There are a lot of things that Olive Garden does right, really right. (Like their breadsticks… hello!) One of those things is their Alfredo sauce. Wonderfully creamy with just the right amount of garlic and nutty Parmesan, it’s Alfredo at its best. Whether you pair it with fettuccine, chicken, or some ravioli, it’s totally delicious, and now you can make it right in your own kitchen. (Go right ahead, it’ll take you ten minutes!)
Alfredo sauces is one of those sauces that is surprisingly simple to make. You generally melt some butter in a pan, and then simmer cream along with it until it’s thickened enough. (Then comes the parm.)
Olive Garden though, goes one step further and adds some cream cheese into the first step which makes for a richer and sturdier sauce.
A little bit of garlic powder and a fair amount of Parmesan cheese finish things off.
It’s just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of simmering, but it’s one absolutely delicious sauce! It’s the kind of thing you want to pour over everything. And now you don’t even have to set foot in an Olive Garden to do it.
Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb fettucine or other pasta
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Preparation
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine heavy cream, butter, and cream cheese. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until melted and smooth. Stir frequently.
- After the mixture starts to bubble, whisk in cheese and garlic powder.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve over hot pasta garnished with fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Fabulessly Frugal.