Olive Garden Breadsticks Copycat Recipe for Soft, Buttery Restaurant-Style Bread

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Olive Garden-Style Breadsticks (Easy Copycat Recipe)

If you’ve ever sat down at Olive Garden and thought, “I could eat a whole basket of these warm, buttery breadsticks,” you’re not alone. Today I’m sharing an easy copycat Olive Garden breadsticks recipe you can bake at home with simple pantry ingredients. These soft, golden breadsticks are brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with garlic and salt. They’re perfect with pasta, soup, salad, or honestly…just on their own.

A Little Background: Why Olive Garden Breadsticks Are So Iconic

Olive Garden is known across the USA as a cozy, family-friendly place for big plates of pasta, endless salad, and those warm, garlicky breadsticks that hit the table almost as soon as you sit down. The breadsticks have a few things going for them:
  • Soft and fluffy inside – pillowy, tender, and easy to tear.
  • Lightly crisp outside – a thin golden crust that’s not too crunchy.
  • Garlic-butter flavor – they smell incredible when they hit the table, warm and fragrant.
  • Just salty enough – that sprinkle of garlic salt on top makes them addictive.
This recipe is a homemade version inspired by that experience. It’s not the actual restaurant recipe, but it will give you that same warm, buttery, garlicky basket-of-breadstick joy in your own kitchen.
Freshly baked Olive Garden style breadsticks brushed with garlic butter and sprinkled with salt on a wooden board.
Warm, garlicky Olive Garden–style breadsticks brushed with melted butter and served fresh from the oven.

Olive Garden Breadsticks Copycat Recipe

Yield: About 12 breadsticks
Serving size: 1 breadstick (out of 12)

Ingredients

For the dough:
  • 1 cup warm water (about 105–110°F)
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus more for greasing bowl)
  • 1¾ teaspoons salt
  • 3 to 3½ cups all-purpose flour (start with 3 cups, add more if needed)
For the garlic butter topping:
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder (optional but tasty)
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt (or garlic salt)
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for extra flavor)

Prep Time, Bake Time, and Nutrition Info

  • Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 1 to 1½ hours total rising time)
  • Bake time: 12–15 minutes
  • Total time: About 1½–2 hours
Approximate nutrition per breadstick (1 of 12):
  • Calories: ~140
  • Carbohydrates: ~22 g
  • Protein: ~4 g
  • Fat: ~4.5 g
  • Saturated fat: ~3 g
  • Sodium: ~260 mg (varies with topping)
  • Fiber: ~1 g
  • Sugar: ~3 g
*These numbers are estimates based on common ingredient databases and will vary with specific brands and exact sizes.*

Step-by-Step: How to Make Olive Garden-Style Breadsticks

1. Activate the yeast

  • In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), add:
    • 1 cup warm water
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • Stir gently and let it sit for about 5–10 minutes, until it looks foamy and bubbly on top.
If the mixture doesn’t foam, your water may have been too hot or the yeast may be old. Start over with fresh yeast.

2. Make the dough

  • Add to the bowl:
    • 3 tablespoons melted butter
    • 1¾ teaspoons salt
    • 3 cups of flour (start with 3, reserve the extra ½ cup)
  • Stir with a wooden spoon or use the dough hook on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
  • If the dough is very sticky, add more flour 1–2 tablespoons at a time, just until it comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
You want a soft dough that’s slightly tacky but not wet or runny.

3. Knead the dough

  • By hand: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8–10 minutes until smooth, stretchy, and elastic.
  • With stand mixer: Use dough hook on medium-low for about 6–8 minutes.
A simple test: stretch a small piece of dough gently. If it can stretch thin without tearing right away, it’s ready.

4. First rise

  • Lightly oil or butter a clean bowl.
  • Place the dough in the bowl, turning once to coat it in the oil so it doesn’t dry out.
  • Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
  • Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 45–60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
If your kitchen is cool, you can place the bowl in a turned-off oven with the oven light on for gentle warmth.

5. Shape the breadsticks

  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
  • Gently punch down the risen dough to release air.
  • Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces (you can eyeball it or weigh them if you like).
  • Roll each piece into a rope about 7–8 inches long. Try to keep them close in size so they bake evenly.
  • Place them on the baking sheet, spaced about 1–2 inches apart.

