These copycat Olive Garden breadsticks taste exactly like the originals that we just can’t get enough of. A simple dough recipe is baked to golden perfection and slathered with butter, parmesan, garlic salt and a little basil to create breadsticks that are completely irresistible.
Breadsticks are one of the most beloved items on the Olive Garden menu. No matter what dish is your favorite, chances are you have to take some of it home in a to-go box because you filled up on their breadsticks before your meal ever came out.
My family and I love the breadsticks at Olive Garden. In fact, we love them so much that we routinely make a meal out of them before our food even arrives. I’ve actually had to stop myself from filling up on those delicious, buttery, garlicky breadsticks just so I had at least some room for my meal.
These copycat Olive Garden breadsticks taste exactly like the originals. They’re the perfect complement to any Italian dish, and the best part is how easy they are to make.
Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
These copycat Olive Garden breadsticks are everything we love about the restaurant originals. They’re golden on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and they’re overflowing with buttery, garlic-infused goodness.
Every single bite is like a little trip to the restaurant, and they’re so easy to make that they’re perfect for any occasion from a weeknight dinner to a fancy party. Served with marinara sauce or alongside your favorite pasta entrée, these breadsticks are pure magic.
If you’re a fan of breadsticks, you’re going to love this recipe. I’m so glad to share it with all of you today. It’s the perfect combination of flavor and ease, which is what we’re all looking for in a recipe, don’t you think?
Tips
As dough recipes go, this is a really easy one. It doesn’t take a lot of involved ingredients or special tricks. It’s a simple dough that only takes a few minutes to prepare and a few more minutes in the oven.
That being said, there are a few things to keep in mind when making this recipe. Making dough is a tricky business, but if you know what to do, it’s incredibly easy. That’s where these tips come in!
Let the Yeast Bloom
Yeast is a living organism. When you add the yeast to your oil, sugar, and water mixture, you’re waking it up with the warm water and giving it something to eat with the sugar. As the yeast eats, it creates gas, which is what makes your dough rise.
It’s important to let your yeast really do its thing for about 10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready because foam will develop on top of the water. If it’s not foamy, it’s not ready.
Don’t Knead the First Go Around
With many dough recipes, you’ll knead it before letting it rest, but you don’t want to do that with this recipe. SImply form the dough into a ball and let it rise until it’s double in size. THEN knead it into a nice, smooth, glossy ball. This helps give the dough just the right amount of gluten to make a finished product that is a breadstick and not a super puffy, tiny bread loaf.
Don’t Overcook the Bread
Remove the breadsticks as soon as they are golden brown. There is often confusion about what golden brown is. Golden brown is more gold and less brown. Think of golden brown is a very light honey color.
If your bread looks more like very dark honey, you’ve cooked it for too long. So as soon as it gets a golden color to it, take that bread out immediately.
Variations
If you change this recipe, you won’t have copycat Olive Garden breadsticks anymore, but that’s totally okay. Because they’ll still be delicious. The great thing about breadsticks is that so many flavors go so wonderfully with them.
My biggest tip to changing things up with this recipe is changing the herbs that you use. The copycat Olive Garden breadsticks version only uses butter, parmesan cheese, and garlic salt, but some wonderful herbs to add to the breadsticks include:
- Italian seasoning
- Rosemary
- Sage
Those are my top three picks. When you combine any of these three herbs with some parmesan and melted butter, you get breadsticks that are absolutely out of this world.
Serving These Breadsticks
These breadsticks are the perfect appetizer or side. Set them out with a bowl of marinara sauce for a tasty appetizer that everyone loves. You can also pair them with any of your favorite pasta recipes or pizza for a night that’s just absolutely full of Italian goodness! However you serve them, one thing’s for sure, everyone will love them.
How To Store Homemade Breadsticks
These breadsticks will keep well in an air-tight container at room temperature for around four to five days. For longer storage, you can freeze them in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to three months. To freeze, let the breadsticks come to room temperature, then wrap them in plastic wrap. Then, place them in your container of choice.
Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks are the Real Deal
These might be copycat breadsticks, but they’re the real deal. These delicious breadsticks are baked to golden brown perfection on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside, and loaded with buttery, garlic-infused goodness just like our favorite originals! Give this recipe a try, and I know your family will love it as much as mine does.
Ingredients to make Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Active Dry Yeast
- Warm water
- Olive oil
- Sugar
- Egg
- Salt
- Flour
- Butter, melted
- Garlic salt
- Basil
How to make Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with a non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir yeast, oil, and sugar into warm water.
- Let bloom for 10 minutes or until mixture becomes foamy.
- Next, whisk in egg and salt.
- Slowly add flour until a smooth dough forms.
- Roll dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Let rise for about an hour, or until dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Next, transfer dough onto a well floured surface and knead the dough until smooth and all of the air is out of the dough. Form back into a ball.
- Using a dough cutter, or knife, divide dough into 12 pieces.
- Now, roll each piece of dough into a ball and then roll out to desired length (approximately 5 to 6 inches long.)
- Place breadsticks onto prepared baking dish and let rise for 10 minutes.
- Place breadsticks into oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
- While breadsticks are baking, prepare your parmesan garlic butter.
- In a small, heat-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave and heat for 30-45 seconds.
- Next, add parmesan cheese, garlic salt and basil.
- Once breadsticks are removed from oven, brush generously with butter parmesan mixture and serve.
Try These Delicious Breadsticks Today
Here are a few more delicious recipes that can be found on the blog:
- Soft Pretzel Bites
- Italian Sausage Pasta
- Lasagna Soup
- Pepperoni Bagel Bites
- And here are some Garlic Cheese Toast from Great Grub, Delicious Treats that are delicious too.
Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
Ingredients
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 3-3½ cups flour
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons basil
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with a non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir yeast, oil, and sugar into warm water.
- Let bloom for 10 minutes or until mixture becomes foamy.
- Next, whisk in egg and salt.
- Slowly add flour until a smooth dough forms.
- Roll dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Let rise for about an hour, or until dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Next, transfer dough onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and all of the air is out of the dough. Form back into a ball.
- Using a dough cutter, or knife, divide dough into 12 pieces.
- Now, roll each piece of dough into a ball and then roll out to desired length (approximetly 5 to 6 inches long.)
- Place breadsticks onto prepared baking dish and let rise for 10 minutes.
- Place breadsticks into oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
- While breadsticks are baking, prepare your parmesan garlic butter.
- In a small, heat-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave and heat for 30-45 seconds.
- Next, add parmesan cheese, garlic salt and basil.
- Once breadsticks are removed from oven, brush generously with butter parmesan mixture and serve.
Notes
Here are a few pics that are the perfect size for pinning to Pinterest.
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