Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

By Justin SullivanUpdated: Aug 27, 2024

Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen

2 Ratings

PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN

Yields:

4 - 5 serving(s)

Prep Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Cal/Serv:

905

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preview for Copycat Kitchen - Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Step 5Move pasta to a bowl and garnish with freshly grated Parm and parsley.