This irresistible creamy olive garden Alfredo dipping Sauce Recipe is perfect with breadsticks or just tossing with pasta. This is not a low-fat dipping sauce by any means but it’s delicious.
Let’s dive in to this freezer-friendly dip sauce which you can store it for those rainy day afternoons.
People love Olive Garden Alfredo dipping sauce for it’s smooth texture and deep flavour. This dipping sauce is versatile and can be used with bread, fettuccine, chicken, shrimp, or veggies, making it the ultimate Italian treat at home.
Ingredients for Olive Garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1½ tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated preferred)
- ½ cup Romano cheese (freshly grated preferred)
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
Equipment and tools:
- Pot for cooking
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Grater (if using fresh cheese)
- Mixing spoon/whisk
One of the appealing aspects of this recipe is that it doesn’t require any specialized kitchen equipment to make the sauce.
Prepration time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 4
How to make the olive garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe
- Get yourself a nice medium sized saucepan
- Melt butter in the pot over medium heat
- Add minced garlic to melted butter
- Cook the garlic for 1 minute
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot
- Heavy whipping cream
- Milk
- Salt and pepper
- Romano cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Flour
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer
- Whisk occasionally until it thickens (6-8 mins)
- It should come out creamy and perfect
Serving and Paring Ideas for Olive garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe
These are some serving and pairing suggestions that will help you add more variety to the dish. Feel free to to be creative with ideas that match your preference and taste.
This Olive garden alfredo dipping sauce is very versatile and can be served in many different ways. Here are some ways for your inspiration:
Pair with Bread –
- Breadsticks: The authentic Olive garden aldredo dipping sauce is served with their own bread sticks. Which goes really well with this dipping sauce. If you can get them or bake your own.
- Garlic Bread and Garlic Knots: The extra garlic flavor enhances the experience of this dipping sauce. It is a fun appetizer option where the texture holds up well.
- Focaccia: Herbs in the Focaccia bread complement the alfredo dipping sauce, the olive oil base adds flavour and depth.
- Crusty Baguette: The crisp exterior and soft interior is perfect for dipping. Slice the baguette to preferred size so, it can hold shape in the sauce.
Pair with Pasta
- Fettuccine: Olive Garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe is same as their Traditional Alfredo’s sauce pasta which is served with Fettuccine. The flat, wide noodles provide maximum surface area for the sauce to cling effectively. The dense pasta can stand up to the heavy sauce.
- Any type of pasta: Don’t be limited, the best thing about this sauce is it can work with any type of pasta. Some suggestion.
- Penne: Ridges and hollow center catch the sauce perfectly for the flavourful bites.
- Rigatoni: Large tube holds the sauce well inside
- Fusilli: Spiral shape will trap the creamy sauce well
- Farfalle: Bow-tie shape provides the texture contrast to enjoy in every bite.
Pair it with proteins
- Grilled chicken: Mild flavour of chicken complements this olive garden alfredo dipping sauce without overwhelming. Lean protein balances the rich sauce with texture. Chicken also absorbs the sauce well.
- Sautéed Shrimps: Sweet seafood flavour of Shrimps cuts through the richness of dipping sauce. Sautéed shrimps are quick to cook, which matches with the sauce preparation time overall.
- Italian-style meatballs: For a more substantial meal italian-style meatballs are a hearty addition. Herbs in meatballs complements this dipping-sauce very well. Try them both as appetizer or main dish.
- Grilled Fish: For a healthy main dish, serve the sauce with Grilled fish. Light and flaky texture of fish provides contrast and don’t compete with the dipping sauce flavours.
Pair it with vegetables
- Steamed Broccoli: Florets in the broccoli capture the alfredo dipping sauce perfectly. Pair steamed broccoli with this for nutrition and flavur with slight crunch which contrasts the creamy texture.
- Roasted Garlic Mushrroms: Another great option in vegetarian is roasted garlic mushrooms which complements the garlic in dipping sauce. With umami flavor and meaty texture the mushrooms absorb the sauce well.
- Sautéed bell peppers: If you are looking for some sweet flavour contrast pairing it with sautéed bell peppers is another great option. Light crunch texture and the natural sweets cuts through the richness in dipping sauce. Also provides vibrant color in when serving.
- Garden Salad: To add some fresh elements you can try pairing it with Garden Salad. Nutritional variety of Garden salad can be great for palate cleansing which balances the rich, heavy dipping sauce.
URRecipe Community Tips on olive garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe
Here are some tips to follow when trying this recipe. If you’re attempting it for the first time, these tips will help you create a perfect dish on your initial attempt.
- Serve hot. Dipping Sauce tends to thickens as it cools. Best served immediately after preparation.
- Serve in a warm bowl. Serving the dipping sauce in a warm bowl ensures it thickens slowly and keeps the same consistency.
- Keep the bread. Breadsticks go really well with this dipping sauce. Keeping the bread warm gives the better dipping experience.
- Toss Pasta directly in the sauce. If you are pairing it with Fettuccine or any type of pasta, toss the boiled pasta directly in the dipping sauce. Reserve some pasta water to adjust consistency if needed.
- Protein should be hot. When serving it with protein options, make sure the protein is hot. It gives the chance for this sauce to be absorbed in nicely.
- Warm plates. Warm plates are another great option to maintain the consistency for pasta and protein pairings.
- Combine it with crunchy. Creamy sauce combines really well with crunchy breads and vegetables. Be creative and combines crunchy with creamy, play with smooth and rough textures.
