Olive Garden Breadsticks – make your favorite Olive Garden breadsticks right in your own kitchen! These super soft, tender, buttery and garliky breadsticks will go with all your favorite soups, pastas and just about anything else.
We all know that I have a soft spot for carbs. I would eat pasta pretty much every day. And this Tuscan Chicken Pasta is pretty much my go to. And what goes best with pasta? More carbs! These soft breadsticks are heavenly and perfect with that bowl of pasta or soup.
I love Olive Garden Breadsticks and pretty much always have. I used to pick to go there when I was a kid any time I got the chance. There are a few other copycat recipes on the blog from there already, like this Chicken Gnocchi Soup. And we all know you can’t have soup without bread, so here we are!
There is just something about the smell of fresh bread baking in the house, and these homemade breadsticks are no different. Plus, they are easier to make then you probably think. Yes, there is yeast involved. But no, you don’t need to be afraid of it!
A lot of people are afraid of yeast, but they don’t have to be. Below are a few simple tips to help you tackle your fears. It really is about following the directions and understanding just a couple things. Then you will be baking all the fresh bread, and my all time favorite Rosemary Focaccia in no time!
Ingredients For Breadsticks
- Warm Water
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Salt
- Bread Flour
- Melted Butter
- Garlic Salt
I use the garlic salt that has the dried parsley flakes, hence why my pictures have flecks on the breadsticks.
Tips For Baking With Yeast
- Don’t kill the yeast. Most recipes will tell you a temperature that the water should be. Follow it. Too hot and it will kill the yeast and your bread won’t rise. Not hot enough and your yeast won’t activate. So use a thermometer and use what the recipe says.
- Yeast feeds on sugar, so leave it in! Often times people will try to cut down on the sugar in a recipe or think it is unnecessary in a bread. But that is what makes the yeast grow, so leave it in there.
- Yeast needs a warm place to grow and do its thing. Around 80 degrees is ideal. So if your house is cold you can heat your oven to 100 degrees, then turn it off and let the bread rise in there. This will stay warm enough to let the dough rise.
- Store your yeast in a cold place. The fridge or even freezer is best, it will last longer and be fresh when you need to use it.
- There are 2 kinds of yeast; active dry yeast and rapid rise yeast. Different ones are called for in different recipes and they are not interchangeable. So just use what the recipe calls for and you should be fine!
- Pay attention to the time. When a recipe says knead for 5 minutes, you actually need to knead for 5 minutes. But you can use your stand mixer and let it do the kneading for you!
How To Make Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Start by “blooming” your yeast. It sounds complicated, but it is super simple. In a small bowl combine the sugar, yeast and warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Once it is foamy, the yeast has bloomed and is active.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture and melted butter. Mix until it starts to come together in a ball.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. You can use an electric stand mixer for 5 minutes on low if you prefer.
- Form the dough into a square on your counter. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a bread stick.
- Place the breadsticks on a lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400º F. Bake bread sticks for 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Mix together the butter and garlic salt. Brush over the cooked bread sticks.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving
This Olive Garden Breadsticks recipe is going to be perfect with all of your soups this winter. You can even make my Olive Garden Minestrone soup and pretend you are there. No need to leave the house, you can enjoy your favorites at home!
Homemade breadsticks are a little work, but they are so light and fluffy it is definitely worth it. The butter and garlic brushed on the top take them to a whole new level you are not going to want to stop eating them!
Want Even More Copycat Recipes
- Panera Macaroni and Cheese – Reader Favorite
- Idaho Nachos – from Granite City Brewery
- Canes Sauce – perfect for all your dipping needs!
- Pokey Sticks – the BEST cheese breadsticks ever!
- Pasta Milano – from Macaroni Grill
- Red Lobster Tartar Sauce – so good with fish
Soft Bread Sticks
Olive Garden Breadsticks - Soft and fluffy bread sticks topped with a butter garlic mixture.
Ingredients
For the breadsticks
- 1 1/2 cups warm water, (110 degrees)
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, (1 package)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 4 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
For the topping
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 tsp garlic salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the sugar, yeast and warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and butter. Mix until it starts to come together in a ball.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
- Form the dough into a square on your counter. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll into a bread stick.
- Place on a lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake bread sticks for 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Mix together the butter and garlic salt. Brush over the cooked bread sticks.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving
Notes
Adapted from You Made That
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
12 ServingsAmount Per Serving Calories 232Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 15mgSodium 229mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 6g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.
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Sara Welch says
Love the breadsticks at Olive Garden! So excited to have the recipe to make these from home! Can’t wait to serve these with dinner tonight!
Cathy says
This picture shows flecks of green herbs on the breadsticks but there are no ingredients in the recipe that would match this. Is the recipe missing a step or is it the wrong picture?
