Five Cheese Marinara Sauce Recipe (Olive Garden) (2024)

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Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti is one of those pasta dishes you won’t soon forget! The homemade sauce, including the signature five-cheese marinara blended with fontina cheese and other secret ingredients, will have your mouth watering. This top-secret recipe from the famous Olive Garden restaurant is so easy to make from home! Filled with meat sauce and other cheese blends you will have a high-quality meal in no time!

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One of our favorite restaurants in Olive Garden – especially for our oldest child.

I always love trying to recreate their original recipes at home (such as their discontinued chicken alfredo spaghetti pie or giant stuffed rigatoni), so when our oldest requested his favorite pasta dish from them- their five cheese marinara- for his birthday…well, I figured I was up for the challenge. And it ended up being a huge hit!

It turned out SO delicious. Like, it tastedexactlylike the five cheese marinara that our son always insists on getting whenever we go there. Next time all I will need to do to make this Olive Garden recipe a complete meal would be to add their famous house salad!

Be sure to read to the end for all our best tips for making this meal!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 jars marinara
  • 1 jar alfredo
  • 2 cups shredded Kraft Italian Cheese Blend
  • 1/2 cup ricotta
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
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What cheese should you buy?

This ziti pasta dish was so creamy with just the right amount of tomato-y flavor…but more importantly, tons of cheesy goodness!

I’ll be the first to admit that Ido not like ricotta cheese – however, it does add a wonderful creaminess to this dish that I’m not sure could be achieved otherwise.

Our recipe calls for an Italian Cheese Blend but you can always add additional cheeses. For instance, try adding one cup of mozzarella cheese with one cup of Italian Cheese Blend. If you want it to be even creamier you can pour in a few tablespoons of heavy cream or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, too!

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Can you use homemade marinara and alfredo sauce?

I always use jarred marinara and alfredo sauce. I just find it easier to grab a bottle or two at the grocery store. But you can absolutely make your own homemade alfredo sauce or marinara.

Here is a great homemade alfredo sauce recipe!

What protein can you add to the sauce?

There are so many options for this dish to up the protein content:

  • Meatballs
  • Ground beef
  • Grilled chicken
  • Italian sausage

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil. Sautée onion and garlic.
  2. Add marinara sauces and alfredo and mix. Bring to a simmer
  3. Whisk in ricotta, Italian cheeses, and Italian seasoning and stir until smooth. Simmer 10 mins.
  4. Serve over pasta.
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What are the best ways to store leftovers?

If you have leftovers you will want to place them in an airtight container in your fridge. Be sure to consume in about 3-5 days. Simply reheat it in your microwave!

You can definitely freeze the sauce, too. Just place leftovers in a large freezer Ziploc bag. It should stay good for about three months. If you freeze it with the noodles be aware they may come out mushy when you defrost them.

What noodles do you use?

We have used different kinds of noodles and it is always delicious! Our favorite is ziti or penne pasta but truthfully you can use whatever you want! When have a delicious ziti sauce like this one- it doesn’t matter what noodles you use.

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Variations for this dish include:

The sky’s the limit with this one.

You can throw everything into a baking dish or skillet making it a one-pot meal and make baked ziti. Or you can cook noodles ahead of time and simply pour the sauce over them.

Add some fresh basil, or breadcrumbs on top for a ziti topping and it will make this cheese marinara sauce go the extra mile.

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Olive Garden Five Cheese Marinara Recipe

Yield: 6 people

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Olive Garden Five Cheese Marinara Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 jars marinara
  • 1 jar alfredo
  • 2 cups shredded Kraft Italian Cheese Blend
  • 1/2 cup ricotta
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil. Sautée onion and garlic.
  2. Add marinara sauces and alfredo and mix. Bring to a simmer
  3. Whisk in ricotta, Italian cheeses, and Italian seasoning and stir until smooth. Simmer 10 mins.
  4. Serve over pasta.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 279Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 441mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 13g

Olive Garden Copy Cat Recipes

If you are a big fan of Olive Garden, here are all our copycat recipes from them:

  • Olive Garden Loaded Pasta Chips
  • Copycat Olive Garden Giant Sausage Stuffed Rigatoni Recipe
  • Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Pie
  • Pressure Cooker Bolognese Sauce: Olive Garden Copycat

This super simple recipe can be made in under 30 minutes – but it will taste like you’ve been working on it for hours! Serve it over your favorite pasta, in a baked pasta dish, or any way you please!

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Katie Clark

Katie is a Colorado-native, BYU graduated, and most importantly, wife to one and mother to three beautiful boys. She is passionate about sharing her experiences with others – especially about pregnancy, breastfeeding, cooking, and crafts. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She loves spending time with her family and helping others find joy in family life.

