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Olive Garden’s Alfredo Sauce

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!

Overhead view of a skillet full of Fettuccine Alfredo with kitchen tongs in the middle.

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.

A skillet with melted butter and minced garlic in it.

Whisk in the flour. Add heavy cream and milk. Gradually whisk in the cheese.

Final steps in making Alfredo sauce by adding cheese to a pot and stirring it into the sauce

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.

A skillet with Fettuccine Alfredo being added to it and mixed into the sauce.

Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo in a skillet with rolls in the background.

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.

A skillet filled with Fettuccine Alfredo with kitchen tongs pulling noodles up.

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Fettuccine Alfredo sprinkled with parsley in a white bowl with rolls in the background.

Did You Make This Recipe?

I would love for you to leave a rating and a comment below! How’d you do?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overhead view of a pan filled with Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo with kitchen tongs.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

4.97 from 401 ratings
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!

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

Note: You may be tempted to add more cheese to thicken to sauce, but it continues to thicken upon standing and even when added to the pasta.

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!

The nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 624kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Cholesterol: 153mg, Sodium: 399mg, Potassium: 357mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 925IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 347mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
This Olive Garden Alfredo sauce recipe comes straight from the restaurant itself! It takes just 15 minutes to make, and pairs perfectly with fettuccine. | The Cozy Cook | #pasta #italianfood #olivegarden #alfredosauce #comfortfood #fettuccine #copycatrecipe #meatless

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1,027 comments on “Olive Garden’s Alfredo Sauce”

  1. 3 oz butter
    1tbsp garlic sauté together

    2 tablespoons flour
    1-1/2 c milk
    1/2 c romano
    1-1/2 c heavy cream
    1/2 c parm   Olive gardens real Alfredo sauce
    Salt and pepper to taste 

  2. Literally Olive Garden could not compete with this sauce, it’s the only one I use! Absolutely delicious 😋 

  3. I’m freezer meal prepping would this recipe do well in say a pasta bake or lasagna thawed overnight and then baked?

  4. Thanku,miss cozy. Going shopping, and start cooking again. Thanks again. Dianna

  5. Made the Alfredo Sauce as the Recipe called for. Plain wonderful experience.
    Going to the store in a few minutes to purchase the ingredients. Will prepare tomorrow.

  6. Yum!

  7. Made it and loved it. Great recipe

  8. My daughter wanted Olive Garden to cater her graduation party. After checking prices we decided to do it ourselves with your recipe. I’ll need to keep the Alfredo warm for about 4 hours buffet style, do you think it might separate? Any advice? Would a double boiler help keep it warm without separating or can I use a big roaster set on warm? Planning to serve 100.

    • Hi Becky! A double boiler type setup would be thee perfect way to go! The sauce won’t separate as long as it doesn’t get too hot. A double boiler applies even and consistent heat, which is perfect for this! 🙂

  9. How much salt and pepper do you normally add? I know it’s to taste but I need a starting point. I’m unsure because it’s salted butter 

    • Hi Sohnia, in this recipe, some people don’t choose to add salt at all. If you decide to add salt, start with 1/4 tsp and taste, then go from there 🙂

  10. DELICIOUS! I’ve made this several times and also gave the recipe to my daughter who loves it as well!

    • That’s so great to hear Jen!! I love this recipe so much too, it’s the only way I’ll ever make Alfredo! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie

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