Fettuccine alfredo is the version everybody knows, but there is nothing about a cream sauce that requires an Italian ribbon pasta. A wide egg noodle does the job, and in some ways does it better.

Why it works

Egg noodles have a softer, slightly rougher surface than dried semolina pasta. Cream sauce grabs that surface and stays put. A fettuccine noodle is smoother and denser, so more of the sauce ends up in the bottom of the bowl.

Which cut to use

Wide or extra wide. You want enough noodle to stand up to the sauce. A fine noodle disappears under alfredo, and a kluski is thicker than the dish needs.

One thing to watch

Cook them to just tender and no further. The sauce keeps working on the noodle after it comes off the heat, and a noodle that was already soft will go past it.

Key takeaways

  • A wide egg noodle holds cream sauce better than fettuccine.
  • Egg noodles are softer and more porous, so sauce clings to them.
  • Use wide or extra wide. A fine noodle gets lost under a heavy sauce.
  • Cook to just tender, since the sauce keeps working on the noodle.