Turn up the heat with Chili Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo! This easy dinner recipe infuses a luxurious cream sauce with spicy chili crisp oil for a bold twist on a classic. It’s quick, comforting, and totally customizable—perfect for a cozy dinner everyone will love.
Table of Contents
It’s true: I put my Homemade Chili Crisp literally on everything. Yes, even on creamy pasta dinners, like this Chili Crisp Alfredo! The bold heat, the crunch from the Sichuan peppercorns, and the creamy, garlicky sauce make this a perfect meal.
This recipe is inspired by the New York Times’ viral Chile Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo with Spinach. After giving it a try and loving the fusion of Italian and Chinese flavors, I knew I wanted to put my own twist on it. And so, this bold play on classic fettuccini alfredo was born.
Combining chili crisp with traditional alfredo ingredients gives the pasta dinner a warm and savory depth and enough spice to pique your interest but not overwhelm your taste buds. Best of all, you only need a handful of ingredients and about 30 minutes to put it all together. If you love alfredo and chili crisp separately, I know you’ll love bringing them together in this recipe!
Ingredient notes
- Butter
- Garlic
- Chile crisp – My 15-minute Homemade Spicy Chili Crisp is hard to beat! If you’d rather go the store-bought route, Lao Gan Ma or Momofuku are both quality brands.
- Heavy cream
- Pasta – Long, flat fettuccine noodles are the best pasta for alfredo. Linguine or tagliatelle noodles are also good options. Gluten-free? Use your favorite gluten-free pasta!
- Spinach – The leaves add a pop of color and some extra nutrition to the alfredo. Frozen spinach will work instead of fresh, but make sure to thaw it and squeeze out the excess water beforehand.
- Parmesan
- Lemons – The freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest brighten up the entire dish.
How to make it
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.Add the fettuccine and cook it until al dente. Reserve at least 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the rest.
- Start the Sauce: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chili crisp and garlic, and sauté until the garlic becomes golden. Reduce the heat to low before adding the cream and stirring in the spinach.
- Toss with the Pasta: Using tongs, transfer the cooked fettuccine to the skillet with the sauce. Add the grated parmesan, lemon juice, and lemon zest.Toss until the noodles are evenly coated in the sauce.
- Plate and Serve: Divide the pasta between plates or bowls. Top with extra parmesan and chili crisp, then enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Don’t forget to reserve some of the pasta cooking water. This starchy liquid is great to have on hand towards the end, as it will thin the alfredo sauce and help it cling to every strand of fettuccine.
- Worried about this dish being too spicy? Chili crisp can vary widely in heat. If you’re spice-sensitive, start with only 1 tablespoon, then continue adding more to your taste. Alternatively, only drizzle the chili oil over the pasta and omit the spicy solids in the jar.
- Maintain a gentle simmer when building the cream sauce. If the heat is too high, the sauce will separate and curdle.
Variations
- Add vegetables – Like mushrooms, asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, or sun-dried tomatoes. Just sauté them in the pan before adding the garlic and chili crisp. Or, stir in frozen peas at the end until warmed through.
- Add a protein – Consider plating the pasta with seared chicken, shrimp, or scallops to make it a more filling meal.
- Garnish with herbs – Chopped fresh parsley, basil, or chives will add more flavor and give each bowl of pasta an eye-catching presentation.
- Crunchy breadcrumb topper – Toast some panko breadcrumbs with melted butter, then sprinkle them over the creamy pasta for added crunch.
Serving suggestions
This creamy chili crisp alfredo begs for a side of crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up the sauce. To complete the dinner, pair the pasta with any of these simple sides:
Or choose from one of these 25+ Chicken Alfredo Sides or one of these 40+ EASY Side Dishes for Pasta.
Storing
Store the leftover chili crisp alfredo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, add the leftovers to a skillet and gently warm them over low heat. Add a splash of cream or milk to help loosen the sauce, if needed.
Erin’s wine pairings for Chili Crisp Alfredo
This bold, creamy pasta pairs well with wines that can balance its richness while cooling the spice:
- An unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay, a crisp Pinot Gris, or an off-dry Riesling complements the richness without overpowering the heat.
- A dry Rosé brings the right amount of fruitiness and acidity.
- If you prefer red, go for a light-bodied Pinot Noir that won’t clash with the heat or cream.
More creamy pasta dishes
Did you make this chili crisp pasta recipe?
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Full Recipe
Chili Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 1-2 Tablespoons chile crisp (plus more to taste)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound fettuccine
- 1 5-ounce package baby spinach
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated, plus more for serving)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the water heats, melt the butter in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. One hot, add the chile crisp and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes, until the garlic is lightly golden.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the cream and spinach and stir until wilted. Keep warm over low heat.
- Cook the fettuccine until al dente according to the package directions. Use tongs to transfer the noodles to the cream mixture, reserving the pasta water.
- Add the Parmesan, lemon juice and zest and toss until the noodles are coated with the sauce, adding pasta water, if needed, to loosen the sauce.
- Divide among serving dishes and top with Parmesan and more chile crisp, if desired.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t forget to reserve some of the pasta cooking water. This starchy liquid is great to have on hand towards the end, as it will thin the alfredo sauce and help it cling to every strand of fettuccine.
- Worried about this dish being too spicy? Chili crisp can vary widely in heat. If you’re spice-sensitive, start with only 1 tablespoon, then continue adding more to your taste. Alternatively, only drizzle the chili oil over the pasta and omit the spicy solids in the jar.
- Maintain a gentle simmer when building the cream sauce. If the heat is too high, the sauce will separate and curdle.
- Add vegetables – Like mushrooms, asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, or sun-dried tomatoes. Just sauté them in the pan before adding the garlic and chili crisp. Or, stir in frozen peas at the end until warmed through.
- Add a protein – Consider plating the pasta with seared chicken, shrimp, or scallops to make it a more filling meal.
- Garnish with herbs – Chopped fresh parsley, basil, or chives will add more flavor and give each bowl of pasta an eye-catching presentation.
- Crunchy breadcrumb topper – Toast some panko breadcrumbs with melted butter, then sprinkle them over the creamy pasta for added crunch.
- Store the leftover chili crisp alfredo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, add the leftovers to a skillet and gently warm them over low heat. Add a splash of cream or milk to help loosen the sauce, if needed.
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