6. Second rise

  • Cover the shaped breadsticks loosely with plastic wrap or a towel.
  • Let them rise again in a warm place for about 20–30 minutes, until slightly puffy.
They don’t need to double this time—just look “fluffier.”

7. Preheat and bake

  • While they rise, preheat your oven to 400°F.
  • Once the breadsticks are puffy, bake them on the middle rack for 12–15 minutes, or until they are light golden brown on top.
Food safety note: Bread made from enriched yeast dough is safe once fully baked through. Aim for a light golden color and a hollow sound when you tap the bottom of a breadstick.

8. Make the garlic butter topping

While the breadsticks bake, stir together:
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (or garlic salt)
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan (optional)
Taste and adjust the salt or garlic to your liking.

9. Brush and serve

  • As soon as the breadsticks come out of the oven, brush them generously with the garlic butter mixture.
  • For extra flavor, sprinkle a tiny pinch more salt or garlic salt on top if desired.
  • Serve warm, ideally within 10–15 minutes for that “restaurant basket” feel.

Simple Shortcuts for Busy Nights

Sometimes you want breadsticks, but you don’t want to fuss. Here are a few easier options that get you close to that Olive Garden breadstick vibe with less effort.

1. Quick dough shortcut

  • Use rapid-rise or instant yeast and skip the first rest of the yeast mixture (just mix everything together). Your first rise may be closer to 30–40 minutes instead of 1 hour.

2. Use store-bought pizza dough

If you’re really short on time:
  • Buy a 1-pound ball of pizza dough from the store or your grocery bakery.
  • Let it come to room temperature for 20–30 minutes.
  • Cut into 12 pieces, roll into ropes, let rise for 15–20 minutes, bake at 400°F for about 10–12 minutes.
  • Brush with the same garlic butter topping.
You still get that warm, garlicky, buttery smell without starting from scratch.

3. Air fryer breadsticks

If you have an air fryer, you can bake small batches:
  • Shape shorter breadsticks (about 5–6 inches) so they fit.
  • Preheat air fryer to 350°F.
  • Place a few breadsticks in the basket (leave space between them).
  • Cook 6–8 minutes, until golden.
  • Brush with garlic butter while hot.
Cooking times can vary by air fryer, so keep an eye on the first batch.

Allergy-Friendly and Special Diet Swaps

Everyone should be able to enjoy warm breadsticks at the table. Here are some simple ideas to adapt this copycat Olive Garden breadsticks recipe for different needs.

Gluten-Free Option

  • Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose baking blend that’s labeled as suitable for yeast breads.
  • Add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t already include it.
  • Expect a slightly denser texture; gluten-free dough is usually softer and stickier, so avoid overworking it.

Dairy-Free or Vegan Option

  • Replace butter in the dough and topping with vegan butter or a neutral oil (like light olive oil).
  • Skip Parmesan or use a dairy-free Parmesan-style topping.
  • Everything else in the recipe is naturally dairy-free if you make these swaps.

Lower-Sodium Tips

  • Reduce the salt in the dough to 1 teaspoon.
  • Use unsalted butter and a lighter sprinkle of salt on top.

Garlic Sensitivity

  • Use only a pinch of garlic powder or swap it for dried Italian herbs (like oregano and basil) in the butter.
Always double-check ingredient labels if you’re cooking for someone with allergies or serious sensitivities.

Serving Ideas: How to Enjoy Your Breadsticks

Wondering what to serve with your homemade breadsticks? Try: They also make great mini sandwich “subs” the next day—slice, stuff with meat and cheese, and toast.

Join the Conversation

Have you tried making this Olive Garden breadsticks copycat at home?
  • Did you brush yours with extra garlic butter?
  • Did you swap in gluten-free flour or a vegan butter?
I’d love to hear how it turned out for you and what you served them with. Please leave a comment, share your tweaks, and pass this recipe along to friends and family who also can’t stop thinking about those famous breadsticks.

Recipe & Affiliate Disclaimers

This recipe is a homemade copycat version created for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not the original Olive Garden recipe, and we make no claim to know or represent the restaurant’s proprietary formulas, methods, or ingredients. All trademarks and names mentioned belong to their respective owners and are used only to describe the style and inspiration of this dish.
Simply Copycat Recipes is an Amazon affiliate. That means we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep sharing free recipes and kitchen tips with you.

Location: Georgetown, IN, USA

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