Fettuccine Recipes That Go Way Beyond Alfredo

When most Americans hear the word "fettuccine," they immediately think "Alfredo." While fettuccine Alfredo -- that simple, creamy, buttery pasta -- is one of the world's best comfort foods, it's not fettuccine's only trick. Fettuccine, which in Italian means "little ribbons," tastes great with many sauces. Pesto is perfect for coating the wide, flat noodles, as are tomato-based sauces. One of the noodle's best assets is, indeed, its wide surface area, which holds onto sauce like a charm.

Fettuccine is a noodle that has stood the test of time. According to Barilla, it's one of the oldest shapes of pasta and also one of the most common. It's easier to make at home than other noodles, because you basically just need to cut dough into strips -- unlike forming more difficult shapes, like cavatelli, for example.

Whether you're making fresh fettucine or using the store-bought kind, spice up your pasta routine by trying some recipes that have nothing to do with Alfredo. Then return to the classic, because fettuccine Alfredo will always deserve your love.

Here are 21 ways to get more fettuccine in your life.

Want to read more from HuffPost Taste? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Tumblr.