Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo
By Justin Sullivan
Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen

Yields:
4 - 5 serving(s)
Prep Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
20 mins
Cal/Serv:
905
Olive Garden is one of the most popular Italian American restaurants in the country and, other than the salad, soup and breadsticks, I figure that that popularity is in large part driven by one dish and one dish alone: Fettuccine Alfredo. Fettuccine Alfredo is the epitome of creaminess with a rich cheese sauce that is some of the best comfort foods out there. I knew I had to try to encapsulate the magic that is Olive Gardens most popular menu item. In recreating the OG (get it?) Alfredo sauce, I found that 3 things are key:
Garlic Saves The Day:
While many Alfredo sauces rely only on cheese to flavor the pasta, I know that Olive Garden definitely enlists the help of garlic to add an extra punch. In this recipe, I finely grated the garlic to avoid having any big bits of garlic in the dish.
Only Use Fresh Parm:
For this recipe you're going to avoid jarred, powdery Parmesan or even the stuff you can find pre-ground in the refrigerated aisle at the store. Because this cheese is one of the primary flavors in the sauce, buying a block and grating the cheese yourself will ensure that you get the necessary umami and meltiness that this pasta calls for.
Starchy Pasta Water Makes Sauce Better:
Just adding a bit of pasta water will add some starch to the Alfredo and will help the sauce to cling to the fettuccine and create a cohesive, delicious sauce.
Let us know if you tried this recipe by commenting your thoughts below!
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Ingredients
- 1 lb.
fettuccine
- 3
cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp.
freshly ground black pepper, plus more for taste
- 8 Tbsp.
butter, divided and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup
heavy cream
- 1/2 cup
Parmesan, grated plus more for serving
Kosher salt
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Step 1Follow instructions to cook fettuccine subtracting about 2 minutes from the cook time to ensure the pasta is al dente (it will cook further in the sauce). Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Step 2While the pasta cooks, in a large skillet over medium heat melt 1 tbsp of butter. Add grated garlic and black pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and the pepper is lightly toasted.
- Step 3Whisk in heavy cream and the rest of the butter. Bring the cream mixture to a simmer and let reduce over medium for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Step 4When the pasta is fairly al dente add Parmesan and cooked fettucine to the skillet and toss until the cheese is melted and the pasta is fully coated. Add ¼ cup of the pasta water and simmer for an additional minute tossing until the sauce is glossy and cohesive. Keep in mind the sauce may still look a little loose but it will thicken as it cools. If the sauce is still too thin, add more pasta water, ¼ cup at a time (the starch in the water will thicken the sauce). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Step 5Move pasta to a bowl and garnish with freshly grated Parm and parsley.
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