Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce square on fork
How to make Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccini Alfredo Sauce! Hands down the best Alfredo sauce and it is not only an easy family dinner right, but its rich, creamy flavor is just as good as eating it in the restaurant!
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Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce is a classic Italian recipe made with butter, cream, parmesan cheese and garlic – a combination that’s sure to make your tastebuds sing.

Perfect for those nights when you just want to recreate that delicious restaurant experience at home, pair it with our Olive Garden Salad, and this copycat sauce will make you feel like a Michelin-star chef.

Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce


Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Recipe

Pasta is one of our go-to family dinners and fettuccine alfredo sauce is for sure a favorite! Once you try this Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce, you will never have to go out for pasta again! (See why this has been pinned thousands of times with rave reviews).

Who doesn’t love the bottomless breadsticks and salad from the Olive Garden? Not to mention, their alfredo sauce is totally to die for, but taking a family of five out for dinner can get really expensive. That is why I love this homemade creamy sauce that all of my boys just love (and will actually eat…which is a miracle!)

I am always looking for an easy dinner and this recipe is so easy to make. You can literally have the sauce ready by the time the pasta is done cooking. Just get your pot of boiling water ready for your pasta of choice and start the sauce while the pasta is cooking.

Why we love this Olive Garden Alfredo Recipe

  • Simple Recipe using basic pantry staples.
  • Quick and easy and ready in under 20 minutes.
  • Pairing the sauce with fettuccini noodles seems to make the perfect combination.
  • Less expensive than eating at the Olive Garden restaurant.
  • Makes a great side dish as well.
  • Made with fresh ingredients in the comfort of your own home.
Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce on a white plate

Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1½ cups whole milk
  • 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 16 oz package fettuccine
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped
copycat olive garden alfredo sauce in a jar

Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe substitutions and additions

  • Heavy Cream – For the most part, half and half and heavy whipping cream can be interchangeable, however, you may notice the sauce becomes a tad bit thinner. If you substitute whole milk, you are going to lose a lot of the richness and creaminess that the heavy whipping cream brings to the recipe.
  • Protein: We love to change up this recipe by adding protein. Some of our favorite proteins to mix in are chicken and shrimp.
  • Vegetables: Try adding broccoli, carrots, mushrooms or asparagus for some added crunch.
  • Seasoning: Feel free to spice it up by adding fresh pepper, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and top it with some additional freshly grated parmesan cheese.
  • Pasta – We typically use fettuccini when paired with alfredo sauce, but any type of your favorite pasta will work. We will frequently use penne or spaghetti.

How to make Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

  1. In a medium saucepan or skillet melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the minced garlic and garlic powder.
  2. Whisk in the flour and then slowly add the heavy cream and milk (while still whisking).
  3. Let boil, reduce him to low and simmer 2-3 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the parmesan cheese until the sauce thickens.
  5. Toss with cooked fettuccini or other pasta.
  6. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Pro-Tip: If too thick, add 1/2 cup – 1/4 cup milk.

More ways to use Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

This sauce is very versatile. There are a ton of other recipes that you can incorporate this easy Alfredo sauce.

  • Use the sauce on a pizza crust and top it with chicken and cheese and voila – you have Chicken Alfredo Pizza!
  • Substitute it for the spaghetti sauce in a lasagna and make an Alfredo Lasagna!
  • Mix it with penne pasta and add chicken and make a Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Bake Casserole!
Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce close up

FAQs Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo

What is Alfredo Sauce?

Alfredo sauce, also known as ‘white sauce’ or “pasta in blanco”, is a cream-based Italian pasta sauce. Most Alfredo sauces are made with Parmesan cheese, butter, cream, and salt. It is often served on top of fettuccini pasta.

Is it better to use fresh garlic or pre-minced garlic?

I always prefer using fresh everything, but a jar of pre-minced garlic will work just fine for this recipe. However, I do not recommend using dry garlic.

Can you fix separated Alfredo sauce?

Yes, you can easily fix separated alfredo sauce! Just throw it in a blender with 1 tablespoon of very hot water and blend until smooth.

Is heavy whipping cream the same as heavy cream?

Heavy cream has slightly more fat the heavy whipping cream.

What is the difference between chicken Alfredo and fettuccine Alfredo?

