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This cozy bowl of Brown Butter Brussels Sprout and Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo is THE best any night of the week fall pasta. I’m taking a classic pasta recipe and updating it with a rich and creamy sauce, crispy Brussels sprouts, and bacon. Every twirl of pasta has delicious fall flavors that melt in your mouth. It’s the coziest, creamiest bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo that’s fancy enough for the weekend, but easy enough to make any night of the week. And most importantly, it’s delicious.
Growing up, Friday and Saturday nights were always reserved for pasta or pizza dinners. Most Friday nights my dad would make his Friday night pasta dish, which to this day is one of my favorite dishes. It could be due to the fact that it’s my dad’s recipe, but regardless it’s a delicious pasta dinner that I really love.
When dad wasn’t making his pasta dish on Friday night, he was making his Fettuccine Alfredo pasta. A dish both my mom and I always loved. Since he didn’t make fettuccine as often as his other dinners (i.e chicken, rice, and tacos…and then more chicken and rice), fettuccine nights always felt special. Especially in the fall when we’d cozy up by the fire while eating.
Twas’ the best, and I love these memories!
Sidenote, as my mom reads this she’ll also think back to those days. I can already see the smile on her face, we miss those cozy nights by the wood-burning fire.
Here’s the thing, my dad is a great cook, and I believe I take after him when it comes to anything in the kitchen, but the thing about dad’s recipes?
They’re simple as can be, meaning there is no recipe. The way my dad cooks is simple, he takes what he has in the fridge and makes dinner out of it. He doesn’t cook from cookbooks or google anything. He just cooks to eat and hopes it all turns out ok. Thankfully for us, it always did.
The point here is that my dad just winged it in the kitchen, which I swear always creates the very best recipes. My inspiration for this fettuccine was very much my dad (I even used his “secret” ingredient, that’s not traditional), but with my twist, crispy brussels sprouts, and bacon too.
I like to think of this as the fall edition of Fettuccine Alfredo. It’s rich, creamy, swirled with browned butter, and topped with brussels sprouts that taste almost chip-like, plus crispy salty bacon too.
It’s indulgent…but so delicious.
Start with pasta. Use classic fettuccine for this. Yes, any cut of pasta will work and be delicious, but Fettuccine Alfredo isn’t Fettuccine Alfredo without the right cut of pasta. So use the fettuccine.
While that pasta water is coming to a boil, start and finish the recipe. Yes, this is a one-skillet, one-pot, thirty-minute dinner.
Cook up your bacon until it’s extra crispy. Now do the same with the Brussels sprouts. You want to get them extra crisp, so cook the sprouts cut side down and avoid stirring for the first four or so minutes of cooking. Once the cut side of the sprouts are crisp, toss and cook until the outside is crispy too, then remove from the skillet. This will ensure they stay crispy, instead of just fading away into the buttery creamy sauce.
Onto the cream sauce. Browned butter, garlic, herbs, a splash of milk, and lots of Parmesan, plus dad’s secret ingredient…the tiniest amount of cream cheese.
This is easy, brown the butter, add the garlic and herbs, then add a splash of milk. I usually just use whole goat’s milk with a light splash of cream or canned coconut milk. If you want to make this a little lighter, simply use all milk or all canned coconut milk. Or if you want to make this less heavy on the dairy, use all canned coconut milk. Promise you don’t taste the coconut at all.
Once you add the milk, whisk in the cream cheese. Now, I know this isn’t typical in fettuccine, but my dad used to make fettuccine as follows: one whole stick of butter, a couple cups of whole milk or cream, and then one eight-ounce package of cream cheese. He’d toss in the pasta, then add more Parmesan than you’d ever think could be added (he loves parmesan). Of course, it was delicious!
It was a heavy sauce, but it was so good, and I think the cream cheese was the reason. It creates a silky smooth sauce every time. I’m only using the tiniest amount, but it seems to do the trick!
Add the pasta to the sauce, and toss it! As you add the pasta to the sauce, it will immediately begin to thicken and become very creamy. Let the pasta cook in the sauce a minute or two, then serve immediately.
