Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

When we’re in the mood for a big bowl of pasta, nothing compares to creamy, cheesy Olive Garden Alfredo sauce. We use this recipe to make the best fettuccine Alfredo, with its rich, smooth sauce that clings to perfectly cooked pasta. Sprinkle on some fresh parsley and set out a basket of crusty breadsticks to make it an Italian feast.

This copycat Olive Garden Alfredo sauce recipe is easy to make and comes together in only 20 minutes. It’s arguably better than the original (as are our other Olive Garden copycat recipes!). Serve the sauce the classic way—over fettuccine or your favorite long noodles—or use it as a dipping sauce for a batch of copycat Olive Garden breadsticks.

Ingredients for Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

• Butter: Butter is a staple ingredient in traditional Alfredo sauces, contributing to the sauce’s rich base. There’s no substitute for real butter; the dish just wouldn’t taste the same without it.
• Heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream and heavy cream are similar, but they have different milk fat contents. If you decide to substitute, the consistency might be slightly different.
• Cheeses: You could use Parmesan cheese alone, but adding Romano cheese makes this one of the cheesiest Alfredo sauces out there!  For best results, grate the cheese yourself instead of buying pre-grated cheese. The sauce will be at its creamiest when the cheese is freshly grated and brought to room temperature.
• Egg yolks: Not all Alfredo recipes include egg yolks, but we add them in ours to thicken the sauce without using flour. Egg yolks also add depth and richness to creamy sauces.
• Nutmeg: A dash of ground nutmeg elevates the Alfredo along with the usual salt and pepper. It’s what makes Olive Garden’s Alfredo sauce stand out among its peers.
• Minced fresh parsley: While optional, fresh parsley adds a fresh finish to the rich sauce.
• Fettuccine: Fettuccine is the classic noodle for Alfredo sauce, but you can swap in linguine (or your favorite pasta shape) to change up the eating experience.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Cook the fettuccine according to package directions.

Step 2: Prepare the Alfredo sauce

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Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.

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Stir in the cream, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, egg yolks, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Editor’s Tip: Be sure to choose a saucepan that will fit the sauce and the cooked fettuccine. Everything will be combined in the pan before serving. If you prefer a garlicky Alfredo sauce, feel free to add minced garlic or garlic powder in this step.

Step 3: Cook the Alfredo sauce

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Cook and stir the sauce over medium-low heat until a thermometer reads 160°F. Do not boil the sauce.

Editor’s Tip: An instant-read meat thermometer is useful for making Alfredo sauce with eggs. Monitoring the temperature is the best way to ensure the egg yolks won’t get hot enough to scramble.

Step 4: Add the cooked pasta

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Drain the fettuccine and add it to the saucepan with the Alfredo sauce and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. If you’d like, sprinkle parsley over the fettuccine Alfredo.

Editor’s Tip: After stirring the pasta, sauce and cheese, the thick sauce and cheese should cling to the pasta. If the Olive Garden Alfredo sauce still feels slightly thin, let the pasta simmer in the sauce for a few minutes before serving.

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Recipe Variations

• Use other cheeses: Although Parmesan and Romano cheese are typical for this kind of sauce, you could make it creamier by adding cubes of cream cheese or make it tangier with blue cheese or goat cheese crumbles. You can also incorporate other melting cheeses like mozzarella, Asiago or Gouda.
• Add protein: Add cooked chicken (even rotisserie chicken) to turn this recipe into a filling chicken Alfredo. Seafood is another great option; add shrimp to make shrimp Alfredo or shrimp and scallops for seafood fettuccine Alfredo. If you want to make it really authentic, try whipping up the shrimp from Olive Garden’s shrimp scampi.
• Include vegetables: Mix in veggies like peas, thinly sliced bell peppers, spinach, cherry tomatoes or cooked broccoli.
• Skip the pasta: Use the Alfredo sauce to make recipes like chicken Alfredo pizza, Alfredo potatoes, Alfredo rice casserole or any other recipes that start with a jar of Alfredo sauce.

How to Store Alfredo Sauce

This Olive Garden fettuccine Alfredo recipe makes about four servings, so you may end up with leftovers. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat pasta, transfer the leftovers to a saucepan and add a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce. Heat them over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until they’re warmed through. You can also warm leftovers in the microwave.

Can you make Alfredo sauce ahead of time?

You can make Alfredo sauce a couple days ahead of time so it’s ready to combine with pasta. Prepare the sauce as directed, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. When you’re ready to eat, prepare the pasta as directed. Reheat the sauce over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Can you freeze Alfredo sauce?

We don’t recommend freezing dairy-based sauces like this Olive Garden Alfredo recipe. The sauce can separate while defrosting, giving it a gritty texture.

Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Tips

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How do you make Alfredo sauce thicker or thinner?

If this Alfredo sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk, heavy cream or water to thin it out. Alternatively, if the sauce isn’t thick enough, you can simmer the cooked pasta in the sauce for a minute or two. The pasta will release starches and thicken the sauce. If that isn’t working, try adding extra cheese to give the sauce more body.

Is Olive Garden’s Alfredo sauce gluten-free?

According to Olive Garden’s nutritional information, their Alfredo sauce contains dairy, wheat and gluten—but our copycat Alfredo sauce is gluten-free! Instead of using a traditional flour-based roux, we thicken the butter and heavy cream with grated cheese and egg yolks. Just make sure to use your favorite brand of gluten-free pasta.

Can you make Alfredo sauce without heavy cream?

Heavy whipping cream gives Alfredo sauce a thick, rich consistency, but half-and-half cream can be substituted for a lighter result. If needed, the sauce can be thickened with flour or cornstarch (the best thickener for creating a gluten-free sauce). Alternatively, softened cream cheese can be whisked in to thicken the creamy sauce, although it will change the flavor profile slightly, making it tangier.