Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
An easy, no-fuss dish you can make right at home with ingredients that you already have on hand. It’s also cheaper, healthier and quicker than ordering out!
I woke up one morning with a huge craving for alfredo sauce. I don’t know what it was but I just had to have it right then and there. But delivery was going to take over an hour and Olive Garden was about 45 minutes away. And I just couldn’t wait that long.
At that point, I was almost even tempted to buy those jarred alfredo sauces. Yes, I just wanted it that badly. I know. Shameful.
But after perusing through my pantry, I realized that I had all the ingredients to make the Olive Garden alfredo sauce right at home. And surprisingly enough, it came together in just 15 minutes from start to finish. It couldn’t be easier!
And as always, the homemade version really knocked it out of the park. I was thoroughly satisfied, as I devoured about 3 servings of these. Then I ran 4 miles. It’s all about that balance, right?
Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk, or more, to taste
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg yolk, beaten
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
- Combine butter, garlic, heavy cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and egg yolk, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed.
- Stir in pasta and gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and parsley, if desired.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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First time making Alfredo with egg in it. I didn’t tell my family I had used a new recipe but they noticed and went nuts for it. I used 2% milk instead of whole (it’s what I had) and it was okay. I didn’t need any extra.
Very very good ! I will make this alot My husband loved it and I loved the fact that it was easy.
i have never had alfredo so good this is better than the real olive garden im so in love with this my cousin also think the same thing
Made this for dinner and got great reviews from my little family!! Thank you so much!! I’ve made sauce from scratch in the past but recently have been buying the jars because it’s quick. lol. Will use this again!
Love! I added chicken that I had cooked beforehand with sale and pepper and added it at the end with the cooked noodles. My family ate every last bite! And our house smelt amazing!
Holy Guacamole! Is this recipe ever tasty . Made if for my church potluck and it was an absolute smash! Everybody kept going on about how good it was. My ex-husbands new girlfriend couldn’t stand the amount of compliments I was getting lol! I win this round Christina!!!! I added sun-dried tomatoes and shrimp which I thought went very well with the flavour profile. 🙂
O-M-G. Just made a double batch for the family and it was a hit. I followed your recipe to a T and it was absolutely amazing. There’s absolutely no reason to ever buy jarred Alfredo sauce again with this recipe at your finger tips.
I woke up one morning with a huge craving for alfredo sauce. I don’t know what it was but I just had to have it right then and there. But delivery was going to take over an hour and Olive Garden was about 45 minutes away. And I just couldn’t wait that long.
At that point, I was almost even tempted to buy those jarred alfredo sauces. Yes, I just wanted it that badly. I know. Shameful.
But after perusing through my pantry, I realized that I had all the ingredients to make the Olive Garden alfredo sauce right at home. And surprisingly enough, it came together in just 15 minutes from start to finish. It couldn’t be easier!
And as always, the homemade version really knocked it out of the park. I was thoroughly satisfied, as I devoured about 3 servings of these. Then I ran 4 miles. It’s all about that balance, right?
We’re so glad you found this recipe in your moment of need! Thanks for sharing, Steven! 🙂
Found this recipe after craving some Olive Garden and I just wanted to comment and let others know IT REALLY IS THAT GOOD! The recipe was easy to follow and probably one of the best things I’ve ever made (everyone loved it)! I added a little more butter and some shrimp with a little crushed red pepper on it. Fantastic with a side of asparagus!
Man this turns out even better every time i make it.
OMG, I made this for company & boy did I impress them. I have a retreat in 2 weeks & am wondering if this can be made ahead of time, reheated then served over pasta with either shrimp or chicken. Or will it curdle?
You can make this the night before as the sauce reheats very well on the stovetop.
Just wanted to let you know that this is possibly the best pasta I’ve ever made. I added sautéed mushrooms. Thank you!
That’s awesome Lydia! Thank you!
Made this tonight w bow tie pasta and man was is a hit
Found the right recipe cannot wait to use it tomorrow night !!!!!!
Delish! Very easy and only alfredo sauce I need. Egg yoke was genius for richness and thickener. 5 stars!
Hi! I want to try this using shrimp. Should I just sauté the shrimp first with butter and garlic? Or would salt and pepper be enough seasoning for the shrimp?
With butter and garlic!!!
Could you please let me know why the egg yolk in the Alfredo sauce?
The egg yolk creates a more rich, creamier consistency.
Made this according to the recipe, except I used all (1 cup) half-n-half. Had no problem getting the sauce thick enough via “simmering”, without adding flour or cornstarch. Very good, it’s a keeper!
