If you like creamy white pasta sauce, you will absolutely love this Olive Garden alfredo sauce recipe! It’s rich, creamy, and cheesy, and it has just the right amount of pizzazz — compliments of the bit of garlic powder stirred in at the end. This recipe makes enough for four servings, but you can easily double it if you plan on serving a group.
Better than Olive Garden Alfredo Recipe
©CentsLessMeals
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The Olive Garden alfredo sauce recipe is definitely one of the easiest sauces you’ll ever make from scratch! While you can substitute low-fat cream cheese if you must, using all of the ingredients as listed will give you the most authentic results. And keeping best results in mind, Parmesan cheese is a key flavor ingredient in this sauce, so you should either buy it freshly grated in your grocer’s refrigerated section, or even better, buy a block of fresh Parmesan cheese and quickly grate eight ounces (1 cup) for this recipe.
Ready to start? Here are just a few additional tips:
- Boil your pasta and let it drain while you are making your sauce.
- Use a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. This will help ensure a nice, even heating process that is one key to making a smooth sauce.
- Another key to making a smooth sauce is to use a whisk, which works like a very low-tech blender and perfectly combines your sauce ingredients.
- Once done, this sauce will thicken slightly in the pan while it sits. You can combine it immediately with your prepared pasta.
- Your pasta will look even more special if you garnish it with color! Try parsley sprigs, or mix in sundried tomatoes or black olives.
CopyCat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 1 stick butter
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 8 ounces grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Melt butter and cream cheese in a sauce pan over medium heat until completely smooth.
- Add whipping cream and turn the heat to medium-high. Whisk together until smooth and slightly bubbly.
- Add parmesan cheese to taste. I use the full 8 oz but you can use less. Stir in garlic powder.
Notes
Nutrition
Once you try this Olive Garden alfredo sauce recipe, you won’t need or want to try any other alfredo sauce! It’s so creamy, cheesy, rich and easy to make that it will become a regular pasta sauce in your household!
Here are more recipes you’ll enjoy
Olive Garden Salad Dressing recipe
Chicken Bacon Alfredo Roll-Ups
Wendy says
This is absolutely delicious! It reheats wonderfully and if you have New York Bakery Garlic Bread Sticks available where you are, BUY THEM (or, of course, make your own if you’re so inclined) to dip them in the Alfredo. You’ll feel like you’re at The Olive Garden. I’ll never try another Alfredo recipe. Thank you!!
CentsLess Meals C says
You are very welcome Wendy! So happy to hear that you love this alfredo so much!
Ginny says
I love this recipe for copy cat Olive Garden Alfredo sauce. Question for you. Can the sauce be made the day before and then heated up the next day?
CentsLess Meals C says
We’ve never made it in advance so can’t say for sure, but other readers have mentioned that it reheats beautifully. Let us know if you try it ahead Ginny!
Tabby Marx says
tried many Olive Garden knock off recipes, never happy with them. This one is the best I have ever found. I used a store brand of shredded parmesan so it needed a pinch of salt to bring out flavor. Will never use any other recipe. I don’t care if this is an AUTHENTIC ITALIAN ALFREDO recipe, I just wanted one that tasted exactly like Olive Garden’s does. THIS is it. THANKS so much!
CentsLess Meals C says
I’m so happy to hear that Tabby!
Viviana Barragan says
This recipe works great! It tastes like olive Garden pasta! Its delicious!
CentsLess Meals C says
So glad to hear you loved this recipe Viviana!
Steve says
Authentic fettuccine Alfredo does not have any garlic!
Beth says
What is the best way to reheat alfredo sauce without it separating?
Sarah says
I needed to use up heavy cream and came upon this recipe. I wanted to have enough to cover 2lb of thin spaghetti (16 servings). I adjusted the recipe ingredients amount using a total of 8oz cream cheese, 1 1/3 sticks of butter, 5 cups of a blend of heavy cream and 2% milk (specifically 3 cups of cream and 2 cups of milk), 10 oz. grated parmesan cheese, and about 1.5T of garlic powder. It made enough delicious sauce to make 16 saucy servings of pasta. I also added 1.5 lb of GFS pre-cooked, diced chicken (great timesaver), so I have chicken alfredo.
Janice says
Love there afredo sauce going to try this ready soon thanks for your recipes I am trying the dressing the same night so I will have a Olive Garden dinner a home thanks.
Wendy Webster says
Did this with meatballs and it was amazing !! Will do it with Prawns next Thank you!!
shalei says
How much does this recipe make
Holli says
How many servings does this recipe make?
Kaitlyn says
I have made this more than once! It is my favorite Alfredo recipe!!!
Penny says
My daughter shared this with me and I’m so glad she did. I always feel better about making something “from scratch” so I avoid preservatives and salt. I am pleasantly surprised by how well it reheats, almost better the next day! Thanks for posting.
Patricia Gill says
Does this sauce freeze well?
Laura Kelsay says
Do you use grated parmesan or do you grate your own? I love alfredo sauce!!!!!
Miz Helen says
This is the best Alfredo Sauce very rich and full of flavor. Thanks for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope you are having a great weekend!
Miz Helen
Marcy @ day2day SuperMom says
OH. MY. ALFREDO SAUCE. Pinned & will be eating ASAP! Thanks for sharing at the Should Be Mopping the Floor Party =)
Yvonne @ StoneGable says
I love this post!!!! What a great recipe. Alfredo sauce is so versatile!!!
Thanks for joining ON THE MENU MONDAY and sharing this yummy sauce!
tonia says
i made this and it was amazing..thank you so much dont think i will go back to using the jar stuff again