Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

This Olive Garden Alfredo sauce recipe is rich, creamy, and full of garlic flavor. After making it about five times to get it just right, I think it tastes so close to the restaurant’s sauce—and honestly, I like this homemade version even better.

It all started with ordering Olive Garden and tasting the Alfredo sauce with my family. Some of us had fettuccine, but most of us really love dipping breadsticks into the sauce. The other night, my son and his friends shared a bowl of my homemade version, and they couldn’t get enough. I kept going back to the kitchen to bake more breadsticks!

I wanted to use ingredients you could find at your grocery store without tracking down specialty cheeses. The ingredient that made the difference for me was a simple shaker container of grated Parmesan and Romano cheese. That little bit of sharper cheese flavor brought the sauce closer to what I tasted from Olive Garden.

Why You’ll Love This Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe

• Easy grocery-store ingredients: I used jarred minced garlic and Kraft grated Parmesan and Romano cheese.
• Quick stovetop recipe: Once everything is combined, the sauce takes about five to ten minutes to thicken.
• Two ways to serve it: Toss it with fettuccine or serve it as a breadstick dip.
• Tested several times: I adjusted the recipe over about five batches to get the flavor where I wanted it.

Parmesan vs. Parmesan and Romano: My Taste-Test Results

Both versions tasted delicious, but the cheese blend was my favorite.

Cheese choice	What I noticed	Which would I choose?
Grated Parmesan	Delicious Alfredo flavor	A good option if Parmesan is what you have
Grated Parmesan and Romano	A sharper cheese flavor that tasted closer to the Olive Garden sauce I ordered	My preferred choice for this copycat

This comparison is based on my own batches and taste testing. The Parmesan-and-Romano blend is what I used in the final recipe.

Ingredients for Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

• Unsalted butter: Use unsalted butter so the added salt stays controlled.
• Olive oil: Warm this with the butter before adding the garlic.
• Minced garlic: I used jarred minced garlic.
• Heavy cream: This makes the rich, creamy base.
• Garlic powder: Used along with minced garlic for the garlic flavor I wanted.
• Ground white pepper: This is the pepper I used in my final recipe.
• Salt: Keep to the amount in the recipe card. More made the sauce too salty for my taste.
• Grated Parmesan and Romano cheese: I used Kraft’s blend from a shaker container.

Why I Use Grated Parmesan and Romano Cheese

You don’t need specialty shredded cheeses for this recipe. I used the grated Parmesan-and-Romano blend sold in a shaker container.

When I tested the sauce with Parmesan alone, it still tasted delicious. But the Romano added the sharper flavor I was looking for after tasting the restaurant’s sauce. For the closest match to my final batch, use the blend.

How to Make Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

1. Melt the Butter and Warm the Olive Oil

In a large saucepan or skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil. Let the butter melt without browning.

I used a large cast iron skillet, but you don’t need one as large as mine. Use a pan with enough room for the cream and for stirring comfortably.

2. Cook the Garlic Until Fragrant

Add the minced garlic and cook briefly, stirring, until you can smell its aroma. Keep the garlic from browning or burning.

3. Add the Heavy Cream and Seasonings

Pour in the heavy cream and mix it into the butter and garlic. Add the garlic powder, ground white pepper, and salt. Whisk until well incorporated.

4. Add the Parmesan and Romano Cheese

Whisk in the grated Parmesan-and-Romano cheese blend.

5. Simmer Until Thickened

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, for about five minutes, until it starts to thicken. If you want it thicker, continue cooking for up to ten minutes total after adding the cheese.

Remember that the sauce will continue thickening as it cools.

Melissa’s Tips for Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

• Use the Parmesan-and-Romano blend for my preferred flavor. Parmesan alone was delicious, but the blend tasted closer to the restaurant sauce to me.
• Choose unsalted butter. This keeps you in control of the salt.
• Stick with the listed salt amount. The cheese contributes salty flavor, too.
• Watch the garlic closely. Cook it until fragrant without letting it brown.
• Give the sauce a moment before judging its thickness. It thickens more as it cools, so you don’t need to cook it until it is extremely thick in the pan.

Serving This Olive Garden Alfredo Recipe

Serve the sauce over fettuccine or set out a bowl with warm breadsticks for dipping.

The breadstick dip is a favorite at our house. When my son and his friends tried it, I kept baking more breadsticks because they were enjoying it so much!

For pasta, toss the cooked fettuccine with the sauce. The grated cheese and chopped parsley shown in my serving photos are optional finishing touches.

Storing and Reheating Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Refrigerating: Transfer leftovers to shallow, covered containers and refrigerate within two hours, or within one hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below and use within three to four days. See USDA’s leftover storage guidance.

Microwaving: Heat in a microwave-safe container in 30-second intervals, stirring and checking between intervals. Continue until the sauce reaches 165°F throughout; the total time depends on the portion and your microwave. ask.fsis.usda.gov

More Olive Garden Copycat Recipes

If you enjoy making restaurant favorites at home, try these next:

• Olive Garden copycat minestrone soup
• Olive Garden copycat pasta fagioli
• Olive Garden Meat Sauce Recipe

Did you try this recipe? Leave a star rating and a comment below. I’d love to hear whether you served it with pasta or breadsticks!