'Savory, Salty, And Earthy' - Our Favorite Olive Garden Sauce Is A Must-Try - Tasting Table

"Chicken tortelloni Alfredo may be our favorite Olive Garden pasta dish, but the dimensionality of the Italian-American chain's creamy mushroom sauce just might have us rethinking our order. In Tasting Table's definitive ranking of all six sauces at Olive Garden, creamy mushroom sauce swept the competition. We based our taste-test on "overall flavor, preferring the more interesting sauces," and as far as palate-intrigue goes, O.G.'s creamy mushroom sauce ticked off all the boxes."

"[I]t's savory, salty, and earthy thanks to the mushrooms, and a touch oily. Plus, you get the sautéed mushroom pieces, which give an almost meaty texture to your bite and an earthy profile to the pasta. The rich, velvety texture coats every bite of pasta with fresh mushroom flavor, cream, and a variety of seasonings."

Creamy mushroom sauce ranks highest among Olive Garden's six sauces for overall flavor and palate intrigue. The sauce combines savory, salty, and earthy mushroom notes with a touch of oiliness and sautéed mushroom pieces that add an almost meaty texture. A rich, velvety emulsion of mushrooms, cream, and seasonings coats pasta uniformly. The sauce also anchors Chicken Marsala, contributing richness and complexity that elevate a basic chicken breast. The heavier, mildly flavored sauce pairs especially well with structurally thicker, toothier pastas such as rigatoni and resembles a lighter, earthier version of classic Alfredo with mushroom-forward umami.

Read at Tasting Table