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Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo

Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo

By Kate

Creamy Alfredo sauce with butter, garlic, and cheese thickened with flour. Uses heavy cream and milk combo for richness with a subtle hint of nutmeg instead of garlic powder. Tossed with fettuccine for classic comfort. Parmesan swapped partly for Pecorino for sharper edge. Scallions added for fresh bite. Simmer gently to avoid curdling or grainy sauce. Sauce shows glossy sheen, clings to pasta strands. Garlic sautés until fragrant, never burned. A touch more broth added for looser consistency option. Serves six with moderate calories and balanced protein fat macros.
Prep: 7 min
Cook: 18 min
Total: 25 min
Serves: 6 servings
pasta Italian comfort food Alfredo homemade
Introduction
Started with basics: butter, garlic, cream, cheese. But that garlic powder tossed for fresh nutmeg kick. No blandness here. Flour thickens, but slow whisk or lumps plague. Chicken broth stirred in loosens sauce but keeps body; water alone thins too much. Cheese combo—parmesan plus pecorino—pushes flavor. Pasta cooked slightly less than usual, finish tossed in sauce, pulls extra flavor in. Scallions, parsley brighten visually and in taste. Watch the whisk, watch the heat. Sauce tells when ready—shiny quietly bubbling, coats spoon silky but never rubbery. Easy fails: burnt garlic turns bitter, flour lumps grainy ruin mouthfeel, and too hot curdles dairy. Tune every step for creamy payoff.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fettuccine pasta
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
  • Fresh parsley chopped for garnish

    • About the ingredients

    Butter must be unsalted for flavor control. Garlic fresh, finely minced, gives punch over powder. Flour cooks out rawness, forms slippery base. Nutmeg better than garlic powder—adds warmth, never overwhelming. Heavy cream thickens creaminess; milk lightens to avoid cloying richness. Chicken broth in place of water adds depth. Cheeses freshly grated. Pecorino sharpens, balances parmesan’s nuttiness. Scallions fresh, crisp, contrast sauce richness. Parsley adds herbaceous lift. Pasta starchy water reserved can help loosen sauce if needed. Keep ingredients cold till use, especially dairy, to avoid early curdling.

    Method

  • Hot water rolling boil. Salt it like the sea to season pasta internally. Add fettuccine, stir once to separate. Cook pasta stirring occasionally until just shy of al dente. Drain and toss lightly with drizzle olive oil or neutral oil so it doesn’t stick. Set aside.
  • Large skillet, medium flame. Drop butter in, let melt till bubbling edges appear. Add minced garlic and salt immediately. Stir gently, smell aroma rising - garlic soft but not colored. Nutmeg dusted in now replaces garlic powder giving subtle warmth.
  • Sprinkle flour evenly over butter garlic mix. Whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes, no browning. This cooks raw flour taste out. Slowly pour in cream, milk, and chicken broth in thin streams while whisking vigorously. Watch sauce thicken, tiny bubbles form on edges, audible simmer starts. Lower heat to maintain gentle simmer, not boil to avoid curdling. Simmer about 5 minutes, whisk often, sauce should coat back of spoon with veil thin enough to run but sticky.
  • Off heat, sprinkle parmesan and pecorino cheeses. Whisk briskly till melted, sauce smooth, glossy. If too thick add splash more broth or milk, whisk. Taste and adjust salt. Sauce must be silky, slightly clingy, not gluey.
  • Add pasta back into skillet. Use tongs to toss, coating strands thoroughly but delicately to avoid breaking noodles. Pasta will soak some sauce as it rests a minute off heat.
  • Serve immediately, scattered scallions for crunch and fresh parsley for color. Optional cracked black pepper.
  • Common Notes: Butter quality matters; salted vs unsalted affects final salt balance. If sauce splits, a teaspoon cold water whisked quickly may bring back together. garlic browning ruins smooth sauce, watch flames. Flour lumps? Whisk flour into butter fully before liquids. No heavy cream? Add more milk and butter but sauce thinner. Fresh cheeses melt better than pregrated powdered types.

    • Technique Tips

    Pasta cooking timing crucial; undercooked just enough to finish in sauce, holds texture. Butter melts, foam shows butter starting to brown, pull back heat when foam subsides to avoid burning. Minced garlic sautés gently until fragrance rises but no color. Adding flour off heat causes clumps; whisk flour into melted butter on medium low first before liquids. Pour cream and milk gradually, whisking to prevent lumps. Sauce thickens first with flour, then with cheeses. Nutmeg added early so it infuses. Simmer gently; too high heat toughens dairy proteins. Cheese folded off heat preserves smoothness, clumps form if overheated. Toss pasta off heat to avoid sauce breaking. Adjust thickness with broth or reserved starchy water. Garnish last to keep herbs fresh and vibrant.

    Chef's Notes

    • 💡 Always use unsalted butter. Control salt levels better. Garlic needs to be fresh; avoid powder. Releases essential oils when minced. Cook until fragrant, but take care: no browning allowed.
    • 💡 Whisking flour into melted butter on medium low. Prevents lumps, crucial for smoothness. Pour in dairy gradually. Whisk fast; avoid clumping. Heated too high? Tough dairy, grainy sauce.
    • 💡 Got lumps? Whisk thoroughly first. No heavy cream? Switch in more milk and butter. But sauce thinner, might lose richness. Keep it moving. Can't salvage burnt garlic, start fresh.
    • 💡 Pasta timing - key! Under-cook a bit. Finish cooking in sauce for absorption. Use starchy water to adjust thickness. Want a bit looser sauce? Add more broth.
    • 💡 Garnish last; fresh herbs keep color vibrant. Use scallions for crunch but don’t overdo. Taste, adjust salt. Don’t rush cooling; flavor develops as it rests.

    Kitchen Wisdom

    How to prevent sauce curdling?

    Heat low, simmer gently. Dairy can curdle when too hot. If sauce splits, add cold water whisk soon. Fix it.

    Storage guidelines for leftovers?

    Store in fridge, airtight container. Good for 2-3 days. Reheat gently to keep sauce from breaking. Add cream or water to loosen.

    Can I substitute proteins?

    Yes, or add chicken or shrimp for protein kick. Toss with pasta as it cooks; soak up flavors. Experiment with textures.

    How to make sauce thicker?

    Not enough flour or cheese? More parmesan or a bit more flour. Simmer longer to reduce. Watch close; don’t burn.

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