Better Than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe

A creamy, flavorful Alfredo sauce, I think even most Italians would approve of. It’s made with Heavy cream, simmered with butter, Parmesan, and cream cheese… then seasoned to perfection, making it one of the best Alfredo sauce recipes you’re gonna find online. So give it a shot, and yes, it’s better than Olive Garden’s Alfredo sauce. Lol!

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Hey, PBJ’s! A few weeks ago, I decided to have some chicken Alfredo for dinner. While making a delicious homemade Alfredo sauce, I realized I hadn’t posted a recipe for Alfredo sauce on my blog yet.

As I was making the sauce, which I always have so much fun doing, I thought to myself, “It’s time to actually put some number to this and make an actual recipe out of it.” I never measured anything when I’d make it.

This will not only help me establish an official recipe for Alfredo sauce but also show my followers how to make a good one from scratch. So a few weeks later I was craving some chicken and shrimp alfredo and decided to take my time with the sauce to make a recipe of it.

While doing so I got excited because I began to think of an interesting story about Alfredo sauce, mainly the Lorretta Olive Garden story that I want to share with you below, so keep reading; it’s sorta funny.

What to love about this alfredo sauce recipe:

• Easy to make: A teenager who hasn’t cooked a day in their life can make Alfredo sauce, especially following my instructions. In general, it’s very simple and, therefore, easy to make.
• Doesn’t take long: It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to make.
• Everyone loves it: Who doesn’t love Alfredo sauce? It’s a classic Italian condiment that’s become very popular around the world. And while it was once used over fettuccine, it’s now used to garnish meats like chicken, steak, and salmon.
• It’s versatile: It tastes great and goes well with so many things. Pasta, meat, vegetables…

Lorretta Olive Garden Story

Listen, I love Olive Garden, it’s one of me and my hangout buddy’s (Aunt Lorretta) favorite spots. And just so you know, their chicken Parmesan is my favorite dish on their menu. I order it 70% of the time. Lol!

But if we’re keeping it real, their Chicken Alfredo dish is kind of underwhelming, mainly because of the sauce. Now the chicken is juicy, very tender, and seasoned to perfection, but the Alfredo sauce is not.

Let’s just say it’s very bland and “boring”BORING” to me. My aunt Lorretta used to always order it every time we went because she loves pasta and chicken. Plus, it’s one of the cheapest things, too.

But she always complained about how bland the Alfredo sauce was and would shower it with salt. LMBBO! The best way to describe it for those of you who haven’t tried it is it tastes like milk and butter. 

How they drop the ball on the Alfredo sauce when it’s the main ingredient is beyond me. But it’s these visits to Olive Garden and my aunt Lorretta’s constant complaints that made me create an Alfredo sauce recipe of my own.

While most of us love Alfredo sauce, not all of us know how to make it, at least not nearly as well as a 5-star restaurant. So the only way for some of yall to enjoy a good fettuccine alfredo dish is at a good Italian restaurant.

Well, that ends today because I have an Alfredo sauce recipe that I KNOW y’all will LOVE! I promise you won’t find too many Alfredo Sauce recipes better than this. I did a lot of research, experimenting, and testing…

Now let me address a few problems you may encounter when making homemade Alfredo Sauce and show ya how to make it the right way so you won’t have to spend money at restaurants or use jar Alfredo sauce anymore.

Growing Up on ragu sauce

Speaking of store-bought Alfredo, I can’t tell you how many people’s cabinets I’ve seen this very jar of Ragu Alfredo sauce sitting in as a child. Whether it was a family member’s house, a friend, or a neighbor’s house.

I saw this jar in a lot of folks’ kitchens growing up. Now listen, I came from a family of great cooks and was surrounded by a lot of folks who could cook and throw down in the kitchen. I mean that!

But for some strange reason, Alfredo sauce seems to be one of those things people never like to make from scratch. Hmmm… I wonder why! Maybe because it’s an Italian thing to make it from scratch?

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Ragu has all types of Alfredo sauce now… roasted garlic Alfredo sauce, creamy basil Alfredo sauce, four cheese Alfredo sauce, and even Alfredo sauce with bacon. LMBBO! I have seen it all.

Personally, I never cared for the taste of the store-bought Alfredo sauce, mainly Ragu sauce, because that’s the only kind my family would buy. I think it’s because it has an artificial taste, in my opinion.

Ok, so below, I’m going to get into the ingredients and cookware you’ll need to perfect this delicious Alfredo sauce recipe so you can throw out all those Ragu jars and say bye-bye because you no longer need them.

