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Enjoy Olive Garden Breadsticks Recipe at home any day of the week. These soft and fluffy breadsticks topped with garlic butter never disappoint.
Your friends and family will love this copycat recipe for Olive Garden Breadsticks. It is so simple to make at home and really delicious.
These bread sticks are yummy served warm and pairs nicely with a host of dishes. Once you learn how simple it is to prepare Olive Garden breadsticks, you will be hooked. It is an all around great recipe. They are even better dipped into Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
This copycat Olive Garden breadstick recipe is an easy recipe with simple ingredients. These simple steps will have you enjoying homemade breadsticks with all your favorite soups, pizza and Italian Recipes.
Ingredients
- Warm Water
- Active Dry Yeast
- Granulated Sugar
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt
- All Purpose Flour
Garlic Butter Ingredients
- unsalted butter, melted
- salt
- garlic powder
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and recipe.
Variations Ideas
- Cheese. Coat the breadsticks with butter and sprinkle your favorite type of cheese on top. Some ideas include: Parmesan, Provolone, Mozzarella and more. Bake until the cheese has melted.
- Cinnamon and Sugar. Try making sweet breadsticks with a cinnamon and sugar mixture. Omit the garlic. Spread melted butter on the breadsticks and then sprinkle with the mixture. If you like the flavor of cinnamon sugar pretzels, you will love this.
We absolutely love the traditional garlic and salt breadsticks. However, both of these options are tasty ways to change the flavor.
Both options are really simple and so delicious. Give them a try for another way to enjoy these.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 – Combine the yeast. Mix warm water, instant yeast, and sugar in bowl or mixer. Let stand for 5 minutes until frothy.
Step 2 – Mix in the olive oil. Add in the olive oil, salt and flour to yeast mixture. We recommend mixing together with stand mixer.
Step 3 – Mix everything together. Knead the dough. Mix with the dough hook for 6-8 minutes on medium low speed until smooth.
Step 4 – Prepare a bowl for the dough. Transfer to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.
Step 5 – Allow to rise. Let rise until doubled in size. It should be about an hour. Then Preheat the oven. It needs to be set to 425.
Step 6 – Punch the dough. Punch down the dough and turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Step 7 – Separate the dough. Divide the dough into 12 even portions, approximately 2 oz each.
Step 8 – Shape into breadsticks. Roll out into 8-9 inch logs and set on baking sheet. Let the breadsticks rest on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. The bread needs time to rest before baking. Please do not skip this step.
Step 9 – While dough is resting, mix together the melted butter, salt and garlic powder to make the garlic butter. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
Step 10 – Top with butter. Brush immediately with garlic butter. I love to generously coat each one in this delicious topping. It is so yummy.
Recipe Tips
- Let Dough Rise – Allow ample time for the breadsticks to rise. This step can’t be rushed or skipped.
- Baking Breadsticks – Don’t over bake the breadsticks or they will be dry. Also, don’t under the bake or the inside will be doughy.
- Serving Breadsticks – These breadsticks are best served warm.
- Butter Option – Unsalted butter is best to use in this recipe. Since you are also using salt in the coating, you do not want it to be overly salty.
This recipe really is simple and easy. While there are a few steps, each one is very easy. Anyone can make this recipe.
How to Store
While these are best served warm, you can still use leftovers. Just make sure they are cool and place inside an airtight container.
When ready to enjoy, reheat for about 5 minutes in the oven set at 350. Wrap the breadsticks in foil so they don’t get too brown on top.
It does not take long to reheat so keep a close eye on them. You can also microwave the breadsticks if you prefer. They will only take a few seconds.
Can Breadsticks be Frozen?
Yes, these breadsticks definitely can be frozen.
- Dough. You can freeze them prior to baking. Shape them into the breadsticks but do not let them rise the second time. Place into a freezer container and freeze up to 3 months. Just thaw and let them rise at room temperature and then bake.
- Baked. Another options is to freeze the baked breadsticks. Allow them to cool and place inside a freezer container or bag. They can be frozen up to 2 months. You can reheat them in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Either option is a great way to freeze these breadsticks. However, if you like fresh baked breadsticks, I would freeze the dough. This will allow you to enjoy just baked bread without all of the prep work involved.
I actually like to keep some in the freezer for dinners and get togethers. It makes it super easy to serve homemade breadsticks without much effort. For even more tips, check out How to Freeze Bread.
What to Serve with Breadsticks?
If you like to dip the breadsticks, try some of our favorite sauces. There are several options and pair nicely with these yummy breadsticks.
- Marinara– This classic dipping sauce is always a crowd pleaser with breadsticks.
- Alfredo– My favorite dipping sauce for breadsticks and this homemade recipe is so easy.
- Pizza Sauce– I love to sprinkle cheese on top of the pizza sauce. Then bake until just melted.
- Ranch – My kids love ranch with everything so this is very popular!
You can use store bought sauces but it is so easy to make homemade. I think they taste better as well. My family loves when I set out several ramekins of various sauces. It is even delicious served with Zuppa Toscana Soup and Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.
Everyone can choose their favorite ones. It works great as an appetizer too. Whenever we do this, everyone raves about it.
More Olive Garden Copycat Recipes
- Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
- Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Recipe
- Crock Pot Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Pasta Recipe
We love to hear from you. If you make this Olive Garden Breadsticks Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Olive Garden Breadsticks
Ingredients
- 1 Cup warm water
- 1 pkg Active dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ Cups Flour
Garlic Butter Ingredients:
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- Mix warm water, yeast, and sugar in bowl or mixer. Let stand for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Add in the olive oil, salt and flour. Mix with the dough hook for 6-8 minutes on medium low speed until smooth.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise until doubled in size. It should be about an hour.
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Punch down the dough and turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Cut into 12 even portions, approximately 2 oz each. Roll out into 8-9 inch logs and set on baking sheet.
- Let rest on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes.
- While dough is resting, mix together the melted butter, salt and garlic powder to make the garlic butter.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
- Brush immediately with garlic butter.
- Serve.
These breadsticks are wonderful! The best part is they are so easy to make! Thank you for this recipe!
4th time was a charm! I made a few alterations. For the 2x recipe I added 3 cups of water instead of the 2 it called for and I baked at 350 instead of 400. They came out soft and very nice! I will keep this as my go-to. Review updated!