Olive Garden Five Cheese Marinara Sauce (Copycat Recipe)
If you love the rich, cheesy, ultra-savory marinara from Olive Garden, this Olive Garden Five Cheese Marinara Sauce copycat recipe brings that same, bold, restaurant-style flavor straight to your kitchen.
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 213kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves Garlic finely minced
- 28 oz Crushed tomatoes 1 can, San Marzano
- ¼ cup Tomato passata
- 1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon Granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup Heavy cream
- ½ cup Mozzeralla cheese low-moisture, shredded
- ¼ cup Ricotta cheese full-fat
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoon Romano cheese grated
- 2 tablespoon Asiago cheese grated
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant for about 30 seconds. Do not brown the garlic.2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, 4 cloves Garlic
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato passata, and Italian seasoning to the garlic. Turn the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes.28 oz Crushed tomatoes , ¼ cup Tomato passata, 1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Continue to simmer gently.⅓ cup Heavy cream
- Add the cheese blend to the sauce gradually, stirring continuously until smooth and fully melted.½ cup Mozzeralla cheese, ¼ cup Ricotta cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoon Romano cheese, 2 tablespoon Asiago cheese
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar if needed.½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon Black pepper, ¼ - ½ teaspoon Granulated sugar
Notes
Use freshly shredded cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting, in turn making the sauce grainy.
Keep the heat low: High heat can cause dairy to separate and become grainy. Once cream is added, never let the sauce boil.
Add cheese gradually: Sprinkle the cheese in small handfuls while stirring continuously for a smooth finish.
Balance acidity: If the sauce tastes too sharp, add a pinch of sugar, an extra spoon of ricotta, or a splash more of cream.
Blend if needed: For ultra-smooth texture, use an immersion blender before adding the cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 486mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 703IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 223mg | Iron: 2mg