This is by far the easiest alfredo sauce to make. I made this twice for my family and I’m no longer allowed to buy jarred alfredo sauce ever again.
Thanks so much for this recipe! Best home made alfredo sauce to date!
I made this tonight for Valentine’s Day Dinner. But 3 things I did differently. 1. I doubled the alfredo sauce ingredients so that my pasta didn’t lack the evenly saucy taste mixed with the pasta that my family loves. 2. I added 2 tbsp of flour to the sauce to make the sauce thicker because the original recipe made the sauce too watery. 3. I substituted Half and half for the whole milk to give the sauce a creamer taste. Omg…it all came out so good..I will definitely be making this again. This is now a favorite!!
I just made this tonight for dinner and it was very good. I have a few remarks to add. Before I drained the pasta, I reserved about a cup of the pasta water to use if it needed it, rather than milk. As it was, the sauce was a little on the thin side, but I put it back on medium heat, whisking it, for about 30 seconds to a minute and it thickened up nicely. I live in SE Alaska in the Panhandle so have a ready source of fresh shrimp, crab, salmon (which I smoke and can), and halibut. I used some prawns, and really liked your suggestion to roast the shrimp rather than saute which I would ordinarily do, which can be messy. I might add a little tarragon to the shrimp next time. I also think this would be good topped with some smoked salmon as well. Thanks, keeper recipe.
And yes, nutmeg is always good in cream based pasta recipes.
It’s been a while since I made fetuccini alfredo, and I lost my original sauce recipe. So I Googled, specifically looking for ones with egg yolk, and tried this one.
Next time I’ll try a different one.
This was bland, runny, and tasted like garlic milk. I had to let it simmer for at least 15 minutes after I added the yolk (which, by the way, it is best to put some sauce in a separate dish, let it cool, and add the yolk to that, stirring generously, and slowly adding more sauce, stirring the whole time, until the sauce in the dish and the sauce in the pan are nearly the same temperature. This is the best way to ensure you don’t cook your yolk and harden it.) and there are no instructions to do so. There is not enough heat left in the pan to appropriately melt the cheese, IMO. And then we still deal with the runny texture. By simmering it after adding the yolk, I was successfully able to melt the cheese, however, only slightly thicken it. I even added another 1/3 cup of cheese. It didn’t help much.
I don’t know what Olive Garden alfredo tastes like, but if this is the copycat version, I will know to avoid that menu item.
If I had any recommendations to other home chefs, it would be to add some oregano maybe to the sauce, and lessen the milk from the get go. And don’t forget the nutmeg 😉
I used 1/2 n 1/2 by mistake, personally I didn’t care for it, I will buy heavy creme next time and try it again
Mine was a little runny too, but i melted the butter and the minced garlic then I wisked in 1 Tablespoon of flour for 2 minutes then added the milk and wisked that in. Then followed the rest of the recipe as normal. It was great! I love this recipe!!!
HI, I have to omit the whole milk due to a very specific food allergy. Can I substitute with heavy cream?
Also, does your sauce stay nice for leftovers or does it separate? Most alfredo sauces separate wn reheating the next day and I was wondering if you have any ideas of how to avoid this? I have read that corn starch or cream cheese may solve the problem but am reactant to try! Any experience with this?
Heavy cream would be a great substitute. This also reheats very well the following day.
I followed the recipe to the letter. The sauce never thickened. I even let it sit for 15 minutes. It still never thickened. I wonder if the milk may have something to do with it, as traditional recipes call for all cream? It is still a tasty sauce, but it won’t thicken to typical Alfredo sauce thickness.
Hi, my sauce ended up way too thin…. any suggestions? Followed recipe (or so I thought )
The sauce will thicken as it cools.
I admittedly have not read ALL the comments but wanted to share a few thoughts.
I used shaved parmesan “petals” so I don’t know if this affected the outcome at all, but I too found the sauce really thin. I did end up adding about a teaspoon of flour and it thickened up nicely. I like garlic but I don’t want it coming out all my pores… so I cooked only one clove of minced garlic for a bit in the butter, added the milk and cream, and then strained the garlic out before cooking it all again… so I got the flavour without all the power. Thanks for sharing this and all your recipes!
Hi, I am making a birthday party this Sunday and planning on making this! I love Fettuccine Alfredo and I can’t wait to try this recipe! How far in advance can I make the sauce? And what is the best way to rewarm it?
You can make this the night before as the sauce reheats very well on the stovetop.