Chicken Alfredo is a creamy pasta dish made with chicken, while fettuccine Alfredo is a creamy pasta dish made using fettuccine noodles. The main difference between these two dishes is the type of protein used – chicken or fettuccine – as well as the consistency and flavor of the sauce. Chicken Alfredo usually has a thicker and creamier sauce, while fettuccine Alfredo has a thinner texture and often includes Parmesan cheese.

What is the difference between white sauce and alfredo sauce?

White sauce, also known as béchamel sauce, is a creamy, white sauce made from butter, flour and milk. It is commonly used as the base for many pasta dishes such as lasagne and macaroni and cheese. Alfredo sauce, on the other hand, is an Italian-style cream sauce that includes butter, Parmesan cheese, cream, and sometimes garlic. Alfredo sauce is much richer than white sauce and is typically served over pasta dishes such as fettuccine. Though both are creamy sauces, they have very different flavor profiles and should not be used interchangeably in recipes.

olive garden alfredo sauce recipe storage

Store in the Refrigerator: You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. I like to store extra sauce separately from the pasta in a jar.

Freezing instructions: You can freeze the sauce for up to 6 months. Just place it in a freezer-safe container and thaw it prior to use in the fridge.

How to reheat Olive Garden Alfredo sauce

Reheating Instructions: Reheat your alfredo sauce by microwaving it (time varies depending on the quantity) and then whisking until smooth. If you’re more of a stovetop kind of person, heat up over low heat until warmed through. To make sure that sauce doesn’t get too thick, add a little splash of milk or chicken broth when reheating for an extra creamy texture.

olive garden alfredo sauce in a jar

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4.76 from 162 votes
Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce square on fork

OLIVE GARDEN ALFREDO

Serves — 6
How to make Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccini Alfredo Sauce! Hands down the best Alfredo sauce and it is not only an easy family dinner right, but its rich, creamy flavor is just as good as eating it in the restaurant!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 tbsp salted butter
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • cups heavy whipping cream
  • cups whole milk
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 16 oz package fettuccine
  • Fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta per package directions, drain and set aside.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat add butter and let it melt. Add minced garlic, garlic powder and salt. Whisk together to combine.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the butter and garlic mixture. Whisk together and then slowly add the heavy cream and milk while whisking. Let sauce begin to boil and then reduce heat to low and allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add Parmesan cheese and whisk together.
  • Add the cooked and drained fettuccine. Use tongs to toss the pasta in the sauce.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage: 
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
Freezer: Freeze the sauce for up to 6 months. Place it in a freezer-safe container and thaw it prior to use in the fridge.
Reheating Instructions: Reheat your alfredo sauce by microwaving it (time varies depending on the quantity) and then whisking until smooth. To reheat on the stovetop –  heat up over low heat until warmed through. To make sure that sauce doesn’t get too thick, add a little splash of milk or chicken broth when reheating for an extra creamy texture.
 
Note: This recipe was updated on Jan 18, 2020. If you are looking for the old version of my recipe, please see it below:
Ingredients-
½ Cup Butter
2 Tbs Flour
2Tbs Cream Cheese
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1 Pint Cream
½ Cup Shredded Italian Cheese Blend
In a skillet over medium heat melt butter. Add Flour, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt, and whisk. Add Cream, whisk until thick. Add Italian cheese blend, stir until melted, and serve over bed of pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add ¼ cup milk.

Video

Nutrition Info

Calories: 677kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 622mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1355IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 332mg | Iron: 2mg

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Comments

    1. common substitutes for cream cheese are cottage cheese or greek yogurt, but I have never tried either for this recipe. It will for sure change the taste and I cannot vouch for it!

  1. I loved the house dressing at Carolina Roadhouse. would love the receipt since you can’t buy it in the store. Thank you

  2. 5 stars
    I made this sauce for the first time about two weeks ago. I will never have to buy sauce in a jar again. Thank you for this recipe, I made it using the new way. My daughter absolutely raved about it and she loves alfredo sauce. I plan on making again and freezing for future use.

  3. 5 stars
    I don’t care if this is authentic or not. It is freaking AMAZING! My husband said I should make it again next week! Thanks for the recipe.

  4. 5 stars
    Love this recipe!! Just made it for the 1st time…turned out perfect! I added shrimp and my family loved it..it was super easy, served with fetuccini,breadsticks and salad…