The Best Way To Reheat That Olive Garden Alfredo Sitting In Your Fridge
One of the best things about Olive Garden's delicious fettuccine Alfredo is the generous portion size. However, you will probably find yourself with leftovers at the end of the meal, which will need to be heated up for the best flavor and texture on subsequent days. In this case, you can quickly and easily reheat your leftovers in the oven. Start by breaking out your trusty baking dish and add the fettuccine Alfredo to it. Make sure the pasta forms a single layer on the bottom.
Next, take about 2 tablespoons of water and stir it into the pasta. If you want the leftovers to be extra creamy, use milk in place of water. Now, set the oven to 350 F and place the covered baking dish inside (use aluminum foil if the dish doesn't have an airtight lid). After about ten minutes or so, remove the dish and stir the pasta around to make sure it's evenly heated. The pasta will probably need about five more minutes in the oven after stirring, at which point it should be sufficiently heated up.
Replicating the Olive Garden experience at home
While it's slightly more labor-intensive, Olive Garden fettucine can also be reheated on your stovetop. Not only is this method effective at maintaining the quality of the dish, but it will also fill your home with delicious aromas as the cheese and herbs are warmed up.
Set the stove top burner to no higher than medium heat, as you could inadvertently singe the pasta when using high temperatures. Add about a tablespoon of butter to a pan and give it time to melt. At this point, you can add the fettucine to the pan, making sure to stir consistently to heat the dish all the way through. For improved texture, incorporate a small amount of milk into the pasta as you stir. The pasta should be ready to eat in just a few minutes, so keep your eye on the pan to avoid overcooking. Once heated up, the pasta can be plated and served with a nice side of those leftover Olive Garden breadsticks.
When in a hurry, nuke it
If you want to enjoy your Olive Garden leftovers during lunch but lack time for traditional cooking methods, your microwave will be a real lifesaver. Take a bowl that can be safely used in the microwave and add the pasta to it. Add a bit of water to the dish and stir so it's fully integrated with the fettuccine. Now you'll need to cover the bowl to create favorable cooking conditions.
A paper towel is ideal, in this case, as you can make holes in the top to release steam as the pasta heats up. Without these holes, steam would accumulate in the dish and possibly cause a mess. Poking holes in the paper towel can also prevent injuries since steam won't be released all at once when taking the towel off. Nuke the fettuccine for one minute, then remove the dish and stir. Replace it and nuke for another minute until the pasta is completely warmed up.