Best Olive Garden Recipes

BETTER THAN OLIVE GARDEN ALFREDO SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in medium saucepan with olive oil over medium/low heat.
• Add the garlic, cream, white pepper and bring mixture to a simmer.
• Stir often.
• Add the Parmesan cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth.
• When sauce has thickened add the Mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. STIR FREQUENTLY.
• While the sauce cooks, boil noodles for 3-5 minutes.
• Place pasta on serving plates and spoon sauce over pasta.
• Garnish with parsley, freshly cracked black pepper and more grated parmesan (optional).

SPINACH ALFREDO SAUCE (BETTER THAN OLIVE GARDEN®)

Steps:

• Heat butter in a saucepan over low heat; cook spinach in the melted butter until warmed, about 1 minute. Add cream and cream cheese to spinach mixture; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Fold Parmesan cheese and garlic powder into spinach mixture; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until sauce is thickened and smooth, about 10 more minutes.

BETTER-THAN-OLIVE GARDEN® ALFREDO SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cream, garlic, and white pepper; bring to just under a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
• Stir Parmesan cheese into cream mixture and simmer until sauce is thickened and smooth, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mozzarella cheese to sauce; cook and stir until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and transfer pasta to serving plates. Spoon sauce over pasta.

OLIVE GARDEN SALAD (COPYCAT)

Steps:

• In a large glass or wooden salad serving bowl, toss together the lettuce mix, onion slices, olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes, and croutons. Add dressing and toss to combine.
• Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese and black pepper to taste.

OLIVE GARDEN PASTA E FAGIOLI

Steps:

• Sauté beef in oil in large 10 quart pot until beef starts to brown.
• Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minute.
• Drain and rinse beans and add to pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce and noodles .
• Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minute.
• NOTES : Makes 9 quarts! Just cut the recipe down for smaller batches.

OLIVE GARDEN COPYCAT ZUPPA TOSCANA

Steps:

• Chop or slice uncooked sausage into small pieces and cook until browned and meat is ground in bottom of your soup pan over med-high heat.
• Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to Sausage and cook until onions are clear and aromatics of the seasonings blend together.
• Reduce heat back to medium and place, potatoes, in the pot. and slowly add the Chicken Stock and water and stir. (use Chicken Bouillon envelope for extra flavor is Chicken Stock is weak).
• Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done and stir occasionally. Once Potatoes are done, Add flour or cornstarch and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to lowest setting and sprinkle in your kale and cooked bacon and slowly pour cream while stirring.
• Check for taste and then serve.

OLIVE GARDEN-STYLE HOUSE SALAD

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, Miracle Whip, lemon juice, parmesan, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and 1 to 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
• Make the salad: Place the salad blend in a large bowl and top with the red onion, pepperoncini, tomato, olives, croutons and cheese. Drizzle with the dressing and gently toss.

OLIVE GARDEN ALFREDO SAUCE

Steps:

• On medium heat, add butter, garlic, and flour until butter is melted. Do not brown garlic.
• Whisk in the heavy cream until hot.
• Slowly add the freshly grated cheeses into the hot cream mixture. Finally add the salt and pepper. Stir often to make sure no cheese settles at the bottom.
• Simmer until all the cheeses are melted and the sauce reaches the desired thickness. Do not let this sauce boil, or it will begin to separate and the cheeses will become grainy.
• Serve with pasta and garnish with freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (used by restaurant), if desired.

OLIVE GARDEN PASTA E FAGIOLI SOUP IN A CROCK POT (COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Brown beef in a skillet.
• Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
• Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
• During last 30 min on high or 1 hour on low, add pasta.

OLIVE GARDEN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
• When butter is melted, add cream cheese.
• When the cream cheese is softened, add heavy cream.
• Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and stir in parmesan.
• Serve over hot fettucine noodles.

ALMOST-FAMOUS BREADSTICKS (OLIVE GARDEN COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water; mix with the paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms, 5 minutes.
• Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until very smooth and soft, 3 minutes. Roll into a 2-foot-long log; cut into 16 1 1/2-inch pieces. Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7-inch long breadstick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Make the topping: Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
• Bake until slightly golden, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt with the garlic powder and oregano.
• Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the flavored salt.
• Serve warm with salad.

OLIVE GARDEN STYLE CHICKEN AND GNOCCHI SOUP

Steps:

• Saute the onion, celery, garlic, carrot in oil over medium heat until onion is translucent.
• Add chicken, chicken stock, half and half, salt and pepper, thyme. Heat to boiling, then add gnocchi. Gently boil for 4 minutes, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
• (Heat to boiling and add cornstarch dissolved in 1-2 Tbsp water at this point if you want a thicker soup.).
• Ladle into bowls and serve!

OLIVE GARDEN ZUPPA TOSCANA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, put water, bouillon, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, and potatoes. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Sauté the sausage and onion in a skillet, until the sausage is brown, then add it to the stockpot, along with the Kale. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, or until Kale and potatoes are tender.
• Add the cream and bacon bits, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Notes:.
• I use 10 medium size potatoes.
• Half and Half can be substituted for the heavy cream if desired.
• Kale can be found in the produce department of most grocery stores.
• The soup at The Olive Garden is not thick. If you wish yours to be more like a cream soup, simply simmer it longer, and mash some of the potatoes in the pot with a wooden spoon, and stir frequently until of the desired consistency.

OLIVE GARDEN MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Slowly saute finely minced onion, celery and carrot in butter until very brown.
• Add peas and beans and about 3 quarts of water.
• Cook slowly until beans are almost done (check garbanzos- they will take the longest) about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Add the remaining vegetables, rice and spices and more water if necessary and cook another hour.
• About 20 minutes before serving time add the macaroni and more water if needed.
• Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Serve with crusty garlic bread.

COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN HOT SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

Steps:

• Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature.
• Cream together mayonnaise, Parmesan, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, and garlic salt. Mix well.
• Add the artichoke hearts and spinach (be careful to drain this well), and mix until blended.
• Spray pie pan with Pam, pour in dip, and top with mozarella cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is browned.
• Best served with thinly sliced toasted bread, such as French or Italian.

OLIVE GARDEN SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed.
• If this is a little to tart for your own personal tastes please add a little extra sugar.

COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN SEAFOOD PORTOFINO

Steps:

• PORTOFINO SAUCE:.
• Start by getting your ingredients ready. Dice the onion.
• *Make the roux (heat vegetable oil on medium/high, add flour, stir continuously until oil flour mixture browns). The amount of oil is about equal to the amount of roux required by the recipe. For instance, the original recipe calls for 2 oz of roux. So 4 tbsp oil and 4 tbsp white flour. Set aside.
• Melt Butter on medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
• Add white wine. Turn up heat to high until boiling then back down to medium. Cook 5 minutes on medium.
• Stir in roux, shrimp stock, and Old Bay Seasoning. Cook 3 minutes.
• Add milk and heavy cream. Turn heat on high just until mixture starts to boil. Turn to medium/low, cover, and stir occasionally for 5 minutes. The sauce is now ready! It can be store for up to one week in the regrigerator.
• Seafood Portofino:.
• Heat oil in saute pan over medium flame. Put mushrooms inches Cook 2 minutes.
• Add mussels, and cook 30 seconds.
• Add shrimp, crawfish, and scallops. Cook until heated through, stirring.
• Add portofino sauce; cook until bubbling throughout.
• Move mushrooms and seafood to one side of pan. Add linguine to other side. Using tongs,coat pasta with sauce. (mussels should be open).

THE ACTUAL OLIVE GARDEN BOLOGNESE SAUCE RECIPE (SPAGHETTI SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pan. Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and cook about 5 minutes.
• Add meat and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Deglaze pan with wine, let it reduce.
• Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients and stir, simmer for about 1 hour.
• Serve over fresh, hot pasta.

COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare pasta according to package directions.
• Wash and drain chicken strips.
• Mix breadcrumbs, flour, and Parmesan cheese together.
• Place milk in dish for dipping.
• Dip chicken in breadcrumb mixture and then in milk and then back in breadcrumbs.
• Place in fry pan in which oil has been heated and fry at medium to medium low temperature until golden.
• Remove and drain chicken.
• In a saucepan on medium heat, melt butter, add olive oil.
• Whisk in flour until mixture is blended.
• Quickly add garlic, water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt stir well.
• Add wine and blend.
• Immediately add half and half and sour cream stir.
• When mixture is smooth add grated cheese stir until melted.
• Finally sprinkle fresh basil in the sauce and stir lightly and remove from heat.
• Garnish: Place 2 cups pasta in individual a pasta dish.
• Spoon about 1/2- 3/4 cup sauce over pasta, add broccoli and mushrooms.
• Place Parmesan Chicken on pasta and sprinkle red crushed pepper and add grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

OLIVE GARDEN CHICKEN AND SHRIMP CARBONARA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Whisk extra virgin olive oil together with hot water, seasoning and chopped garlic. Add the chicken strips (or shrimp). Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and bacon bits. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add flour, Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, milk, pepper and salt to your bacon/butter base. Use a wire whisk to whip all ingredients together. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer.
• Combine Romano, Parmesan, mozzarella, panko, chopped garlic, melted butter and chopped parsley in a mixing bowl. Stir until well blended. Set aside.
• Preheat large skillet. Add chicken (or shrimp) to pan. Add red peppers and bacon bits. Cook for 3 more minutes or until cooked on both sides and internal temperatures reach 165ºF for chicken and 155ºF for shrimp.
• Add sauce. Stir until well blended.
• Place hot, precooked pasta on a lager serving platter. Top with chicken (or shrimp) and sauce. Evenly distribute topping over top of chicken (or shrimp). Place in oven until top is golden brown.
• Serve immediately and enjoy.