Better Than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Are you missing that creamy sauce from your favorite restaurant? Well white wine Alfredo sauce is easier to make than you think! Enjoy this Better Than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce for the best pasta dish anywhere!

If you enjoy this amazing recipe - next time try Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells - it's a delicious meal!

Why you'll love this recipe   

The sauce comes together very easily! It's creamy, delicious and fancy enough for a dinner party or for an easy weeknight meal!

✔️ This is the best sauce, with minimal ingredients you probably already have on hand!

✔️ The creamy Alfredo sauce stores really well. Make an extra batch and keep half for future meals.

✔️ It can be used in an array of recipes such as casseroles, soups, or spooned over grilled meats.

Ingredients

For the exact measurements for the easy Alfredo sauce recipe, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

• butter and flour for the roux.
• half and half - if you don't have half & half, see the tips below to learn how to make your own.
• freshly grated parmesan cheese - I don't recommend pre-shredded as it just won't melt as well and the sauce may be lumpy.
• shallot and fresh garlic - if you do not have a clove of garlic, substitute with ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder.
• black pepper or if you prefer, white pepper.
• dry white wine
• parsley 
• fettuccini noodles, angel hair pasta, shell pasta or your favorite pasta.

Instructions 

This is an overview of the instructions for the homemade alfredo sauce recipe. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add the shallots and pepper. Lightly saute until the onions are translucent. It won't take long, 4-5 minutes then add the minced garlic cloves and sauté just until it becomes fragrant - about 30 seconds or so.
2. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle with the flour. Continue sautéing as the sauce cooks for another minute to cook out the flour taste, stirring constantly.
3. Add the wine and continue to stir constantly. Cook about another minute. The cream sauce will be very thick.
4. Reduce the heat to low and slowly pour in the half & half. Continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken - this will only take a couple of minutes. Do not allow the milk to boil as it will curdle.
5. Add the parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Taste for seasonings. You may need to add a pinch of salt. Simmer the sauce on low for about 10 minutes. You'll want to continue to simmer it to bring all of the flavors together, so while it is cooking away, you will have time to cook the pasta.
6. Remove from heat & add ½ the parsley.
7. Boil noodles in a large pot according to package directions. Cook pasta to al dente, drain well, do not rinse. Reserve one cup of the pasta water.
8. Place pasta in Alfredo Sauce and mix to combine. Take your time and mix it together really well. If the pasta is too stiff, add a ladle of pasta water.
9. Serve topped with additional parmesan cheese & parsley.

Equipment

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• Large saucepan
• Pot for pasta
• Colander

FAQ's

Tips

• Use quality butter and freshly grated cheese for best taste. Pre shredded cheese is coated with shelf preserving substances that prevent cheese from melting well. 
• Resist the urge to thicken the sauce with extra cheese. This sauce naturally thickens when added to pasta and as it cools. 
• Low heat is required when adding the shredded cheese. Boiling can separate the dairy in milk and cheese and result in grainy sauce.
• Use half and half, it's the perfect consistency to make a creamy sauce that isn't too thick or too thin.
• No white wine? Substitute with chicken stock!
• If your buttery sauce separates it's easy to fix! Pour the Alfredo sauce into a blender or use an immersion blender. Add a tablespoon of hot water and blend until creamy and smooth.

If you don't have half and half available, make your own! Use a mixture of 1 ¼ cup whole milk and ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream aka heavy whipping cream or fresh cream. Whisk it together and use as directed below.

Variations

• Instead of Parmesan, consider making this sauce with mozzarella cheese, gruyere, or gouda.
• I love fettuccine Alfredo sauce but you can use other types of pasta too!
• Add your choice of meat - sliced cooked chicken breasts (this dutch oven pulled chicken would be amazing!) or cooked shrimp are both delicious!
• Get a little boost of greens and added texture in this dish by adding some cooked broccoli. 
• For a meaty Alfredo fettuccine, add in some sliced deli ham or crispy bacon pieces.

Storage

Refrigerate - Spoon sauce into an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze - up to 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat slowly. 

More recipes with Alfredo sauce

• Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo Casserole is filled with tender noodles, creamy alfredo sauce, tender chicken, and tangy parmesan cheese. 
• One pot Chicken Alfredo with Peas is the perfect comfort food. It's creamy, cheesy, and delicious!
• Easy Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells Recipe is filled with rotisserie chicken, bacon and flavored with ranch seasoning. All topped with an oozy, cheesy, Alfredo Sauce it's a great weeknight meal!
• Sure to satisfy your comfort food cravings, Panera Chicken Alfredo Tortellini combines all the flavors of classic Italian cuisine into one indulgent meal.