I LOVE this recipe. The only things I do different is after I cook the sauce, I add it to the crock pot for a few hours, and I have to quadruple the recipe just to get enough for my husband and I to have dinner and leftovers the next day. We don’t eat a whole lot of food but when I make it the way the instructions say I barely have enough for one person. Am I doing something wrong?
Not at all – some people prefer to have more sauce than others! 🙂
Does this freeze well? I won’t eat it all so I’d like to freeze some. TIA!!
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
I read; combine butter, garlic, heavy cream and milk in a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. What’s not clear to me is if the garlic needs to be backed in the butter and after stir in the cream and butter, or whisk (room temperature) butter with the garlic, cream and milk and bring all together at once into the sauce pan.
Thank you in advance for explaning.
You can combine all of the ingredients at the same time.
Can I make a day ahead and heat in the oven? What temp should I use?
This is really best when served immediately.
Making this for 25 people and would like to make the sauce ahead of time. Is that possible, and if so, should the sauce be too thick should I use more cream or some pasta water to thin it. Will be putting the fettuccini Alfredo as a side in a chafing dish.
Also, how come none of the recipes never call for some nutmeg? Thank you for your help.
Joan, this is really best when served immediately, and as someone who has not tried making this ahead of time, I cannot answer this with certainty. Please use your best judgment. If you would like to add nutmeg, you can simply add that in to taste.
I do not have heavy cream or half and half. Do you think substituting evaporated milk will be ok?
Thanks for the tips.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise how much this will alter the overall taste/texture of the dish. Please use your best judgment.
I am a husband with kids and prepare meals once or twice a week. I do enjoy cooking, but usually just open cans of sauce, vegetables, etc. For some reason, I wanted to try alfredo from scratch, and the “Olive Garden” in your recipe got my attention. Just wanted to say how EASY this recipe was for a very part time cook! It turned out perfect and was delicious. It was a hit with my wife and kids. I added grilled chicken breasts cut into strips. Thanks for sharing it.
Scratch what i asked earlier, I’m new to cooking pasta or any other dish other than my country’s. I did a research and found out that fettuccine is a type.
The ingredients required 8 ounces fettuccine but it no was used in the instructions while making alfredo sauce. Please let us know if it’s needed or was it an error? Thank you.
I followed the directions exactly but this was watery. Not sure what went wrong. I added more cheese to thicken it and then the sauce broke – but that’s on me. I did like the method of cooking the shrimp in the oven.
Danyel, the sauce thickens as it cools, and the addition of cheese should have helped it thicken up a bit.
This was a great recipe. I added some shrimp, bell peppers, onions, celery, thyme, cayenne, and Tony’s to give it a cajun kick that my family loved.
Wow!!! This was damn good!!! Next time I have to increase the sauce because my boyfriend was obsessed with it.
I wanted to verify if you just use the egg yolk? Or the entire egg?
Julie
Yes, that is correct. The recipe calls for 1 egg yolk.
Okay now I want the bread sticks to dip in it. 🙂 Thank you for this.
I love so many of your recipes!! one of my favorites is the Garlic Parmesan Shrimp (I think its one of your appetizer dishes). Do you think mixing that recipe and this one would be too cheesy? Maybe if I don’t add so much Parm to the shrimp? I think the lemon might also ruin the Alfredo sauce, but I’m not too sure.
What do you think?
Julie, it may be best to simply roast the shrimp in salt and pepper only as the garlic parmesan shrimp may bring in unwanted (or overpowering) flavors into this dish.
Wow. This was Damn Delicious! I’ve tried a few of your recipes and am always amazed! Thank you so much! You have fans in Ohio!
Wow. You answered so quickly. Thanks so much. Now I’ll be able to make it tonight. I just bought shrimp and fresh broccoli when I did the food shopping yesterday. I told my kids that we should make some fettuccine alfredo. But then I thought I should get a recipe and make it homade. Saw your recipe and thought it sounded perfect. Olive garden has been me and my husband’s favorite restaurant for almost 20 years and we used to go every Friday when we were young and dating. My kids now love it too. So this dinner will mean so much to my family and bring back the memories of dating when my husband and I were young. And it will even be Friday night. Thank you so much.
The pressed garlic. How exactly do you add them at the end? Do you just press them and add it then remove them? Do you press it, slice it long ways, then remove them at the end? Or do you press them and chop them up and leave them in there? Thanks
Beth, “pressed garlic” refers to a method of chopping garlic utilizing a garlic press like this one here.
Flour? Mine was extremely runny even after sitting for 45 minutes. Smells heavenly but I needed a straw for the “sauce”.
