Here is a great recipe that will never fall short of the soup, salad and breadsticks! A recipe for copycat Olive Garden breadsticks that tastes just like you are at the restaurant! With a modest preparation, and a cheating time-saving method, you will absolutely love how this recipe tastes!

Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks

Key Ingredients – For the dough:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
• 16 ounces (about 3-1/3 to 3-1/2 cups) bread flour

Cheating Ingredient – Pre-prepared Breadsticks:

• 12 store bought breadsticks

Key Ingredients – For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons melted margarine (YES not butter)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Table Ingredients:

• Optional Marinara sauce (or your favorite dipping sauce)
• Soup and/or salad
• Your plate

Breadsticks Preparation Statistics:

• Heat source: Oven, all times do not include preheating of oven
• Preparation Time: 6 minutes
• Stand Time in oiled bowl: 1 hours, 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes, or until golden brown
• Stand Time before serving: 6 minutes (or less)
• Total Time: 1 hour, 54 minutes (or less)
• Total Time, Cheating Method: 18 minutes
• Servings: 12 breadsticks

Preparation/Cooking Instructions:

Preparing the Bread:
In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the ingredients of the water, yeast, sugar, and butter. Even though my recipe calls for melted margarine in the topping phase of the baking of your breadsticks, you must use butter in the prep of your bread ingredients, because you will compromise your final product on your table. The add your salt. Attach your hook of dough to the mixer and begin to gradually add in the flour on a low speed. Increase your mixer speed to medium and knead the dough for about 7-1/4 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic in consistency.
Remove your dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.
Divide your dough into 12  separate 2 ounce portions. Roll each piece of dough into a 7-inch log. Place the dough logs on nonstick baking mat or parchment-lined baking sheets, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Using Pre-prepared Breadsticks:
Everyone doesn’t have all the time for making a bakery out of the kitchen. So if you would like to enjoy the breadsticks and save the time and not need as many gadgets in the kitchen, purchase store bought breadsticks to take home that great family flavor of your breadsticks! Place the 12  dough logs onto the nonstick baking mat or parchment-lined baking sheets, cover, and prepare the dough logs to be place into the oven.

Cooking Time:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Insert your pre-prepared baking sheet with the 12 dough logs into the oven for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately brush with melted margarine. Combine the salt and garlic powder and sprinkle evenly over breadsticks. Using a chef’s shaker to apply the garlic salt is highly recommended. Serve warm.

At Your Table:
You can serve up your breadsticks with optional Marinara sauce, Alfredo sauce or your favorite Italian dipping sauce. Other options I have seen in my experience are sprinkling Romano cheese or grinding pepper on top. You are all set to enjoy, just like you are sitting at the Olive Garden! Well worth the wait. Add this to an optional garden salad and soup and you are all set. Benvenuta Italia and Mangia, Mangia!!

NUTRITION FACTS (Estimate Per Serving):

• 140 Calories per breadstick
• 2-1/2g Fat
• 25g Carbohydrates
• 4g Protein

Estimated from cumulative information. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

You are ready to E-N-J-O-Y !!!

Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks Recipe

Disclosure: Even though I worked at the Olive Garden, I worked as a server; and did not have access to their proprietary recipe. This recipe was referred to me from a friend  who loves cooking and I made this to her specifications. I agreed with her that it tasted just like it was made at the Olive Garden. The recipe may differ from theirs, but it sure does taste, in my opinion, like the real thing!