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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.
Finally, the details…those sprouts!
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!
Finish it up!
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:
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!
Brown Butter Brussels Sprout and Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 778 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fettuccine pasta
- 4 thick-cut slices bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced or halved, if small
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried sage)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups whole milk or canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain. 2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain onto a paper towel. Add the Brussels sprouts, cut side down, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sprouts are crisping on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Toss the sprouts, add the olive oil and cook another 2-3 minutes, until crisp. Remove the Brussels sprouts from the skillet to a plate. 3. To the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, oregano, sage, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook 1 minute, then pour in the milk and cream. Add the cream cheese. Whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 5-8 minutes, until thickened slightly. Stir in the parmesan and nutmeg. Season with salt + pepper. Toss in the pasta and cook 3-5 minutes, then remove from the heat. 4. Divide the fettuccine between plates and top with crispy Brussels sprouts, and bacon. Eat and enjoy immediately.
Notes
To Make Vegetarian: simply omit the bacon and start the cooking process with the olive oil and brussels sprouts.
Adding to our dinner rotation this week – CANNOT wait!?
Just wondering – do you store the leftover bruiser sprouts and bacon separate from the pasta then?
Hey Corrianne,
You certainly can store them separately, but it definitely is necessary. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Something went VERY wrong with this recipe…. I’ve made so many HBH recipes with no problems, but this one….what on earth happened? The butter and garlic mixture did not blend with the milk at all and stayed separated. Then adding in the cheese made the separation worse! The Parmesan clumped and turned to rubber, the butter separated from the cream/milk, and it was just gross. But hey at least I had bacon to eat! Any ideas what went wrong?
Hey Mere,
So sorry you had issues with the recipe. Did you adjust the recipe at all? Use a different cooking method? I haven’t had anyone else with these issues so I’m not sure what could have happened. Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Délicieux! J’adore les choux de bruxelles et ils sont très bien mis à l’honneur dans cette recette!
Merci beaucoup! Je suis vraiment content que vous aimiez cette recette! xTieghan
Divine! Thank you!
Thank you Ceci! xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was excellent! The flavors were wonderful and I see what you mean about the cream cheese. It was delicious. Thank you for sharing. I’ll definitely be making this one again!
Thank you so much Glenda! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hi – just a quick question – do you drain off all of the bacon fat before cooking the brussel sprouts and cook them in what is left (before adding olive oil – a light skim of bacon fat), or leave the fat and cook them in that? thanks!
Hey Abigail,
Either one is fine to do:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Ohh I made this the other day and it was everything we needed! Há, such a comforting autumn meal. Thanks for the recipe dear Teagan! We warmed up the leftovers the next day for lunch, as we’re working from home in the Netherlands, and gave the sprouts and bacon a little grill in the oven. Delicious!! Thanks ??
Wow yes! Sounds like an amazing fall night! Thank you for trying this recipe, Yara! xTieghan
This was seriously SO GOOD! and So easy! My fiancé hates brussels sprouts so we grilled up some chicken for his substitue. So so tasty we will definitely make this many times! – New follower @penny_foryourpots
Hi Penny! I am so happy this recipe turned out so amazing for you!! Also, thank you for the follow! I cannot wait to see what you make! xTieghan
I made this pasta with bacon and brussel sprouts for dinner tonight and it was absolutely fabulous. I am a cook from way back and I sometime adjust recipes where I think they need to be adjusted. However, this recipe didn’t look like it needed any adjusting so I made it just as written and I even used my measuring cups and spoons, and I almost never do that. But, I am so glad that I did because it was just perfect. Will definitely be making this again soon. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Gale! I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying this one! xTieghan
Very Very yummy! I made this and also added broccoli (for my kiddos). The meal came out perfectly, the bacon and Brussel sprouts were a great pair. AND beside the pot to boil the noodles-only one pan, which was so nice for clean up!
Yes that is so great! I am really glad this turned out so well for you all, Sarah! xTieghan
I made this pasta tonight for my boyfriend and I. I used broccoli instead of Brussel sprouts and I added some church, it was SO GOOD!!!! We made tons and we’re already so excited for lunch tomorrow!
Yes!! So glad you loved this recipe Char! Thank you! xTieghan
So good! My husband was so impressed with the sauce from scratch! The bacon and Brussels were just perfect ( I did cook the Brussels in some bacon fat because I couldn’t resist!) and may make for a yummy side dish at thanksgiving! As always thank you Tieghan for a satisfying homey dish!
Love that! Thank you for trying this recipe, Christie! I am really glad you enjoyed this one! xTieghan
Family approved! This one was a hit.
Thank you so much Nathalie! xTieghan
This recipe was amazing. I used shirataki noodles to make it “keto friendly”. The browned butter really adds a layer to the alfredo sauce that I’ve never had before and the sage + nutmeg combo was perfect. This recipe is definitely going into the rotation. 🙂 Thank you!
Thank you so much Jess! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
That’s a real good recipe!! I just wonder if its normal if the parmesan cheese didn’t really met once in the sauce? I wonder what I did wrong?
Thank you!!
Hey Sophie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! I would recommend using really high quality parmesan and grating it yourself. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan