How To Make Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce From Scratch

This homemade Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce is seriously the BEST! It is creamy, rich and is made with just a few ingredients that you most likely have in your fridge. Ready in 20 minutes and pairs great with Fettuccini. Your whole family will love this copycat version of Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce!
If you like copycat recipes, try my Panda Express Black pepper Chicken .

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Copycat Recipe

I love everything about this sauce! It comes together in just 20 minutes and there are so many ways to enjoy it. This sauce is very versatile. It brings any dish to the next level whether it is homemade pasta or baked chicken breasts. You can make also Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo or Shrimp Alfredo . The recipe is very easy and if you are new to cooking, you can make it like a professional chef with my step by step instructions and tips.

Ingredients for Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Unsalted butter: It is an essential ingredient to make roux (mixture of flour and butter) that thickens the sauce. Butter also makes the sauce rich and velvety. Use unsalted butter as it is easier to control saltiness. Any way you can always substitute butter with canola oil. In this case the sauce will not be as rich as the one made with butter, but the texture will be identical.
Garlic: Make sure you mince your garlic cloves! I recommend to use a microplane grater. Don't CHOP garlic! Otherwise you most likely will end with chunks of raw garlic in your sauce.

All-purpose flour: As I mentioned above, we need flour to make roux. For gluten free sauce, use corn starch.
Milk: Both low fat and full fat milk will work really well.
Heavy creamy: The recipe calls for heavy cream, but olive arden alfredo sauce with half and half will be as delicious as the one made with heavy creamy. You won't feel the difference.
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese: Please stick to fresh grated cheese because it provides fantastic nutty and savory flavors. It also tastes better and it melts better in the sauce. It is a 3 minute job for your food processor to grate cheese.
Nutmeg and Black pepper: They help to round out the flavor of the sauce.

How to make Alfredo Sauce

In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 40-50 seconds.
Whisk in all-purpose flour.
Stir in heavy cream and milk.
Add fresh grated Parmesan and cook until the cheese melts.
Season the sauce with salt, pepper and add a pinch of nutmeg. The sauce is ready.
Toss the cooked Fettuccini with the sauce.
Garnish with fresh parsley.

You need high quality butter to achieve creamy and smooth texture.
Don't overcook the roux (butter/flour mixture). Cook just long enough so the butter and flour are well combined and you don't feel the taste of raw flour.
Make sure to bring cheese to room temperature. It is very important because a sudden temperature change will result in clumps and the sauce might have a greasy texture.
Use high quality Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. Please avoid the powdered and tasteless Parmesan. Only fresh grated cheese will provide nutty and savory taste.
Warm up heavy cream and milk before adding to the sauce.

Can I Make Alfredo Sauce ahead of Time?

Yes!! This sauce reheats really well and can be made ahead of time. If you don't plan to use it immediately, allow to cool completely. Then, put in the fridge. Store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Freezes well for 1-2 months.

How to Reheat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

The flour makes this sauce stable and less like to separate or become grainy when it is reheated.
Frozen Alfredo Sauce: Transfer the sauce to the fridge and thaw before reheating. Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat.
If the sauce is very thick, add 1-2 tbsp. of milk or water to thin it out. I don't recommend to reheat the sauce in the microwave because the texture and consistency might change.

How to Serve Alfredo Sauce?

Serve this easy Alfredo sauce plain or with homemade pasta , cacio e pepe , shrimp , steamed broccoli or even as alternative to tomato passata / sauce on pizza .

Try also Homemade Alfredo Sauce and Shrimp Alfredo !

Other Copycat recipes:

Copycat Popeyes Chicken Sandwich
Panda express Black Pepper Chicken
Copycat Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken

If you make this Olive Garden Alfredo and you like Olive Garden copycat recipes be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating! I will be happy to hear from you!

Description

Unsalted butter- 6 tbsp.
Garlic ( minced)- 3 or 1 tbsp.
All-purpose flour- 2 tbsp.
Milk- 1 1/2 cup
Heavy creamy- 1 1/2 cup
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese- 1 cup
Nutmeg-1/4 tsp.
Black pepper-to taste
Salt- as needed
Fettuccine- 0.8 lb or 400 g
Fresh parsley ( finely chopped)- 1 tbsp.

Bring a large pot of water ( slightly salted) to a boil, add fettuccini and cook according to package instructions until al dente or to your liking. In the meantime start making the sauce.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and cook for about 40-50 seconds or until fragrant.
Whisk in all purpose flour, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring until flour and butter froth together, about 2 minutes.
Add the milk and heavy cream, whisking vigorously to blend liquid and roux ( flour mixture). Bring to a boil. The sauce will start to thicken.
Stir in Parmesan cheese, whisking constantly until cheese melts. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Drain fettuccini pasta and add into the saucepan with the sauce. Mix until well combined. It seems there is a lot of sauce for 0.6 lb of pasta, but the pasta will absorb most of the sauce and it will become thicker as well.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

olive-garden-alfredo-sauce

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Category: Pasta recipes
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Calories: 621 kcal
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 399 mg
Fat: 33 g
Carbohydrates: 60 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 18 g
Cholesterol: 152 mg

Keywords: olive garden alfredo sauce, alfredo sauce, pasta alfredo, creamy pasta sauce

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