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The Ultimate 20-Minute Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

A close-up of rich, creamy olive garden alfredo sauce topped with cracked black pepper in a white bowl.
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Make the rich, creamy, garlic-Parmesan Alfredo sauce from Olive Garden at home in just 20 minutes. This easy recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor using simple ingredients.

Ingredients

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  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add the minced garlic to the melted butter and cook for about one minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
  3. Pour in the heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low.
  4. Gradually whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese, a little at a time, until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
  5. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and the optional nutmeg. Stir well to combine.
  6. Remove the sauce from the heat. If the sauce seems too thick, you can thin it slightly with a splash of reserved pasta water.
  7. Serve immediately over hot fettuccine or use as a dip for breadsticks.

Notes

  • Use high-quality, freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best melting and flavor. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
  • If you are serving this sauce with pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining the noodles. You can use this water to adjust the consistency of the sauce if it becomes too thick.
  • This sauce is excellent when used as a base for chicken or shrimp Alfredo dishes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mistyplate.com/olive-garden-alfredo-sauce-recipe/