The Cozy Cookbook is here! 
This Cheesecake Factory Copycat recipe for Pasta Da Vinci is easy to make at home and is full of flavor! The savory pasta is surrounded by a creamy Marsala wine sauce with swirls of caramelized onions and flavorful mushrooms!
I have been going through some of my favorite recipes that I originally posted in 2014 when I first started my blog. Some of those recipes are getting the boot, while others, (like this one), are making a comeback to make sure the world doesn’t forget about them. This Pasta Da Vinci recipe is so creamy and delicious, I can’t let it go!
Why Pasta Da Vinci is one of my favorites:
- The seared chicken. Searing chicken in the pan first is an amazing way to add flavor to the meal, especially when all of those delicious brown bits get deglazed by the Marsala Wine.
- The Caramelized Onions. If you or your family doesn’t care for onions, fear not. These onions are so tiny when they are done caramelizing that you barely know they’re in there. They really just add a hint of sweet caramelized flavor to the dish.
- The Marsala Wine. I love wine sauces of all kinds, but the nutty flavor that the Marsala wine gives off in this dish makes you feel like you’re eating at a restaurant.
What Kind of Marsala Wine Should I Use?
Dry Marsala is best when making savory dishes such as this one. It’s also what I use for my Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Chicken Marsala recipe.
This is the variety that I always use when I cook.
What Can I Substitute For Marsala Wine?
The flavors of this meal definitely circulate around the Marsala wine flavor, but if you would like to attempt a substitution, here are some options:
- For a non-alcoholic Substitute: 1/4 cup of white grape juice + 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract + 2 Tablespoons Sherry vinegar.*
- Madeira Wine
- Dry Sherry (not cooking sherry.) or, 1/2 Dry Sherry 1/2 Sweet Vermouth
- 1/4 cup dry white wine + 1 teaspoon Brandy *
Can I Use Button Mushrooms?
Yes! In fact you can really use any kind of mushrooms that you like, but for the most authentic version of this meal, go with Shiitake. You can use less than the amount notated in the recipe if preferred.
Try These Next!
- Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
- Creamy Lemon Pasta (One Pot!)
- Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta
- Creamy Tomato Spinach Pasta
- One Pot Tomato Spinach Tortellini with Sausage
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Copycake Cheesecake Factory Da Vinci Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- Ground pepper
- Salt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, optional
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 lb. Morel or Shiitake Mushrooms; sliced, more or less, your preference
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup Marsala wine, or Madeira
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoons COLD butter
- 3/4 pound penne
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in bite-sized cubes and season with salt and pepper. Toss in flour for added texture if desired.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chicken. Cook for about 8 minutes, tossing occasionally, until nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the butter to the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until caramelized. Stir often to prevent burning. They will get much softer and start to brown after about 15 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan and sautee until the mushrooms soften and also begin to brown.
- Add the wine to the pan and use a spatula to scrape up the remaining brown bits on the bottom of the pan. This will give the sauce tremendous flavor. Let the wine bubble gently for about 5 minutes.
- While the wine reduces, cook the penne according to package instructions, drain, and set aside when finished.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream and the heavy cream, stirring until melted. Swirl in the cold butter until melted. Add the chicken back to the pan.
- Toss the sauce with the penne and serve!
Delicious! My family loves it. Not super similar to the pasta from the restaurant (my wife’s favorite dish) but still makes for a great dinner.
I’m happy to hear that family enjoyed it Leona! Thanks for the great review!💕
Good. Not enough seasoning or salt. Also this is my son’s favorite meal at Cheesecake Factory but he said the sauce is less creamy. This ends up almost being an Alfredo type sauce. Don’t get me wrong, it tastes good. Just a little bland and too creamy compared to the original.
I will be making this tonight and already know it’s going to be amazing because all your recipes are! Quick question … is the sour cream required? We’re not huge fans of sour cream. If I omit it, is there something else I should use (cream cheese or more heavy cream) in its place?
Hi Sharon! The sour cream is important to ensure that the sauce is creamy and has the right texture, I haven’t tested it other than as it’s written. Plain Greek yogurt or mayo are usually adequate substitutes for sour cream, some people use cream cheese in place of sour cream, I just haven’t tested it in this recipe 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
My 18 yo son said “Bro, I’m not gonna lie, top 5″… which after translation meant “it was one of the top 5 things I’ve ever cooked”. So we’re gonna call that a success I think.
It comes out “more white” then I remember the original.. and the onions take forever to reduce… making me think it was too long – but ended up being good. My wife said “it has more Marsala than the original” but “that was a good thing”. Doubling the liquid sauce components was BARELY enough 😉 So Stephanie, well done!
lol, I love that your son said that! Nice work! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review💕
Amazing recipie! However, cheesecake factory uses Madeira cooking wine, not Marsala. It makes the biggest difference as someone who eats this dish reguarly there. I used shiitake mushrooms and baby Bella mushrooms. These 2 small changes make it taste exactly like cheesecakes recipie!
Thanks so much for sharing your receipe
Thanks so much for sharing Desiree! I do have Madeira wine listed as an option as well! 🙂 I do appreciate your tips, thank you!
Any particular Madeira wine you recommend? This pasta dish is one of my absolute favorites so I want to have a wine that’s the best option possible.