Erin S says
It is in the garlic salt – I buy the garlic salt at Costco that has parsley flakes in it
Kate says
As an olive garden worker we typically don’t have the green flakes but we do use parsley for a sprinkling on the food. Highly recommend use of parsley.
Erin S says
I used the garlic salt that has parsley flakes in it, hence the green flecks. But the recipe just called for garlic salt, so most people will have ones that look more like the traditional ones at the restaurant.
Demeter says
Now we don’t have to go to OG to get our breadstick fix, haha! These are always a hit!
Melissa says
Breadsticks are my favorite! Great recipe, my family gobbled them up!
Chrissie Baker says
Oh my goodness Erin………these look so totally amazing and just delicious!!! I have to make some right now.
annie says
These look like the real deal! Great recipe!
Michelle Goth says
I can’t wait to make these because then I’ll pretty much have no reason to go to OG! 😉 They’re my fav!
Steph says
Does this recipe use rapid rise or active dry yeast?
Erin S says
Active Dry yeast. Updated the recipe, sorry about that!
Lynnette says
Can you use all purpose flour?
Erin S says
Yes, all-purpose flour works great
Shannon says
I made these tonight and we really enjoyed them but they were a bit dense. I wonder if that could be because I used King Arthur brand bread flour. I’ve seen some other recipes that say you should reduce the amount slightly if using that brand. My breadsticks certainly didn’t look anything like those pictured. Do you have any pointers for how to make them prettier? Thanks very much for the recipe! I’ve made a lot of bread over the years but this was my first time to make breadsticks.
Patricia says
Mine as well, I wonder if there is a way to lighten them up a bit?
Erin S says
Often times when you make a yeast bread, if it comes out dense it is because it wasn’t kneaded for a long enough time, make sure you follow the recipe for the length of time, even when it seems like forever. Or it wasn’t left long enough to rise all of the way. The temperature of your kitchen will play a big roll in how long you need to let the dough rise, it is best to measure on doubling/size, not on the time.
TVChef says
Perform the window pane test by stretching the dough until you see light through it. If the dough tears the gluten has not developed enough, you need another few minutes of needing then check the dough again.
Rebecca says
I used KAF bread flour and they were very light and fluffy. I did add 1 tablespoon more water, but I also kneaded for seven minutes in my KitchenAid. 5 minutes didn’t stretch well enough so the gluten wasn’t developed enough in 5.
Antionette Kuhnert says
Can you use rabid rise yeast?
Erin S says
Yes, you can mostly use them interchangeably. The rise time will be shorter, so keep and eye on it until it is double in size. You can also skip the step of dissolving the yeast in water, that is not needed with rapid rise yeast.
Amy says
This is an amazing Recipe thank you
Heather M. Whipple says
Erin, are you sure i am supposed to use 1 Tablespoon of Salt in this bread stick recipe?
please say that is a typo.
how much salt am i to use in this recipe? i think maybe it is 1/2 teaspoon or 1 teaspoon of salt
please let me know because i am writing this recipe down now.
please email me at midnight0675@suddenlink.net
Erin S says
The recipe is correct, the dough uses 1 Tablespoon of salt.
April says
Can these be frozen and baked later.?
Erin S says
I have not tried it, so I am not 100% sure if they will change texture or not. But traditionally with a yeast dough you would wrap loosely in plastic wrap, place in a freezer safe container and freeze. Then to bake, allow dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or for 2-3 hours at room temperature. Then continue with the recipe.
April says
They are a gift so I don’ want to take any chances that they might not work after they are frozen. Thanks for the quick reply!
Emily Oremus says
Made these last night! I loved how fast the rising process was! They were so good! Did you use an egg wash or anything to get them to turn a golden brown? Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Erin S says
I turned on the broiler for the last minute or two to brown them up, but it is completely unnecessary!
Eeeee says
My daughter loves all things carbs, especially garlic breads. Made this tonight and it was a hit. It yielded enough for 13 large garlic knots. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Harriet says
I never comment on recipes, but I absolutely have to after taking my first bite! I left the US 6 years ago and every now and then have a craving for olive garden breadsticks. I’ve tried a couple recipes over the years, but this is the first one that is perfect! They are fluffy on the inside and taste just like what I remember. Thank you! <3
Beth says
These are absolutely delicious! They taste JUST like the breadsticks from Olive Garden. My family devoured them.
Amanda says
I haven’t had these in so long and they are my favorite! Thank you so much for sharing I will give these a try!
Catalina says
I love baking and these bread sticks are on our next baking list! Sounds so delicious!
Amanda says
These are exactly like Olive Garden’s! I can’t wait to make them again.
Sandra says
I loved how soft and fluffy these are! Thanks for the recipe!
Amanda says
Oh my goodness! These are going to be made this weekend. They look so good!
Juliane says
I love this, so much! SO good!
katerina @ diethood.com says
I love homemade bread sticks!! These are absolutely amazing!!