The Cozy Cookbook is here! Make Olive Garden’s Alfredo Sauce Recipe at home in just 20 minutes! Pair it with Fettuccine for an easy dinner idea the whole family will love!
Love Olive Garden Copycat Recipes?! Try these Chicken Gnocchi or Zuppa Toscana Soup recipes next!
I know it’s a restaurant chain, but honestly, Olive Garden’s Alfredo Sauce recipe is just perfect in my book. Hands-down. Chain or no chain, I love it.
(And you won’t believe how easy it is to make at home!)
PRO Tips For Making Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce:
- Olive Garden’s Alfredo Sauce recipe is made with Parmesan and Romano Cheeses, however you can also incorporate Mozzarella, Gruyere, Gouda, or Asiago. You can also just use Parmesan.
- You can use half and half instead of half heavy cream/half milk.
- If you only have evaporated milk, just use half the amount of milk and replace the other half with water. You won’t compromise flavor or consistency by doing this in creamy sauces like this one.
- You can even experiment with different pastas. I like fettuccine because the noodles soak up that thick sauce well, and Tortellini Alfredo with Broccoli is delicious as well!
How to Make Alfredo Sauce
Melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Whisk in the flour. Add heavy cream and milk. Gradually whisk in the cheese.
Add cooked Fettuccine. Sauce will continue to thicken upon standing.
Tip: I like to use 3/4 lb. of fettuccine for saucier pasta, but this recipe will satisfy a full pound as well.
Tips for Extra-Creamy Sauce
- Use blocks of (high-quality) cheese and shred it yourself for extra creamy results. Bagged shredded cheese has cellulose added to it to prevent the cheese from sticking together in the bag. Cellulose repels moisture, which makes it melt poorly in comparison to shredding the cheese yourself.
- Let the cheese come down to room temperature before adding it to the sauce.
- Sprinkle in the cheese gradually, the sauce should be warm but not too hot. Otherwise the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
- High-quality butter is important. I like Land O’ Lakes brand.
⭐Pro Tip: Alfredo sauce continues to thicken upon standing, and thickens even more when it’s added to pasta. Refrain from adding additional cheese to thicken it up.
⭐This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 132!
Making Alfredo Sauce Ahead of Time
- Alfredo sauce is a convenient make-ahead and freezable sauce. Unlike some other cheese sauces, the flour in this recipe helps it to maintain it’s consistency when cooled and reheated.
- It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- It can also be frozen and is best if used within 1-2 months.
How to Reheat Alfredo Sauce
- Alfredo sauce will thicken up and harden as it cools, but can be easily microwaved or slowly reheated on the stove top. Reheating in a makeshift double boiler is the best reheating method to restore it back to it’s original form. (Either by itself or when combined with pasta.)
- Frozen Alfredo sauce should be thawed overnight in the fridge before heating.
- If the sauce is too thick when reheated, add a splash of milk or chicken broth to thin it out.
Try These Next!
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- Olive Garden Salad
-
- Copycat Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken
-
- Tuscan Mac and Cheese
-
- Creamy Garlic Chicken
-
- Bacon Mac and Cheese
-
- Mushroom Chicken
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Did You Make This Recipe?
I would love for you to leave a rating and a comment below! How’d you do?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter, high quality
- 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups whole milk, 1% or 2% can be used if needed
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated and at room temperature
- ½ cup Romano cheese, grated and at room temperature
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb. Fettuccine
- Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Boil the fettuccine according to package instructions. As the water preheats, begin the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Add the heavy cream in splashes, stirring continuously. Add the milk in the same manner.
- Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to low to bubble. It will continue to thicken as it simmers.
- Slowly stir in the cheese. Taste and season with salt/pepper if desired.
- Drain the pasta and carefully mix it into the sauce until well incorporated. The pasta will absorb the sauce and it will continue to thicken.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve!
Notes
For Saucier Pasta: Use 3/4 lb. pasta instead of a full pound.
Pro Tips for Reheating:
- Alfredo sauce will thicken up and harden as it cools, but can be easily microwaved or slowly reheated on the stove top. Reheating in a makeshift double boiler is the best reheating method to restore it back to it's original form.
- Frozen Alfredo sauce should be thawed overnight in the fridge before heating.
- If the sauce is too thick when reheated, add a splash of milk or chicken broth to thin it out.
- Be sure to serve this with my Olive Garden Salad!
⭐This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 132!
Would it be okay to just use whole milk?
Yes! Just won’t be as creamy and won’t taste as much like OG. 😌
This tasted just like Olive Garden sauce! We loved it and thought it was supper yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!!
Hey Allison! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, that totally makes my day! THANK YOU sooo much for taking the time to rate and comment my friend! -Stephanie
How do you add chicken to the recipe?
Sear chicken over medium high heat in the same skillet you plan to prepare the sauce in. You’ll want it cooked all the way through. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear it in 1-2 TBS olive oil. Set it aside, prepare the sauce in the same pan. Then add the chicken back to the sauce once it’s done. Toss with pasta an serve!
—I like to cut my chicken breasts in half to crest two thinner slices. They cook better and more evenly!
This is the best Alfredo sauce I have ever had. Very creamy and smooth and so much velvety flavour. A definite keeper!
Yaaayy!! I’m so so happy to hear that!!!
This was so easy and so yummy! It tasted so much like the Olive Garden version! I grilled some chicken and served it on the side with some broccoli, and it felt so fancy! Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Chelsea! I’m so glad that you liked it!! I know, every time I make it, I can’t believe how quickly it comes together. I’m definitely going to have it with broccoli next time, sounds perfect! Thank you so much for taking the time to rate and comment! -Stephanie
I worked there for 12 years. It does not have Romano cheese or that much milk.
No prob Bob! Here’s the same recipe from their site though. 🤷♀️ https://www.olivegarden.com/recipe/alfredo-sauce/man-imp-reci-prd-69
John, any chance you can share the recipe for the actual restaurant?
For this recipe is the 64 carbs including the noodles or just the sauce by itself?
Hi Dawn! That number includes the fettuccine! 🙂
Thank you for sharing! I didn’t have to run out and buy a jar of alfredo sauce.
Any idea how Olive Garden does their chicken alfredo?
Add sliced, grilled chicken. I marinated my chicken breast in a balsamic/olive oil mixture with Italian seasonings and fresh minced garlic, salt and pepper. Grilled on the outdoor grill so it had that ‘authentic’ Olive Garden look to it. It was delicious.
Absolutely delicious
My kids and I love it
Hey Diane! I’m sooo happy that you liked it and that your kids did too, that’s a home run! I love that! Thanks for taking the time to rate and comment! -Stephanie