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Heavy cream
• Parmesan cheese
• Cream Cheese
• Butter
• Garlic Paste
• Salt
• Italian seasoning
• Parsley

Cookware & utensils you’ll need:

• Big Spoon: You’re going to need a big spoon to scoop and serve the Alfredo sauce.
• Cheese grater: You’re going to need a cheese grate to shred the block Parmesan cheese.
• Large skillet or pot: Have a skillet on hand to make the sauce in. If you don’t have a skillet but have a medium size pot, that’s cool. You can use either; the outcome will be the same.
• Whisk: This is very important! In my opinion, it’s the best utensil you can use to smooth out and break up the lumps of cheese in the sauce. 
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Have measuring cups and spoons on deck to accurately measure the heavy cream, cheese, seasonings, etc.

The garlic + Alternatives

• What does garlic do? Garlic adds depth of flavor and gives Alfredo sauce that traditional semi-pungent flavor, which is why I say it’s an ingredient you must use. It’s just as important as parmesan cheese and cream cheese is to this recipe.
• Garlic is a MUST: Alfredo sauce doesn’t taste nearly as good without some form of Garlic. And If you go without garlic, the Alfredo sauce won’t taste nearly as good as it does at restaurants.
• Garlic paste: Garlic paste is my favorite type of garlic to use because it’s fresh and spreads throughout whatever you’re making better than minced garlic because it’s a finer paste.
• Garlic cloves: You can make garlic paste out of fresh garlic cloves. Just warm them up in the microwave in a bowl with some olive oil until soft and mash them into a paste or minced garlic.
• Garlic powder: If garlic powder is all you have on hand, it will work just fine. Just add it until the sauce reaches your desired taste. 

The heavy cream + Alternatives

• Why heavy cream? This is for the base of the sauce. You can’t make the sauce without a liquid! This also adds richness to the sauce, which makes it a great choice for homemade Alfredo sauce. 
• Half and half: This, to me, is the best substitution because it’s half milk and half cream, and I’ve made Alfredo sauce using it and didn’t notice any significant difference, so yes, you can use this if you don’t have heavy cream.
• Whole milk: The Alfredo sauce won’t be nearly as rich, but milk will work. I’ve used whole milk before, and it came out pretty good just wasn’t as rich, which is not always a bad thing. 

The Parmesan and Cream cheese

• Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese is the most important ingredient. It’s what gives Alfredo sauce its traditional Alfredo flavor. So without it, Alfredo sauce is impossible. Lol!
• The Best Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese is the best Parmesan cheese to use. One, because it’s block cheese, and 2, because of the flavor. This is the standard Parmesan cheese.
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese: The preservatives in store-bought pre-shredded parmesan cheese coats the cheese, making it almost impossible to melt completely. It’s already a pretty hard cheese that struggles to melt; the perseveratives make it worse.
• Why doesn’t Parmesan cheese melt? Parmesan cheese is a hard-aged cheese that has a low moisture content and high protein content, which makes it resistant to melting and why it doesn’t melt like cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
• Shaved Parmesan cheese: Now, if you are lazy like I can be at times, there are some brands of shaved Parmesan cheese that melt better than others. Here’s one that I pick up from my local grocery store from time to time, as shown in the photo below.

So give it a try if you just really don’t want to shred the block cheese yourself. It’s a “shaved” Parmesan cheese people typically use in Caesar salad.

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Why cream cheese?

• Emulsifier: An emulsifier is a food that brings two things together that won’t combine. In this case, Parmesan cheese and heavy cream won’t combine into a nice smooth Alfredo sauce without the cream cheese. So it’s much needed.
• Thickener: Cream cheese is also a thickener. It thickens the sauce and makes it nice, creamy, and smooth.
• Non-traditional: Cream cheese is definitely not traditional, and Italians DO NOT use it to make Alfredo sauce and never have. But man o man o man… it sure does take it up a notch and adds so much flavor to it.
• What’s the best brand? Use a good brand of cream cheese like Philadelphia cream cheese… and I don’t just say that because I’m from Philly! LMBBO! I’m saying it because it’s the standard.

The seasonings

• Italian seasoning: You have to add herbs to this sauce. It adds a great flavor, and since this is an Italian dish, why not add Italian seasoning? Lol! You can use a little thyme, oregano, and
• Parsley Flakes: Parsley flakes make the alfredo sauce look appetizing
• Black Pepper: Black pepper, which I only use a little of, just makes everything taste better. It adds a hint of spice as well.

Salt to taste

Salt is the most important seasoning because it provides taste and enhances the overall flavor of the dish. But it’s also that one seasoning people never seem to agree on when it comes to how much to use.

Some people are highly sentenced to salt, and others can handle and tolerate a lot, like my momma. This woman needs her food overseasoned to taste it, it seems. Other people’s tastebuds can pick up on little amounts of salt.

This is why I also tell people “salt to taste,” which means use as much salt as “YOU WANT.” So start off with about 1/4 tsp of salt… give the sauce a taste, and keep adding more until it reaches your desired taste.