Five Cheese Marinara Sauce Recipe (Olive Garden) (2024)

FAQs

What are the five cheeses at Olive Garden? ›

Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno copycat recipe made with marinara, alfredo, mozzarella, fontina, romano and parmesan cheese baked together with a crispy panko topping.

What sauce does Olive Garden use? ›

Marinara is the robust signature red tomato sauce served at Olive Garden. It's the pulpy pasta sauce recognized in their chicken and eggplant parmigiana, lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, meat sauce, and their popular 5-cheese ziti.

Is Olive Garden marinara good? ›

Olive Garden Marinara Sauce has all of the authentic, robust Italian flavors you could ever want in a great Italian pasta sauce.

What is the difference between marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce the same? ›

Is marinara sauce the same as spaghetti sauce? Marinara is typically a simple tomato sauce. Spaghetti sauce, however, usually implies that a little something extra has been added, like meat or vegetables.

What cheese do they shred at Olive Garden? ›

Olive Garden offers cheese at the table, the grated cheese is Romano cheese, a sheep's milk cheese that is similar to the cow's milk derived Parmesan. Romano tends to be stronger in flavor and saltier, but both are popular choices to adding to pasta dishes.

What kind of cheese do they sprinkle at Olive Garden? ›

According to Reddit boards and TikTok's the exact brand Olive Garden uses is Lotito Romano Cheese. We think the brand doesn't matter here, and suggest you just go with a high-quality pecorino romano for best results.

Does Olive Garden make their sauce from scratch daily? ›

Our soup and sauce masters create dishes by hand and from scratch, every day. With fresh, whole ingredients like kale, peppers and squash. Because they know cooking that way – the Italian way- everything tastes better. to everything they make.

Can I buy an Olive Garden cheese grater? ›

One TikTok creator discovered that Olive Garden sells its famous cheese grater in stores, and fans of the restaurant have never been more excited. Apparently, all you have to do is walk into your local Olive Garden, ask to purchase a cheese grater, and a team member will almost certainly heed your request.

How do you get extra sauce at Olive Garden? ›

2. Ask for extra secret sauces with your zeppoli. The cream-filled, deep-fried Italian pastries typically come with a side of chocolate dipping sauce, but if you ask your server about other options you'll likely get a spread that includes much more—including a decadent raspberry sauce.

Which is healthier marinara or spaghetti sauce? ›

If you are buying a jarred or canned sauce, choose a tomato-based (marinara) sauce rather than a creamy sauce. Creamy sauces usually have more saturated fat and calories. Eating too much saturated fat has been linked to heart disease. Tomato-based sauces also contain more nutrients like vitamin A and lycopene.

Which is better Alfredo or marinara? ›

Marinara sauce is lower in calories and fat, making it a preferable sauce choice for those that are counting calories or on a low-fat diet. It also has more fiber than Alfredo sauce as it contains mostly vegetables. Conversely, high-fat diets are on the rise, making Alfredo an ideal sauce for many consumers.

What are the rules for Olive Garden never-ending pasta? ›

Never Ending Pasta Pass®

Each “NEPB meal” consists of pasta, sauce and a single topping serving from the promotional NEPB menu. All other entrees excluded. Each meal is for one person and may not be shared. Dine-in only.

Can I use spaghetti sauce as marinara sauce? ›

When it comes down to it, there isn't a big difference between marinara and spaghetti sauce.

What are the ingredients for marinara sauce? ›

You'll need only five basic pantry ingredients to make this delicious marinara sauce: good canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, dried oregano and olive oil. That's it! This marinara is exceptionally easy to make, too, so it's perfect for busy weeknights.

Can you use pizza sauce as marinara sauce? ›

Marinara often comes in pre-cooked and jarred batches. Pizza sauces are uncooked and less seasoned, usually prepared to be baked later within a dish. While you technically can use pizza sauce while making pasta, the essential concern is if you should.

What are the five cheeses in five cheese pizza? ›

Made with 100% real mozzarella, provolone, fontina, white cheddar, and parmesan cheeses, this five-cheese blend is crafted for people with high pizza standards.

What are the 5 cheeses on pizza? ›

As a garnish or on its own, the demand for cheese-topped pizzas are in high demand and fromage favourites include Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Provolone, Chevré and Pecorino-Romano, all of which we will guide you through below.

What are the 5 cheeses in one? ›

Five cheeses pressed into one. Mature Cheddar Cheese, Derby Cheese, Double Gloucester, Cheshire Cheese & Red Leicester. An absolute delight for cheese on toast!

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