Evelyn, what kind of Parmesan cheese did you use?
Is it possible to add greek yogurt instead of heavy cream?
You can certainly try substituting Greek yogurt but without further recipe testing, I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Using a substitution may also result in a mediocre outcome.
I made this tonight, but unfortunately I didn’t have fresh parmesan cheese, only the green shaker bottle. I used extra amounts of that and evened out thickness with milk/flour. It still came out good, but I’m sure it doesn’t compare to fresh cheese 😛
Thank you!!! it looks delicious! Your web looks so pretty by the way 🙂
Just made it for dinner tonight and it was delicious(even my picky roommate liked it) though I accidentally got Romano cheese instead, whoops. I thought it was going to be too runny but it thickened after sitting for a bit. Will definitely make again.
So question, I made this and like previous times I made alfredo sauce the whole sauce just get chunky. Like basically all turn to kinda really mushy cheese. I know alfredo in store and stuff all have smooth texture so I’m wondering why its happening. I think might be what I’m using does pre graded cheese make that happen? I also use heavy whipping cream as thats the only heavy cream I could find is that correct? Thanks for any help.
Rex
Yes, pre-shredded cheese will make a difference. As mentioned in the recipe, freshly grated is always best!
Made this tonight, added shrimp to it, and it was fantastic! My husband and kids loved it. Thank you for sharing this! This sauce was so easy to make. Look forward to making more of your recipes!
PS- I’ve also made your cheddar bay biscuits before and they are excellent!
Heather
I am making this tonight with asparagas and shrimp 🙂
Made this last night and it came out perfect! Not too thick or thin. I spooned the sauce over each portion instead of adding to the bowl of Tortellini – so if you’re adding to noodles that are not drained well I can see how it may get runny or thinned out.
Thank you!
Hi! Quick question- how do you not go crazy from people asking you stupid questions? Questions that can easily be answered by simply *reading*. Reading the comments or even, gasp!, the original post itself!
Great pictures. I am planning on making alfredo sauce next week. My recipe is the same as yours, same directions and I use fresh grated Parmesan cheese but it either clumps or is grainy. Have any idea what may cause this? Sometimes I add diced Proscuitto ham and fresh peas or small pieces of broccoli to the sauce but I am going to try the mushrooms too.
It could be the Parmesan cheese – perhaps it’s too finely grated?
Would Gruyere be an ok substitution for the recipe? I only have a pecorino/Romano blend and it doesn’t melt as nicely. Please advise!!!
Leo, it may be best to actually use the Pecorino/Romano blend rather than the Gruyere.
In the early years of my marriage, I made a lot of processed, easy to make ‘foods’. Fast forward 20 years, My 10 year old daughter started watching all of the cooking shows on tv. She was always wanting to make things that she saw on tv. I have learned that it is easier and tastes so much better than the boxed, processed stuff. She asked for pasta alfredo for lunch today. I don’t have a “go to” recipe for it, so google is a good friend of mine. the first recipe to show was the pioneer woman so that is what i made. eh, not so good. was missing something. you were next on the list, garlic. that is what was missing. I have landed here many times when searching for a recipe. You never disappoint!! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Best Alfredo recipe, ever!
Made this. It was very runny. Is it not supposed to be thick?
Yes, it is supposed to be thick. It thickens up as it cools.
Made this tonight and it was great!! I doubled it, and almost ran out! Next time I will have to triple the recipe!! loved it, thanks for posting it!
Just a tip.for all you new cooks from a self taught “old” cook. Trust your recipe, its creator , in this case, Chungah, and yourself. Don’t be afraid & try again. Re-read your questions after you’ve succeeded and gain confidence in that you can cook. Anything. Soon you’ll have favs your family asks for. My son’s? Creamed petite onions. Food is the best family time together and always make time for making it with your family. Cook on!
How many does your recipe serve? I want to make enough to serve my Homeless Ministry.
This recipe yields about 4 servings.
Hi! I’m trying to eat healthier but I LOVE Alfredo so I was looking over your recipe and trying to find substitutes to make it just a bit healthier. Would it be okay if I use 1/2 and 1/2 and 2% or just half and half. i’m new to this cooking thing so Ill take all the help I can get. Also, I have the garlic like powder would that be okay to use instead of the whole cloves? Not that it’s necessarily healthier than the cloves but it is what I have currently. Thanks! 🙂
Half and half would be a more acceptable substitute for the heavy cream. Garlic powder should also work just fine but please note that the ratio for dry to fresh herbs is typically 1:3.
okay awesome. thank you! and i can use 2% milk instead of whole?
