Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli

This fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli is creamy, cheesy, and exactly the kind of comfort food I love. If you love how thick and creamy Olive Garden Alfredo sauce is but hate eating food from a chain restaurant, this is your new go-to! I always go for this Alfredo sauce recipe, with butter, garlic, cream, and plenty of cheese. Toss it with tender broccoli and homemade noodles, and dinner is pretty hard to beat.

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Fettucine Alfredo with Broccoli

Fettuccine and tender broccoli tossed in a creamy, Olive Garden–style Alfredo sauce made with butter, garlic, cream, Parmesan, and Romano. Use store-bought noodles or homemade pasta.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 generous servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: italian-american

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 12 ounces dried fettuccine or 1 batch homemade pasta
• 4 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-size pieces
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Reserved pasta water as needed

Method

 

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions. For homemade pasta, follow your recipe’s cooking time.
2. Cook the broccoli until tender: add it to dried pasta during the final 3–4 minutes of cooking, or steam it separately if using quick-cooking fresh pasta.
3. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and broccoli well.
4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute.
5. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly incorporate milk and cream, whisking until smooth.
6. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until lightly thickened.
7. Reduce heat to low. Stir in Parmesan and Romano until melted; season to taste.
8. Toss the pasta and broccoli with the sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Homemade pasta: One batch of my homemade pasta recipe serves four. Making the dough adds preparation and resting time.

Cheese: Grate the cheese finely so it melts easily.

Romano substitute: If you don’t have Romano, use an additional ½ cup Parmesan.

Broccoli: Drain thoroughly before mixing with the sauce.

Consistency: Alfredo thickens as it sits. Loosen with a splash of milk or pasta water.

Optional additions: Add cooked chicken or shrimp before serving.

Reheating: Warm gently with a splash of milk, stirring frequently.

Making Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli at Home

Store-bought fettuccine works perfectly here, but if you have a little extra time, try my homemade pasta from scratch. It includes instructions for rolling and cutting by hand or using a pasta maker, plus an option for fresh-milled flour.

Grate the cheese yourself and keep the heat gentle once it goes into the sauce. Drain the broccoli well, and save a little pasta water to loosen everything up before serving.

Serve with a piece of crusty bread to get every last bit of sauce off the plate. You’ve already got broccoli in there, we’re calling it balanced!

For homemade noodles, I use the Nuvantee Pasta Maker to roll and cut the dough. If you’re trying the fresh-milled version, you can also find my grain mill here.