The person who recipe-tested this copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo said, “Holy smokes this is good! It’s LEGIT Alfredo sauce.”
That’s exactly what we aimed for when we set out to develop one of Olive Garden’s most beloved dishes. The sauce is creamy, cheesy, and garlicky, and clings to the pasta effortlessly thanks to the easy béchamel sauce. This pasta comes together in 20 minutes, which is likely faster than it takes most of us to drive to the closest Olive Garden.
If you don’t have Parmesan cheese, use your favorite grated cheese instead (though it will taste less like the restaurant version). Also, note that Alfredo doesn’t reheat that gracefully but is great cold. Serve the pasta with chicken or shrimp.
More Quick & Easy Pasta Recipes
- Easy Pasta with Winter Greens
- Pasta Carbonara
- Lemony Sardine Pasta
- Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale
- Creamy One Pot Pasta with Zucchini
Cook the pasta:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander placed in the sink and set it aside.
Meanwhile, make the Alfredo sauce:
While pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant and the butter is bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until slightly thickened and the mixture smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes.
Gradually whisk in the heavy cream, about 3/4 cup at a time, whisking constantly until smooth after each addition. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer, then remove from heat.
Off the heat, gradually whisk in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
Combine and serve:
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with parsley if you’d like and serve warm.
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