Yes, that should be fine. But please note that with these substitutions, it may not be as creamy and thick as the original recipe.
I didn’t know Alfredo sauce was this simple. I’ll never buy it again. I’m going to make the sauce to use for supper tonight!
This sounds amazing and I plan to make it for supper tomorrow night. Have you ever tried freezing the sauce? I was thinking of making a double batch and freezing some for next time.
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Love this recipe! I added grated Romano Cheese, no shrimp grilled chicken instead & it was AWESOME. My boyfriend loved it too!
I’m going to try this tonight! One question can garlic powder be used instead?
Yes, of course! But remember that the ratio of dry to fresh is typically 1:3.
I doubled this and made it just as the recipe states. It was perfect and we sliced grilled chicken over it. Thanks for another great recipe!!
I am using your recipe tonight. I can’t wait! I’m going to steam some broccoli and sauté some mushrooms to add to it with pan fried chicken tenders. Nom, nom!!
Hi,
I tried making this last night and it was a major fail. I followed your recipe, but used minced garlic (because that was all I had on hand), and the garlic taste was way too strong, so it didn’t taste like alfredo at all. Does the garlic press really make a difference in the taste?
Yes! If you have huge chunks of garlic in your sauce, it certainly won’t be very appetizing. It is best to either press the garlic or finely chop them. You can also reduce the amount of garlic to fit your taste preferences.
Thank you! One last question, did the sauce thicken as you cooked it? Looking back I don’t think I gave the sauce enough time to thicken because I was distracted by the garlic smell. I am determined to make this again! 🙂
Yes, the sauce thickens up just fine as it cools. I hope you get a chance to give it another go!
how much shrimp?
Aliza, that really depends on how much shrimp you want, although I generally estimate about 1 pound for 4-6 people.
can you can alfredo sauce
Unfortunately, I have never tried canning alfredo sauce so I cannot answer this with certainty. Please use your best judgment for canning.
I need to make for 20 people. Could you help me with that recipe? In one recipe I seen you can add broth. What flavor broth would you add and how much? Is the broth a good idea?
Joanne, this recipe yields 5 servings so please make the adjustments accordingly. Also, this recipe does not include broth so I do not recommend adding it in as you may be altering the overall taste/texture of the dish.
I worked at The Olive Garden and I helped make the Alfredo sauce as well as the other sauces and soups. The soups and sauces are made in the restaurant every day, using fresh ingredients. Not a single sauce or soup is canned. Those sauces & soups are made in large batches, using fresh ingredients, several times a day.
I made this recipe the other day and it was ok, it was a little lose and the cheese settle to the bottom but everyone enjoyed it. But I will say the second day was even better! I mean the sauce was perfect. The first night I didn’t mix the pasta and the sauce together, because I wasn’t sure how thick it would turn out. The next day the sauce was solid so I chopped up so chicken breast and blacken them in a wok, added some steamed broccoli, then I threw the pasta in. Once everything was mix together I scoped the sauce in and it just melted like butter. My husband said it taste like we were at the Olive Garden. This is truly one of the best recipe I have ever tried.
I already have pre chopped garlic I did at home, how much would I need? Also do I pour i the milk after the butter and garlic cook or at the same time? Do I pour the milk in while the pan is hot or all at once before turning on the stove?
The recipe calls for 3 cloves garlic, but please use your best judgment on how much pre-chopped garlic you would like to use, to taste. You can pour all the ingredients (butter, garlic, heavy cream and milk) at the same time over medium heat. You can do it before or after the heat has been turned on – it really doesn’t make much of a difference.
Just cooked for our dinner tonight, it was awesome, I utilized chicken breasts, my husband told me it was so scrumptiously delicious, that I am not cooking tomorrow night because we have left over. Yummy to our tummies, thanks a lot.
I will try to cook this for my aunt’s upcoming birthday on the 8th.. I hope i make it all right!! 🙂
I had to make a couple minor alterations to the recipe in order to make it work for my family. I had to double everything and then had to add an extra egg yolk and cook over low heat to get it to thicken properly. I have made this twice and had to do it each time. I don’t know what I am doing wrong?? But everyone LOVES this sauce!! Thank you
I actually don’t think you’re doing anything wrong. If the extra egg yolk gives you a consistency that your family loves, that’s great!
This was exactly what I was craving for lunch today – it tasted just right, and was quick & easy. Thanks!
How do you suggest I cook the chicken breasts for the alfredo dish?
You can grill it, bake it, poach it, etc. – it’s really up to you!
