Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo

Do you ever sit in an Italian restaurant and look at the creamy picture of their famous Fettuccine Alfredo and debate between the devil on your right shoulder and the angel on the left?

"GET THE PASTA!" 

"NO, GET THE SALAD!" 

"IT'S OKAY TO INDULGE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE!" 

"NOT UNLESS YOU WANT TO POP OUT OF THESE SKINNY JEANS!"

Okay... maybe that's just me.

Well here I found this delicious recipe for "Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo," that you can indulge in without feeling like you just gained ten pounds. Instead of using heavy cream cheeses and loads of butter, this recipe calls for more low-fat ingredients that will leave you feeling much better about giving in to your inner pasta-monster. 

This thick creamy pasta only takes 30 minutes to make and creates four servings.

 INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces fettuccine 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1 1/4 cups 2% milk, or more, as needed 
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream 
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 2 ounces Neufchatel cheese, cubed 
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well. 
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and garlic powder until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. 
• Stir in cheeses until melted, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
• Stir in pasta and gently toss to combine. 
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

NOTES

Adapted from Cooking Classy

The second best part (the first being how good it tastes) is that only two pans are used for the whole dinner. One for the noodles and one for the sauce! Super easy to clean up.

*NOTE* If you are going to cook chicken, get that started before the sauce. Start with boiling your pasta and grilling your meat before beginning the sauce. The sauce only takes 5-10 minutes!

Don't believe that this is a healthier version? Check out the Nutrition Facts.

Most recipes use the heavy cream as the  main source of the sauce. This recipe replaces most of the cream with milk, lightening up the calories!

I added plain grilled chicken to my pasta to get a more well balanced meal. Tofu, shrimp, or whatever meat you want can be added as well as any vegetables like roasted brocolli or red peppers. Also, whole grain pasta can be substituted for a more nutritional base.