Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce is the copycat I make when my family wants creamy pasta without a trip to the restaurant. It is thick and buttery, loaded with Parmesan and garlic, and it coats every strand of fettuccine instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

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My family asked for Olive Garden Alfredo so often that I started making it at home, and after enough rounds in my kitchen it became one of the most requested pasta dinners we have. It is one of the oldest recipes on my site, with hundreds of reviews, and I still come back to it whenever I need a dinner I know everyone will eat.

The thing that makes this version work is the mix of heavy cream and whole milk instead of cream alone. Cream by itself can turn heavy and pasty, and the splash of whole milk keeps the sauce silky and pourable. A little flour whisked into the butter first is what holds it all together so it stays smooth.

I love serving this with a big bowl of Olive Garden salad for a full copycat dinner at home. You can find more of my copycat restaurant recipes here too.

Key Ingredients

Salted butter: This is the base of the sauce and where the garlic flavor blooms. If you only have unsalted, add a pinch more salt to make up for it.

Heavy cream and whole milk: Using both is what gives this sauce its texture. Cream alone gets heavy and thick, and the whole milk keeps it silky and pourable. I do not recommend skim or 2 percent, since the lower fat makes the sauce thin and more likely to break.

All-purpose flour: A little flour whisked into the butter is the quiet workhorse here. It thickens the sauce so it clings to the pasta instead of running to the bottom of the bowl.

Fresh Parmesan: Grate it off a block. A good Parmesan is most of the flavor in this sauce, so it is worth using a real wedge instead of the canister kind.

How to make Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Step 1: Cook the Fettuccine Boil the fettuccine in well-salted water to al dente, then drain and set it aside. Scoop out about half a cup of the pasta water first in case you need it later.

Step 2: Melt the Butter and Garlic Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then whisk in the minced garlic, garlic powder, and salt. Adding the salt here spreads the seasoning through the whole sauce instead of leaving it sitting on top at the end.

Step 3: Build the Sauce Sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk it smooth. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and whole milk while whisking, bring it to a gentle boil, then drop the heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Step 4: Add the Parmesan Lower the heat and whisk in the Parmesan a little at a time until the sauce is smooth and glossy. This is the step where patience pays off, so do not rush it.

Step 5: Toss with the Pasta Add the drained fettuccine to the skillet and use tongs to toss until every strand is coated.

Step 6: Garnish and Serve Top with fresh chopped parsley and serve right away while it is warm and creamy.

More Ways to Use This Alfredo Sauce

This sauce does a lot more than coat fettuccine.

Spread it on a pizza crust with chicken and cheese for a quick chicken Alfredo pizza. Use it in place of jarred sauce in my chicken Alfredo bake, or roll it up with chicken and noodles in my chicken Alfredo lasagna rollups.

How to Store and Reheat

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 days. I like to keep extra sauce in a jar, separate from the pasta.

Freezer: Freeze the sauce on its own for up to 6 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw it in the fridge before using.

Reheating: Warm it gently. Microwave in short bursts and whisk, or heat on the stovetop over low. Add a splash of milk if it has thickened too much.

Browse all my copycat recipes for more sit-down favorites made at home

More Copycat and Pasta Recipes

• Better Than Takeout Fried Rice
• Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
• Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli
• Copycat Starbucks S’mores Bars

Video

4.76 from 163 votes

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 6

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce is a rich, creamy copycat made with butter, cream, and fresh Parmesan. I make it when my family wants restaurant pasta at home without the wait.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 6 tablespoons salted butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1½ cups whole milk
• ▢ 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 16 ounce 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.
  6 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt
• 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.
  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream, 1½ cups whole milk
• Add Parmesan cheese and whisk together.
  1 cup Parmesan cheese
• Add the cooked and drained fettuccine. Use tongs to toss the pasta in the sauce.
  16 ounce package fettuccine
• Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
  Fresh parsley

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.

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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