Hi my name is daniella. I was gonna make linguine pasta with Alfredo sauce but don’t have cream. Can I substitute the cream with something else perhaps half & half? That’s all I have besides regular milk and evaporated milk in a can. Please let Me know.
The half and half would be a more suitable substitute than either the milk or the evaporated milk.
This receipe looks delicious! I have a few questions about it.. how much does 4 servings make? can this be made ahead of time and put in the fridge? We are looking to do a pasta bar for my sons birthday and want to be able to put an alfredo sauce in a crock pot to keep it warm
Tia, this is best when served immediately. I have never tried warming this in a slow cooker so please use your best judgement if you decided to utilize a slow cooker. Additionally, this recipe is enough for 4 standard servings.
Sadly mine didn’t turn out this evening. I had to double it…maybe I should not have. U am not sure what I did wring but u can tell it would’ve been good…it just didn’t turn out right. If you have any suggestions let me know 🙂 thank you!
Unfortunately, it is really difficult for me to answer what went wrong as I was not in the kitchen with you. That being said, I must ask – did you follow the recipe exactly as is without any substitutions?
I didn’t use substitutions but I doubled everything. Next time I will not double. Thank you. My daughter said it just needs more salt and pepper 🙂 Thank you so much!
Yes! You would be amazed as to how a little bit of salt and pepper can go a long way.
This is basically how I make my Alfredo at home minus the heavy cream and whole milk. 2% all the way. I am going to make this tonight with chicken and shrimp. Might throw in some cayenne pepper on the chicken.
I am going to try roasting the shrimp for the first time. It sounds like a good idea.
Also, I love the 4 mile run at the end. I am adding that to mine except it will be at the beginning.
Thanks
I just made this…and I couldn’t even wait until my husband came home to have dinner. I had a pre-meal and it tasted great! I didn’t use any precise measurements…just averaged and I doubled your recipe. I think I put a wee bit too much parmesan because the sauce came out a little grainy. But hey it tastes delicious! Cant wait to have dinner when my husband comes home!
So I made this tonight, tasted just like the olive garden sauce. However the garlic(had to mince myself) and parmesan was lumpy, idk how to get it to not do that except to really grate it better. Never attempted to melt parmesan before. That was mainly my fault however the recipe barely covered two dishes. I will probably quadruple the recipe! Other then that very yummy. I highly rec making way more then the original recipe.
This is my first time attempting to make Alfredo and it was absolutely delicious! Tastes better than olive gardens Alfredo. I added some chicken to this and it tasted wonderful. I can’t stop eating it! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Love you personality in your recipe. I am a follower now! Can’t wait to try your recipes!
Could you use minced garlic? Of so how much?
Thanks
LeeAnn, you can use however much you see fit, although I recommend starting at 2 tsp and adding more, to taste.
Hey, just wanted to say that if you use all heavy whipping cream you can definitely omit the egg. Heavy cream will thicken without any additional help as it cooks. If you need to make it a bit ahead of time, you can add a little more cream at the end to thin it if need be.
How much kolser salt
Please add kosher salt, to taste.
This recipe looks amazing. I’m having a birthday party next week and plan to have shrimp Alfredo. I would prefer to make it rather than buy jarred. Could this recipe be doubled or even more? I need to make enough for at least 20 people or more.
Yes, absolutely, this can definitely be doubled!
I tried out this recipe today and found that my sauce was pretty watery and I had to cook it down some more, but it tasted pretty good especially with the shrimp. I cooked them like you recommended and was not disappointed, and I do not usually like shrimp. Thanks for the fantastic recipe!
Made the this tonight for dinner with chicken and shrimp and it was delicious! However we thought that the sauce was really thin. Is there a way to make it thicker? Does that mean we messed something up or is it supposed to be thin?
I am not too sure if something went wrong as this sauce does tend to get thicker as it cools. You can certainly add certain ingredients to make it thicker but without further recipe testing, I cannot give you the appropriate recommendations.
I had wanted it thickened as I usually find the sauce always thin. I added 1 tbsp. of corn starch and it was perfect… .
I also love veggies in mine. I added some sautéed onions/mushrooms/broccoli with either chicken or shrimp….. It is amazing a filling with the added veggies….
I also substituted 1 tbsp. Of roasted granulated garlic for the 3 cloves of fresh garlic!!!!!!!
Add more cheese to thicken the sauce and let it rest on a hot burner with the heat off.