Related recipes

Simple saucy pasta dishes are so underrated! You won’t need much time or ingredients to make this delicious and comforting Lemon Garlic Pasta or Pasta Puttanesca!

• Of course, this Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells with Bacon and Ranch is a great example of how you can use this creamy pasta sauce!
• If you love this recipe, be sure to try Cajun Shrimp and Chicken Pasta, that sauce is drool-worthy!
• The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Casserole is one of the most popular casseroles on the blog (or the internet for that matter!).

Serve with

• Need a side dish for your Alfredo fettuccine family meal? Nothing quite beats the combination of Alfredo and garlic bread.
• Pinot Grigio is the perfect red wine to serve with the meal.
• If you’re in the mood for something a little lighter, try this Fresh Garden Salad!
• Of course, you can’t go wrong with a side of delicious and nutritious vegetables. Brussels sprouts, roasted broccoli, and steamed green beans are all wonderful options. 

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If you love this recipe please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

4.89 from 9 votes

Better Than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Easy to make white wine Alfredo sauce to top your favorite noodles for an easy delicious meal!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Sauces

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 6

Calories: 503kcal

Author: Deb Clark

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 ½ cups half and half
• ▢ 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated , plus an addition ½ cup for serving
• ▢ 1 shallot minced
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ ¼ cup dry white wine
• ▢ 3 tablespoon parsley minced
• ▢ 16 oz pasta fettuchini noodles are traditional, but use your favorite!

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Instructions

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and pepper. Lightly saute until the onions are translucent. It won't take long, 4-5 minutes then add the garlic and saute just until it becomes fragrant - about 30 seconds or so.
• Reduce heat to low and sprinkle with the flour. Continue sautéing for another minute to cook out the flour taste, stirring constantly.
• Add the wine and continue to stir constantly. Cook about another minute. The sauce will be very thick.
• Reduce the heat to low temperature and slowly pour in the half & half. Continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken - this will only take a couple of minutes. Do not allow the milk to boil as it will curdle.
• Add the parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Taste for seasonings. You may need to add a pinch of salt. Simmer the sauce on low for about 10 minutes. You'll want to continue to simmer it to bring all of the flavors together, so while it is cooking away, you will have time to cook the pasta.
• Remove from heat & add ½ the parsley.
• Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well, do not rinse. Reserve one cup of the pasta water.
• Add the cooked pasta to the Alfredo Sauce and mix to combine. Take your time and mix it together really well. If the pasta is too stiff, add a ladle of pasta water.
• Serve topped with additional parmesan cheese & parsley.

Notes

Variations - 

• Instead of Parmesan, consider making this sauce with Mozzarella, Gruyere, or Gouda.
• I love fettuccine with Alfredo sauce but you can use other types of pasta too.
• Get a little boost of greens and added texture in this dish by adding some cooked broccoli. 
• For a meaty Alfredo fettuccine, add in some sliced deli ham, crispy bacon pieces, or chopped chicken breast.

If you don't have half and half available, make your own! Use a mixture of 1 ¼ cup whole milk and ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream aka heavy whipping cream. Whisk it together and use as directed below.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 1.5mg

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And we decided upon Fettuccini Alfredo. This creamy deliciousness is something everyone would like! Super easy, this meal is deliciously filling and full of cheesy deliciousness! Bonus? You probably have everything you need in your pantry and fridge. Who doesn't love that?

I think you'll agree this Better Than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce recipe is simple and amazing!

Half and half, butter, shallots (or onions), garlic and parmesan cheese. You want it to be really fancy? Sprinkle some parsley on top! Check your frig., I will bet you have everything to make this for dinner tonight!

Is your mouth watering yet? If it's not, I'm not doing my job!!!

So back to the story, the name came from my friend Nicole. She has traveled extensively and has lived or been just about everywhere including Italy. Nicole has had lots of Alfredo Sauce over the years and declared this The BEST Homemade Alfredo Sauce Ever! Well, not sure I'd take it that far, but this is darn good! 😀

Simple ingredients....fantastic food, that's what a great meal is all about! Give this recipe a try and tell me if it lives up to its name.

So tell me -

• What is your go-to meal when you're serving a crowd?
• Do you have a favorite sauce?
• Are you going to give this a try?!!

When visiting Nicole & family in Texas we were trying to figure out what to make for dinner. We had LOTS of family coming by; big kids, little kids, adults - all ages and sizes. Vegetarians, meat eaters - this is definitely a meal that pleases everyone!

If you love this recipe be sure to try the chicken spaghetti recipe next!

Recipe re-do published originally 7/30/14