typically apply to fettuccine Alfredo.
But maybe it ought to. Fettuccine Alfredo is every bit as scrumptiously crowd-pleasing. It’s just as adaptable—you can add mix-ins and toppings galore, or not. (For example, my Crème Fraiche Fettuccine Alfredo with Peas, pictured.) And here’s where it totally beats mac ‘n’ cheese—it’s eons quicker and easier to make.
That’s worth repeating. Fettuccine Alfredo is eons quicker and easier than macaroni and cheese.
So I say it deserves a place at our table, and in our hearts. Especially during the hectic holidays, doesn’t something rich, indulgent, family-friendly—and drop dead easy—sound good?
