# Alfredo

/ˌæɫˈfɹeɪdoʊ/ (US) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/alfredo
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a rich, white pasta sauce made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese. You usually see it served with long, flat noodles like fettuccine.

For teachers: referring to a pasta sauce composed of butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Typically used as a postpositive modifier or as part of a compound noun phrase.

## Examples

- I ordered the fettuccine alfredo for dinner.
- The chef prepared a classic alfredo sauce by slowly melting butter and whisking in freshly grated cheese until smooth.
- While traditional Italian recipes often rely on the emulsion of pasta water and butter, the Americanized alfredo version typically incorporates heavy cream to achieve its signature thick and velvety texture.

## Usage notes

- Often appears immediately after the noun it modifies, particularly 'fettuccine' or 'chicken'.

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