I guess it’s safe to say that I should not have come here while I’m soooooooo hungry and in the middle of a research paper that’s due no later than midnight tonight (yes, I know I shouldn’t be online at such a time as this) LOL. This looks delish! Will retain it for a less busy evening, thanks!
Excited to try this! Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes, absolutely! Just be sure to control the salt content in the actual recipe since your butter already contains salt.
Thanks for making this available!
Since the sauce is named after Alfredo Di Lelio I, perhaps you should capitalize “Alfredo”.
I have 2% milk, can i use that instead of whole milk?
Yes, that should be fine!
This looks amazing! I love Olive Garden and I am sure this version taste better than the original. The inclusion of the Parsley takes this dish to another level.
Tried this last night & absolutely loved it!! So quick & easy..never buying alfredo sauce from a jar again.
Made this tonight with shrimp and it’s delicious! I had to improvise with 1/2 & 1/2 and enough 2% milk to make 1 cup, but it turned out just fine. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Guess I’ll add my question to the stack. Is the parmesan cheese used in this recipe the fresh shredded kind you buy in the dairy case or the dry type that comes in a can? Are they interchangeable? Thank you.
I always used the freshly grated Parmesan cheese (it’s actually a Parmesan-Romano blend), preferably the one from Trader Joe’s. You can certainly use the dry one but fresh is always best!
This is better than Olive Garden because last time I went to Olive Garden they couldn’t serve me Alfredo sauce because the truck with the canned sauces had not arrived. They gave me a weird look when I suggested all the ingredients for making fresh sauce was at the grocery store across the parking lot. Not one person there new how to make sauce from scratch.
Made it again and wow it was amazing this time lol Thanks for posting the recipe
I’m a rookie at cooking, I didn’t get it right the first time lol
Jackie,
What did you do differently the second time? I tried to make it for the first time last night and had the same experience you did with the sauce tasting like garlic.
I crave this stuff way too often! This is such a great recipe and it’s so easy to make at home! Your photos have me craving it again 😉
I liked it a lot and I love garlic but I think since I didn’t press the garlic maybe that made it strong. I will try it again, is flour or garlic powder part of the ingridients ?
No, flour and garlic powder are not part of the ingredients.
Hi, I made this today but somehow It tasted garlicky 🙁 in an earlier comment someone said something about garlic powder/flour? Is that part of the ingridients, I didn’t see them.
Jackie, if you are not a fan of garlic flavor, feel free to omit or reduce this ingredient as needed.
hi,
just wondering, do you know an alternative to heavy cream to use in this recipe? i was trying greek yogurt, but it totally curdled…. am i suppose to whisk it in ? or ?
thanks,
v
You can certainly substitute Greek yogurt but I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. It is always best to use the ingredients listed in the recipe to obtain the best results possible.
I love Olive Garden alfredo but they never give you enough! Can’t wait to make it! About the cloves of garlic, will they be chunky in the sauce?
That really depends on how finely you chop them. You can always use a garlic press to avoid any kind of “chunkiness”.
I know it’s been years, but I can’t be the only one still looking at this recipe and reading comments. LOL I use my microplane zester on my garlic cloves. It pulverizes them so there are no chunks, and it’s so much easier and quicker to clean than a press. 🙂
That sounds fantastic! Totally agree it is all about balance. You run 4 miles, you get to eat delicious Alfredo sauce 🙂
Awesome! I printed the recipe out! Great photos! Cute Dog! Thanks!
Would using half n half work instead of heavy cream? Trying to save a trip to the store. Thx
Yes, that should work just fine. But be sure to substitute half & half for both the milk and heavy cream.
This looks yummy…Glad to find this recipe. Went to a restaurant last night and ordered Alfredo pasta..Not so happy about it 🙁
now will just prepare it myself..
Thanks!
Lovely post! Looks so yummy.
Love the shrimp in the sauce – sounds great!
I love alfredo… cant remember the last time that I enjoyed a bowl. Definitely inspired to recreate the recipe, looks delicious.
Your photos are so beautiful I think I’d just like to eat them !!! Never been to Olive Garden but why go if I can make this at home? We eat out a lot but Italiain dishes are generally made from our family recipes – that is, until I found your web site. Everything I have prepared from your recipes has been a winner and keeper. Here will be another. Thank You so much.
What size shrimp did you use ? This is going on the menu for this week ! Thanks so much.
I used medium-size shrimp, but feel free to use what you have on hand.
This may be a stupid question, but is the egg yolk a necessity? Or how can we tell that it is thoroughly cooked into the sauce? I am 34 weeks pregnant and tend to worry….