Yes, fettuccine is one of those dishes that should be eaten right off the stove. Simply plate it, and top with those crispy sprouts and bacon. Adding an extra dusting of parmesan never hurts either.
This recipe is all about the sauce, the sprouts, and the bacon. The sauce is buttery, a touch garlicky, herby, and so creamy. It’s my favorite combo.
The crispy Brussels sprouts are a game-changer. Their flavor is intense, but the texture is almost chip-like. And the bacon? Well, it adds a saltiness that keeps everyone coming back for seconds.
Nothing beats this one. Perfect for an autumn Wednesday night, or maybe save it for a Friday night? Honestly, it’s delicious any night of the week…so make when this dish when it suits you best…and enjoy!
Looking for other fall pasta recipes? Here are a few ideas:Â
Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara with Rosemary Bacon
Browned Sage Butter Chicken Piccata with Mushroom Pasta
Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese Pasta
Lastly, if you make this Brown Butter Brussels Sprout and Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo. be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Super delicious! I made it with coconut milk as suggested and gluten free pasta and it was so good! Thanks for the recipe
Amazing! Thank you so much Bonnie! xTieghan
I wish there was a section where people could actually comment on the recipe if they made it then another place for people who want to tell you it sounds yummy 😛
Hi Eryn! I am trying to work on that! xTieghan
Super tasty! I replaced pasta with spaghetti squash and it was yummy! I also made it with the coconut milk, I don’t think my parents noticed! Lol! It was delish!
Thank you so much Kristina! xTieghan
Made this and it was amazing!
Thank you Sylvia! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
Firstly off — I love everything you make, thank you this endless bounty of creativity and deliciousness. I’m going to attempt to make this for someone who is lactose intolerant. Do you have any recommendations on what could be subbed for the cream cheese?
Warmest regards,
Alex
Hey Alex,
I would try looking for a dairy free cream cheese. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Great recipe!! Loved the twist of including Brussel sprouts
Thank you Amanda! xTieghan
3rd recipe of yours this week and again everyone loved it. Thank you 🙂 I wouldn’t have thought of using these herbs in Alfredo
Thank you so much Alejandra! I am really glad you have been loving this and other recipes of mine! I hope you continue to! xTieghan
This was fantastic! Used coconut cream to replace all of the milk and the fettuccine flavor was totally perfect! Great combination of flavors, highly recommend!
Thank you Sarah! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
This was amazing !
My kitchen was a complete mess but so worth it.
I did slice the Brussels sprouts and they were tender and delicious!
Thank you so much Sylvia! xTieghan
This recipe looks delicious but, um, hello! Wipe the skillet after cooking bacon?! Why would you not fry the Brussels Sprouts in bacon drippings, rather than olive oil?? (Maybe there’s a reason I’m not aware of). 🙂 Both ways sound yummy (crispy Brussels are the best!) but personally, I would not waste that bacon grease. 🙂
Hi Ellary! You can definitely cook them in the bacon grease! It is just a bit healthier to cook in olive oil haha. I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Looks wonderful. Recently did a sausage ravioli with Alfredo and Pancetta. Delicious. So I know I’ll enjoy this one.
Thank you so much Joyce! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan. This is truly a bowl of “cozy” and “comfort.” A perfect Fall dish that would warm any soul up. I love the twist on Fettuccine Alfredo. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you so much Linger! xTieghan
This sure does look yummy! I love whole grain pasta so much.I need to look for the fettuccini in whole grain.
Thank you Charlotte! xTieghan
I love you pasta dishes, so I will definitely ear-mark this one for the weekend when my partner (also a chef) is working, as he’s not a big pasta fan, however he did like the creamy tortellini soup that I made last week.
Hi Colleen! I am so glad you both enjoyed the tortellini soup! I hope you love this one just as much.. or more! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi! I love your recipes. Would turkey bacon work in this dish?
Hey Alexandra,
Yes that would be great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan