The Trick To Reheating Olive Garden Dishes So The Alfredo Sauce Doesn't Break

Whether your order calls for a takeaway box or you've picked up a dish to enjoy later, heating up Olive Garden's classic Alfredo sauce can be a tricky task to manage. Just like any cream-based pasta sauce, Olive Garden's Alfredo is an emulsion. Fat droplets from butter, heavy cream, and cheese are suspended in liquid, resulting in a creamy, smooth texture that coats noodles in rich flavor. Unfortunately, when heated improperly, the emulsion can break, leaving behind an unappetizing, separated mess. Learning what a broken sauce means is the first step to sidestepping this culinary mishap. 

When reheating your favorite Alfredo orders, refrain from cranking your stovetop to high. High heat, whether from the burner or your microwave, will shock the creamy sauce and result in an oily, separated disappointment. Instead, reheat your meal over low heat. Gradual heat and frequent stirring will increase your odds of keeping the sauce intact. Use a whisk to gently warm the leftover Alfredo and noodles in a saucepan, and keep a careful watch over your meal so that the contents never reach a boil.

Letting leftovers come to room temperature before reheating also helps the dish warm more evenly. A splash of milk or cream can loosen leftover sauce and give the ingredients something to incorporate into as everything warms in the pan. If using a microwave, transfer the sauce to a microwave-safe bowl and loosely cover. Reheat at a lower power in 15-second intervals and stir between each cycle. For the oven, place the pasta in an oven-safe dish, cover tightly with foil, and warm at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until your meal is heated through.

Should you be faced with separated sauce, do not despair. Whisking a small amount of warm cream or milk into the separated sauce over low heat can bring the broken sauce back. Freshly grated Parmesan stirred into the batch as a final step can help rebind the sauce and restore that just-from-the-restaurant quality. Pair it with properly reheated Olive Garden breadsticks, and you'll have a fresh-tasting dish that is ready to serve.