Not a stupid question at all! The egg yolk is a necessity in this dish, and the residual heat should cook it through completely without scrambling. But if you are concerned about consuming raw eggs, I recommend making this dish after your pregnancy.
This is the best I had by far!!!! So creamy and delicious! Thank you!
If I had any question about the safety of adding egg yolk, I would just use a candy or meat thermometer to make sure it gets to a safe temperature.
http://www.eggsafety.org/consumers/egg-safety
Also, here’s a slideshow about how to temper eggs, so you don’t end up scrambling the egg and ruining the sauce….
http://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/photos/how-to-temper-eggs.html
Nice! This tip will come in handy for lots of recipes!
Newman’s Own has a pretty darn good jar alfredo sauce in a pinch it’s a winner. I’m a fan of Olive Garden too that is pretty much all I get there to be honest. I have never tried to make my own alfredo sauce before always thought it would be complex, this looks easy I will try it. Great blog too 🙂
Amazing! The photos look so great too 😀 Definitely worthy of a Saturday evening 😀 x
Love the roasted shrimp addition, this is alfredo perfection!
I am new to your site and I am already loving it! Love this recipe! I always order a side of this sauce just to dip the breadsticks in.
That’s genius!
The Alfredo sauce sounds fabulous! I am just wondering how you cooked your shrimp, showed in the pictures? Making this for dinner this week!
Heidi, feel free to prepare the shrimp to your taste preferences. I personally like to roast them at 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
This pasta looks wonderful!
Can’t wait to try this one too!
My eyes always light up when I see a recipe with Alfredo sauce! This looks divine and absolutely delicious! Pinned!
I’m allergic to dairy, do you have suggestions for a dairy free version, or would that throw the recipe completely off?
Unfortunately, I do not recommend a dairy-free version of this.
I just saw on the Today show, KLG and Hoda 10/7/14, a vegan version of alfredo made with cashews they said it was delicious.
Honestly I’ve made it without milk just alot of butter garlic salt n pepper and it’s good but the cream makes it .
Love your recipes!!! This one looks awesome too, but I don’t see anything about the shrimp that is shown in the pictures.
As indicated in the “Notes” section at the bottom of the recipe, you can easily adapt this recipe for your favorite add-ins, like shrimp or grilled chicken. I used shrimp, roasting them at 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
My son also likes it with pan seared scallops.
Very nice
Looks delightful! I want to tell you how much I enjoys your posts and recipes, thank you! I save almost every single email, you rock
Olive Garden ‘s Alfredo Sauce is one of my favorites. Love your site and your recipes. Your recipes always look so good and the ingredients are things I usually have around. So many blog sites use ingredients you have to run to specialty stores to buy. Thank you. I truly enjoy your site.
I have never once in my life craved alfredo sauce. Never. God, I wish I could crave that. It’s so much healthier than the chocolate and peanut butter I crave! Pinned 🙂
this sounds lovely, but I got a bit confused reading the instructions 🙁 where does the flour and garlic powder come in?
Thank you for letting me know – the recipe has been updated.
I am new to your site…everything looks “damn delicious”. Thanks for sharing.
Where are the shrimp in the recipe?
As indicated in the bottom of the recipe, this can easily be adapted to add shrimp or chicken, cooked to desired preferences.
Your right but you can add as much as you want. I also made some with grilled chicken , I had left over from last night’s dinner for my brother-in-law.
What flour? I don’t see it in the recipe. This is my husbands favorite dish at OG! Gotta try it.
Marion, there is no flour ingredient in this recipe.
This sounds all right but what about the parsley??? I don’t see t in your instructions
Denis, it is included in the instructions in the very last step:
Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and parsley, if desired.
Where’s the updated version? It is almost a year later and I’m still looking at the version without flour.
Rea, there is no flour or garlic powder in the updated recipe.
Hi, Theres no flour or garlic powder in the recipe. Please update so we can make and eat it. Thank you!
Lisa G, as mentioned previously, there is no flour or garlic powder in the updated recipe.
Well this is pretty close to the OG recipe. I was a line cook for OG for a few years back in the nineties. The only real differance is that there is NO salt added and the recipe only used heavy cream NO milk or eggs. The cheese and butter that OG used had plenty salt and thickening was achieved through reduction, as such, no eggs needed. Just to be clear OG is not authentic Italian, some of their sauces do come in a can but the Alfredo is made from scratch on site. Bon Appetite
One word: YUM!!!!
P.S. I added shrimp.
The linguine and shrimp turned out great. Next time extra large shrimp. Recipe was so easy. Thanks for the Pin