Adding seasoned meat to the sauce? 

Now let’s say you’re making “CHICKEN ALFREDO,” “SHRIMP ALFREDO,” or “SALMON ALFREDO,” you’ve probably already seasoned the meat.

Like when I make chicken alfredo, I season my chicken with chicken bouillon seasoning, garlic, and onion powder, and some of the seasonings we use in this sauce, like pepper, Italian seasoning, and parsley.

When I make shrimp alfredo, I season my shrimp with old bay seasoning, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, and Italian seasoning. When I add meat that I’ve seasoned to the sauce, I wait until it’s done to add more.

I may add just a little more seasonings because the sauce gets seasoned from the seasonings on the meat. So you may just need to add a little more seasoning to the dish to ensure the sauce is well seasoned.

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Broken sauce

• What causes the sauce to separate? Sauces contain fat (butter) and liquid (milk), which will naturally separate without the right amount of an emulsifier. But it definitely separates when it’s over high heat or reheated.
• How do you fix broken sauce when it separates? Add a little liquid to it, place it over low heat, and whisk until it thickens and comes together.

How to make Alfredo sauce

1. Shred the block of parmesan cheese.
   
   

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2. Place a skillet over medium heat and add in the butter and minced garlic.
   
   

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3. Once the butter melts, add the whipping cream, parmesan, and cream cheese, then start whisking everything in.
   
   

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4. After 8 minutes or once it starts bubbling, add pasta water and stir.
5. You add pasta water to smooth out the cheese as well.
6. Make sure you preserve some if you’ve boiled some pasta. 
   
   

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7. Add the seasonings, and BAM, BOTTA, BOOM, YOU’RE ALL DONE!!! You have the best Alfredo sauce in the world before you, ready to grace your pasta with all of its deliciousness!!! Lol!
   
   

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Better Than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Video

Tips for best results:

• Don’t simmer long: The key is to simmer the sauce for a short period of time to prevent separation. Cheese takes a while to melt, so add it early on, right after the cream, so it’s almost melted by the time the cream gets hot, which is around 5 minutes.
• Make sure everything is at room temperature: Making sure everything is at room temperature before making the sauce will shorten the cooking time because everything will already be warm and melt-ready. 
• Use a whisk: A whisk is a perfect tool to assist in breaking up any lumps in the sauce, especially for the cream cheese, which has a tendency to form lumps.

Serving suggestions:

• Fettuccine pasta: Alfredo sauce is usually served over fettuccine; this goes without saying. You can also serve it over fettuccine and chicken, shrimp, broccoli, or a combination of the three.
• Salmon bites: Alfredo sauce goes great with salmon and is often served to drizzle over fried salmon bites. 
• Steak: Have you ever had steak topped with Alfredo-smothered shrimp? Make some Alfredo sauce, add shrimp to it, then pour it over a well-seasoned seared rib-eye steak. Lawd, have mercy!

Storage and reheating

• How do you store Alfredo sauce? You can add the sauce to a glass Tupperware dish or bowl, cover it with a lid, and store it in the refrigerator.
• How do you reheat the sauce? Place the sauce in a pot or skillet over low heat, stir in a little water, and stir until it’s hot and thickens.

Frequently asked questions

• How long does it last? Alfredo sauce can last a long time if you keep it sealed in a glass jar and store it in a cold area of your refrigerator so it stays fresh.

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Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this Homemade Alfredo Sauce recipe, and if you do, which I’m certain you will, leave a comment below letting viewers know how you like it, share the recipe, and give me 5 stars if you like!!

Make sure to subscribe so you never miss out on a recipe, and follow me on social media at the following handles: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Enjoy, Later
PBJ~

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Better Than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews

• Author: PhillyboyJay
• Prep Time: 5 Mins
• Cook Time: 15 Mins
• Total Time: 20 Mins
• Yield: 4
• Category: Condiments
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

Heavy cream simmered with butter, Parmesan, and cream cheese… then seasoned to perfection! Making this a homemade Alfredo sauce you’ll easily fall in love with.

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Ingredients

• 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 Tbs Pasta Water
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1–1/2 Cups Block Parmesan Cheese, shredded
• 2 Tsps Minced Garlic
• 1 Tsp Salt or Salt to Taste
• 1 Tsp Parsley Flakes
• 1/4 Tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

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Instructions

1.  Shred the block Parmesan cheese.
2.  Place a skillet over medium heat.
3.  Add the butter and minced garlic, then stir well. 
4.  After 3 minutes, add in the whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, and cream cheese, then whisk well.
5.  Let the cheese sauce simmer for 8 minutes or until the sauce begins to bubble, then cut the fire off.
6.  Add the pasta water and stir well.
7.  Then add and stir in the seasonings. 

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4