- Consider mouth feel variations. When choosing the serving and pairing options do consider mouth feel variations. Different variations give different feels in mouth with this sauce.
Follow these tips and you will be on your way to make the best olive garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe ever. Happy cooking.
Store and reheat process of olive garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe
Olive garden alfredo dipping sauce is convenient make-ahead and freezable recipe. You can store in the refrigerator for upto 3 days in an air tight container. Afredo dipping sauce can also be frozen for upto 1 month, though I don’t recommend freezing it for the best flavour. To enjoy the best flavours consume it fresh.
Alfredo dipping sauce thickens up and hardens as it cools down it temperature. Whenever you want to serve it you can easily microwave it or slowly reheat it on the stove top on low to medium flame.
If you are freezing the sauce, it’s best to thaw the alfredo dipping sauce overnight in refrigerator before reheating it slowly on medium to low flame.
Olive Garden Alfredo Dipping Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- 1 Measuring tool
- 1 Grater If using fresh cheese
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Garlic Finely minced
- 1½ tbsp Flour
- 1½ cups Heavy Cream
- 1½ cups Whole Milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese Freshly grated preferred
- ½ cup Romano cheese Freshly grated preferred
- To taste Salt
- To taste Pepper
Instructions
- Get yourself a nice medium sized saucepan
- Melt butter in the pot over medium heat
- Add minced garlic to melted butter
- Cook the garlic for 1 minute
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer
- Whisk occasionally until it thickens (6-8 mins)
- It should come out creamy and perfect
Video
Notes
Common Questions on Olive Garden Alfredo dipping sauce recipe
Is home made olive garden alfredo dipping sauce healthier than restaurant version?
Both restaurant and homemade alfredo dipping sauce are rich in calories and fat. Homemade does allow control over ingredients, so you can adjust the portions more easily. One can also source fresh ingredients instead of processed ones to make the recipe healthier.
What’s the ideal cream-to-cheese ratio?
You should maintain 1 cup to 1.5 cups total cream to cheese ratio. Adjust the ratio based on your preferred thickness. For dipping it’s good to make the sauce thick.
Can I use lower-fat alternatives?
If you want to make it traditional Olive Garden restaurant style alfredo dipping sauce, its recommended to use full-fat dairy. using lower fat substitutes may affect the thickness, texture and taste.
How do you prevent the Alfredo Dipping sauce from separating?
Here are some tips you can follow to prevent your dipping sauce from separating: When cooking try and maintain consistent temperature throughout. Add cheese gradually while stirring. Whisk continuously when cooking the dipping sauce. Try not to let the dipping sauce come to boil.
Can I make this dipping sauce ahead of time?
I would personally recommend this dipping sauce to be served fresh and hot. Yes you can make the dipping sauce for 3 days ahead of time or upto 1 month ahead of time if you deep freeze it. Reheat the dipping sauce carefully on low to medium heat or microwave it. If the sauce is thick it might need additional cream when reheating. Store the sauce in airtight container.
Can I freeze this sauce?
Yes you can freeze the sauce for upto one month. When reheating, leave the sauce to thaw overnight and then reheat slowly on low to medium flame. Add extra cream if the sauce gets too thick while reheating.
What’s the best cheese to use?
Combination of Parmesan and Romano gives the best flavour. Fresh grated cheese is recommended, if not possible you can use pre-grated cheese but remember that it may affect the texture of this dipping sauce. Avoid pre-packaged cheese with anti-caking agents in them.
How do I fix a too-thick or too-thin sauce?
Before starting the cooking, measure the ingredients carefully with measuring cups or scales, watch the flour amount carefully, you should not have any thickness issue. Here are some tips if your dipping sauce gets too thick: add warm cream gradually and if its too-thin: continue simmering or you can add more cheese. Perfect consistency should coat the back of spoon.
How do I know when the dipping sauce is done?
You will know when this restaurant favourite Olive garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe is ready when the dipping sauce is thick, bubbly and coats the back of a spoon. This recipe should take about 6-8 minutes of cooking, end result should look smooth with no lumps.
What’s the best pan to use for the dipping sauce?
To make this dipping sauce a heavy bottomed saucepan is recommended. Non stick sauce pan will also help prevent sticking with even heat distribution. Size of the pan depends on quantity, for this recipe I have chosen a medium size pan.
How long can I store leftover olive garden alfredo dipping sauce?
You can store this sauce for upto 3 days in refrigerator. Reheat the dipping sauce on low to medium heat and add cream if the sauce gets too thick.
Can I make a smaller or larger batch of alfredo dipping sauce?
Yes, this recipe can be easily scaled up or down. Make sure to maintain the ingredient ratios and adjust for the cooking time accordingly.
Why did my alfredo dipping sauce become grainy?
This could be because of the cheese not melting properly, temperature might be too high. This recipe is cooked on medium heat. Pre-grated cheese or too cold cheese can make the dipping sauce grainy sometimes.
Can I make olive garden alfredo dipping sauce dairy free?
I understand you might be allergic to dairy or you are on strict diet, but the traditional restaurant style olive garden alfredo dipping sauce recipe relies heavily on dairy. The substitutes can significantly affect the taste and texture from the original Olive Garden’s taste.
This alfredo dipping sauce is perfect for those rainy days when you wanna have a whole hearted warm meal. With many different pairing options, this recipe gives you option to enjoy Olive Garden’s flavour at home.
You can also check out my olive garden recipe for shrimp scampi. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions and follow UrRecipe on Pinterest for a variety of delightful recipes.